Mercedes-Benz’s sales prospects look set to receive a boost later this year with the introduction of the GLC, a new five-seat SUV.
The GLC is set to go on sale in the UK this autumn following a planned public debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. It succeeds the GLK, which was never sold through official Mercedes-Benz channels in the UK because it was left-hand drive only.
With the adoption of a new platform structure and a new four-wheel drive system, the GLC will be produced from the outset in both left and right-hand drive. UK examples will initially come from Mercedes’ Bremen factory in Germany, according to Autocar sources.
The move to right-hand drive gives Mercedes’ UK sales operation its first true rival to the likes of the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. It also provides the basis for a sportier GLC Coupé that will compete against the Range Rover Evoque and BMW X4 when it appears in production guise in mid-2016.
Pictured here in an exclusive Autocar rendering, the GLC receives a design that shares various elements — including its soft-nosed grille, headlight treatment and side feature line — with other recently introduced Mercedes.
The overall appearance is a significant departure from the GLK’s edgy look and forms part of a bid by Mercedes design boss Gorden Wagener to instil the German car maker’s line-up with a more cohesive look than in recent years.
The GLC offers seating for up to five in a cabin whose styling, material quality and equipment levels draw heavily on those of the latest C-Class.
The engine line-up for the new SUV will include a range of existing 2.0-litre four-cylinder and 3.0-litre six-cylinder petrol units in the GLC250 and GLC400 and a 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel in the GLC220d and GLC250d. They will come mated to either a standard seven-speed or nine-speed automatic gearbox and either rear-wheel drive or permanent four-wheel drive.
A plug-in petrol-electric hybrid is also planned, although it is unlikely to be available from the outset of UK sales. The hybrid GLC350e is capable of running on electric power alone for up to 19 miles. It runs the same powertrain as the recently unveiled C350e, with a four-cylinder petrol engine and electric motor providing a combined 275bhp and four-wheel drive.
At the upper end of the GLC line-up are two AMG-developed models. One is the GLC450 Sport, which runs a turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 with 362bhp. The other is the GLC63, which is powered by a turbocharged 4.0-litre V8 offering 469bhp in standard guise and 503bhp in a more sporting S model.
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