The regular Mercedes GLC crossover is the company’s best-selling model worldwide, and last June Merc revealed an all-new version incorporating most of the features and upgrades made to its C-Class sedan cousin.
But it hasn’t forgotten about buyers who can’t see themselves in either a C-Class or GLC SUV. To keep that group happy the fastback GLC Coupe returns this year, and these pictures show it in the final stages of its test program.
The test team has stripped away a little of the disguise confirming that the front-end changes mirror those of its more practical brother. The old car’s headlight and grille were separated by body color plastics but on the new one, the more angular light units bleed into a grille again featuring miniature stars as a background rather than horizontal bars.
The Coupe will have the same 113.7-in (2,888 mm) wheelbase as the upright GLC, which means it gains 0.6-in (15 mm) of metal between the wheels versus the outgoing Coupe to provide more legroom in a cabin that gains the latest Mercedes dashboard design and 11.9-in infotainment screen first seen on the S-Class back in 2019.
Related: New 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC Takes Two Steps Forward And No Steps Back
But being the Coupe variant, this car has a sloping fastback tail that is sure to reduce headroom and luggage space versus the stock GLC SUV. This prototype is still wearing plenty of disguise at the rear but we can expect the lights to look similar to those on the squareback version, and stretch right across the back of the car.
Under-hood options will mirror those of the plain GLC, so don’t expect to see anything but four-cylinder engines on the menu, even in the AMG 63 variant that will be along later. That’s destined to get the same 671-hp 2.0-liter PHEV drivetrain recently launched in the C 63 sedan and wagon, while the more prosaic GLC 300 model that will take the lion’s share of North American sales will rely on a 255 hp (258 PS) 2.0-liter mild-hybrid motor with the option of 4Matic all-wheel drive.
European buyers should also get to choose some less powerful engines from the main GLC line, including a 201 hp (204 PS) inline-four in the GLC 200, a 194 hp (197 PS) diesel in the GLC 220d and a PHEV with up to 62 miles (100 km) of electric range.
