New Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe revealed, every model now electrified

Here’s a fun fact: in 2022, despite the widely documented semiconductor shortages, Mercedes-Maybach reported a 37 per cent increase in sales. A whopping 21,600 Maybachs were sold to customers across the globe – heck, China alone gobbled up over a thousand a month. 

While we re-evaluate our understanding of a 'fun fact', lower down the food chain - and in an unsurprising indictment on today’s car buying audience - Mercedes’ outright best-selling model last year… was an SUV. Specifically, the GLC. Merc shifted 342,900 of them last year, so this newly facelifted GLC Coupe is an Important Car.

As such, it carries with it lots of electrification. It’s now only available as a mild-hybrid or plug-in hybrid – four of the former, three of the latter. Mild hybrid GLC Coupes are available with either a 2.0-litre petrol or diesel four-cylinder and come as standard with a starter-generator unit and 48V electrics to support coasting and energy recovery.

Step up to the PHEVs and you’re looking at cars fitted with 31.2kWh batteries able to power the GLC on electricity alone for between 74 and 80 miles (claimed). These cars again come with a choice of four-cylinder, 2.0-litre petrol units or a single diesel. Interestingly the quickest GLC Coupe – from the regular line-up – is the 400 e PHEV, offering a 0-62mph time of 5.6s.

No doubt there’ll be a heavy-hitting AMG variant along in due course that’ll likely use the new C63’s monstrous hybrid drivetrain. In that C63, there’s a 2.0-litre four-pot paired to an e-motor for a whopping 671bhp and 752lb ft. The C63 happens to be a very heavy car, too.

As with the recently updated ‘regular’ GLC SUV, the Coupe follows suit with slight updates to the headlight and grille design, as well as the lower front bumper and rear light signature. The biggest change comes inside, with the addition of an 11.9in central touchscreen that sits proud of the centre console, while the driver is faced with a new 12.3in high-res LCD display too. It all follows the ‘floating display’ philosophy Merc is so keen on these days.

As expected, the new car is a mite longer, wider and taller than before, gets slightly better aero, a bigger boot, lots of driver assistance and actual off-road ability.

No word on prices just yet, but this Important Car will land in western Europe in July 2023.

TEXT Vijay Pattni