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2017 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe:: six variants for Australia, AMG 43 and 63 confirmed

Mercedes-Benz Australia has confirmed that it will roll out six iterations of its sport-stylised mid-sized SUV, the new 2017 GLC Coupe.


Speaking to CarAdvice at the international launch of the GLC Coupe, Mercedes-Benz Australia’s Senior PR Manager, David McCarthy, revealed that four variants will hit local showrooms around November or December this year.

The all-turbocharged launch range will be split evenly with diesel and petrol variants. Diesel offerings will be an entry 220d, producing 125kW/400Nm from its 2.1-litre diesel four, and a higher output 250d version claiming a higher 150kW/500Nm from a higher state of tune from the same engine. Both ‘d’ variants return a claimed best of 5.0L/100kms, though the 250d improves the 220d’s acceleration credentials of 8.3sec 0-100km/h by seven-tenths of a second.

Petrol-wise, it’s no surprise that the evergreen and widely adopted 250 petrol spec centres the range and is expected to represent 35 per cent of total GLC Coupe sales. Its 2.0-litre turbocharged four produces 135kW/350Nm, tied to a 0-100km/h claim of 7.3sec while returning a best combined fuel figure of 6.9L/100kms.

All three versions will come exclusively with the marque’s 9G-Tronic nine-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. Both steel sprung Dynamic Body Control with adaptive damping and Air Body Control adaptive air suspension options will be available in the range.

The fourth version is the debut of the Mercedes-AMG branded GLC43 Coupe, the performance iteration powered by a “high-output” twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6. While the car debuted at the New York show with 270kw/520Nm credentials, Mercedes-Benz Australia is “mot sure as yet” if that power figure will rise to 290kW when our localised version lobs in November/December.

McCarthy expects that the AMG GLC43 Coupe will make up a quarter of the launch range’s sales, with the 220d and 250d diesel forecast to make up 15 and 25 per cent of total volume, which is expected to be between 100 and 150 units per month.

Mid-2017 will see the local introduction of two higher-spec GLC Coupe versions: a high-power diesel 350d and a hotly anticipated AMG GLC63 Coupe high-performance iteration that, as we’ve reported, was caught testing at the Nurburgring last month.

While details are scarce about the GLC63, it’s feasible that outputs will mirror the current C63 range’s 350kW/650Nm baseline with headroom for a 375kW/750Nm GLC63 S version from its current 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine family.

The 350d will arrive with 190kW/620Nm from its bi-turbo 3.0-litre V6, delivering 6.2sec 0-100km/h performance while returning 6.0L/100km combined consumption.

What does Australia miss out on? McCarthy says that there’s currently “no timing” on a 300 spec that comes with 180kW/370Nm 2.0-litre four power set for other markets.

While a plug-in petrol-electric hybrid ‘350 e’ – with 235kW total system power and 34-kilometre electric-only range - is ready for release in some markets, it will skip our market when Mercedes-Benz Australia rolls out its three-model hybrid ‘e’ range - C300e, S500e and GLEe – in the middle of next year.

While local pricing and specification have yet to be finalized for the four launch variants, it’s expected that the 220d, 250d and 250 coupe versions will carry a modest, less-than-ten-per cent price premium above the relative ‘regular’ GLC SUVs currently on sale in Oz.

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