Wheezing up the mountain passes of France’s Vosges mountains in a European-market, 208-hp Mercedes-Benz GLC250, we felt that a few extra ponies will be in high order. And indeed, Daimler will bring to the U.S. market the GLC300 instead—powered by the same 2.0-liter turbo four, but jacked up to 241 horsepower. But it might be worth waiting for the 2017 model year.
Next summer, the company will launch the GLC450 as an AMG Sport model; it will be powered by the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 that motivates the upcoming C450 AMG and the GLE450 AMG. Rated at 362 horsepower and 384 lb-ft of torque, this powerplant will send the GLC to 60 mph in about 5 seconds and upwards to a top speed of 155 mph.
Judging from past experience, the AMG Sport models should provide the extra grunt we sorely missed during our test drives of the four-banger—along with a delightfully aggressive soundtrack.
The launch of the GLC450 AMG will coincide with the arrival of the GLC Coupe, an even sleeker derivative of the GLC that was previewed as a concept at this year’s Shanghai auto show. The GLC Coupe will come with several engines, including a 450 AMG version. The AMG Sport models may be offered with a torque-vectoring system.
Daimler is not planning for a full-fledged AMG model with a 4.0-liter twin-turbo V-8, even though such a model would be technically possible.
Looking ahead, there could be one more model. When creating the GLC, Daimler executives discussed—and decided against—a longer-wheelbase version for the Chinese market. But now we hear that this decision might well be reversed in the future, and Daimler could offer a longer version of the GLC.
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