With the clock down to five days before the world welcomes the new GLC, Mercedes released the first official design sketch of the GLK’s successor.

While the image doesn’t offer anything new or something we haven’t seen before through the increasingly lighter camouflaged prototypes of the compact SUV, Mercedes did share some preliminary details about the new model that will go up against the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.

“The GLC retains its predecessor’s outstanding off-road characteristics and combines them with an all-new design,” said Mercedes in a statement.

“What is more, the GLC takes comfort and agility to a whole new level: with the innovative multi-chamber air suspension AIR BODY CONTROL, unique to the segment, DYNAMIC SELECT and the 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive, the new GLC is tailor-made for all driving situations on and off the road,” the carmaker added.

Mercedes also promises significant improvements in fuel economy of up to 19 percent over the outgoing GLK.

The new GLC is a spinoff from the C-Class family –hence the “C” in its name- and will get a similar range of four-cylinder and V6 engines, as well as two AMG editions, the Sport with a 360-ish hp 3.0-liter V6, and the 63 featuring the C63 AMG’s twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V8.

The GLC will also form the base for Mercedes’ BMW X4 challenger, the GLC Coupe that was teased through a thinly disguised concept earlier this year.

Photo Gallery