Although Mercedes has not officially said that the GLC Coupé will definitely go into production, Gorden Wagener, the company’s head of design, hinted strongly that it could, saying: “The GLC Coupé gives a foretaste of future SUV models from Mercedes-Benz. At the same time, it embraces the typical values of tradition-steeped Mercedes-Benz coupés.”
The car fits perfectly into the crossover trend that the car industry has wholeheartedly embraced, which involves designers combining two different bodystyles in one car – in this case, a sporty coupé with an SUV.
The GLC Coupé’s sportiness can be seen in features such as a short front overhang, upright grille, ‘powerdomes’ on the bonnet, large side air intakes and prominent underbody protection.
The side profile also emphasises its sporty credentials with an elongated sloping roof, while its all-roading character comes to the fore in the shape of sill extensions that are reminiscent of the side running boards on a classic SUV and wide 21-inch wheels with large, wide-profile tyres, which help create its relatively high ground clearance.
Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine (this show car is the ‘halo variant’ AMG performance version) that is said to produce 362bhp and is mated with a nine-speed automatic gearbox and permanent four-wheel drive.
The GLC – which replaces the GLK model – is due out later this year but Mercedes also hinted at Shanghai that the Concept GLC Coupé was part of its pans when it said the company’s SUV line-up would eventually extend to seven models – the GLA, GLC, GLC Coupé, GLE, GLE Coupé, GLS and G-Class.
