The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe: Performance Without The Price Tag?

The latest Mercedes SUV to get the AMG tuning treatment, the GLC Coupe, won't break any crossover land speed records, but it might not break the bank either. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe is powered by a 3-liter twin turbo 367 hp V6 engine that sends its power through a nine-speed automatic gearbox to all four wheels. This results in a 0-100 km/h time of 4.9 seconds and an electronically limited 250 km/h top speed.Also Read: First Drive Review of The Mercedes-Benz GLC

In isolation, those numbers are impressive but when this new variant of the GLC Coupe makes its official debut at the Paris Motorshow in October, it will do so alongside the latest Porsche Macan, which, with the performance package offers similar interior space and four-wheel drive. But its twin-turbo V6 serves up 440 hp, a 0-100km/h time of just 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 272 km/h.

But before you make your decision about which car is better, Mercedes has a trick up its sleeve. Although the prices for the GLC have not been confirmed yet, it is expected to cost roughly 30% less than the new €91,000 Porsche.Also Read: Mercedes-Benz GLE 450 AMG Coupe Review: The BMW X6 Killer

In times gone by, the AMG badge meant a massive, supercharged V8 or a monstrous V12 under the hood. But regardless of cylinder count, those three letters signified the pinnacle of performance possibility. However, in an attempt to bring AMG's engineering excellence to the Mercedes masses, since the beginning of 2016, the company has started offering two AMG variants (63 and 43) of new models with either eight or six cylinders calling the shots.

"The new GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe is characterised by a high level of agility and sporty driving dynamics," he said. Creating two AMG variations of each new model also means that the best (from a performance perspective) is still to come in terms of the GLC Coupe range at least. And that model will be a statistical match for any Porsche Macan or BMW X4.Also Read: Mercedes-AMG SLC 43 Launched at Rs 77.5 Lakhs, A Worthy Successor to SLK 55?