Mercedes GLC Coupe: full details, prices & specs

Full details of the new Mercedes GLC Coupe SUV crossover have been announced, including full UK prices and specifications.

When the new car arrives later this year (orders open in June and deliveries start in October) it’ll take on rivals like the BMW X4 and sit below the Mercedes GLE Coupe – a rival for the BMW X6 – in the Mercedes range.

Prices for the new car start at £40,580 for the entry-level Sport model with the 220d engine, rising to £43,245 for a 250d version in AMG Line trim. Meanwhile, you'll have to stump up £47,135 for the more powerful 350d in SE spec and £50,960 for the top-of-the-range AMG GLC 43.

Power will come from the same range of 2.1-litre diesels used in the Mercedes GLC SUV and Mercedes C-Class saloon, although a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol will also be available. You can also go for a 255bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel or a high-performance AMG GLC 43 Coupe with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6. A super-efficient plug-in hybrid is likely to arrive later.

Mercedes GLC Coupe design

In terms of design, these coupe/SUV crossovers always cause a stir. The BMW X6 – the first of this type of car to be released – divided opinion with its looks, but has proved popular nonetheless. It’s longer and lower than the more upright GLC SUV, emphasising the coupe element of its design.

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Unsurprisingly, the swooping, curvaceous roofline we saw on the Shanghai concept is present and correct, as is the large front grille with a huge three-pointed star at its centre, suspended by a single bar running across its full width. Also carried over from the concept are an intricate light signature – which can be specced as LEDs as an extra, jutting wheel arches and heavily creased side panels.

There are a couple of features which haven’t made the transition, however, with the most obvious difference being the abandonment of the four vertically stacked tail pipes in favour of a pair of more traditionally positioned exhausts. Also, the front bumper doesn’t have quite such large air intakes as the concept seen at Shanghai.

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At the back, the tail-lights have taken on the wide, slender appearance that’s becoming a theme on Mercedes’ coupes, while the shallow slope of the rear deck emphasises the car’s coupe shape, as does the acute angle of the window line where it meets the shoulder line at the back.

Equipment

At launch, there will be just the two trim levels to choose from – Sport and AMG Line – with 18-inch alloys, sat-nav, synthetic leather upholstery and a reversing camera all standard. You also get LED headlights, heated front seats, sports suspension and an electric tailgate, as well as black ash interior trim and a black ‘diamond’ grille.

Step up to AMG Line – a £1,495 premium over Sport – and you get additional equipment like a flat-bottomed AMG steering wheel, brushed steel sports pedal and synthetic leather upholstery in either black or Cranberry Red. Go for AMG Line and you also get 19-inch alloys, a sporty AMG body kit and a chrome-accented grille.

Options include the £1,495 Premium package that adds ambient interior lighting, a sliding glass sunroof, keyless go and electric seats with memory. Add the £2,795 Premium Plus package, however and you get all the above as well as a 13-speaker Burmester stereo and the COMAND Online infotainment system.

You can also add the Lane Tracking package for £595, which includes Blind Spot assist and Lane Tracking Assist. Meanwhile, the Driving Assistance Package costs £1,695 and features a host of active safety kit, including Active Blind Spot Assist, adaptive cruise control and crosswind assist. You can also specify AMG Line models with the £495 Night Package, which includes black door mirrors, a different design of 19-inch alloy wheel and gloss balck exterior detailing.

Interior

These first images of the GLC Coupe’s interior show that it’s been carried over almost unchanged from the standard GLC SUV. This means the centre console is dominated by three circular air vents, with a tablet-like infotainment screen sitting on top of the dashboard. This will be controlled by a touch pad and rotary wheel on the centre console.

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The instrument binnacle – two dials, the speedometer and rev counter with a small central screen between them – will be carried over in its entirety as well.

One thing that’s almost certain to be different from the standard GLC is the amount of space in the back seats. The coupe is slightly longer than the SUV, so legroom probably won’t differ significantly, but that swooping roofline will likely mean a reduction in rear-seat headroom.

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Life might be more of a squeeze for anyone sitting in the middle back seat, too. Boot space is also likely to be compromised a touch compared to the standard GLC SUV. Being slightly longer than the BMW X4, however, the GLC Coupe should be slightly roomier than its main rival.

Suspension & chassis

All GLC Coupes will come with Mercedes’ sports suspension system as standard. This adaptive system offers a variety of selectable modes to alter the behaviour of the car, depending on the circumstances. You’ll be able to choose from ECO, COMFORT, SPORT, SPORT+ and INDIVIDUAL, which set the car up for optimum efficiency, comfort or sportiness (or a customised balance of all three) by tweaking the car’s suspension, steering and engine.

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Mercedes claims the GLC Coupe will be the only car in its class available with the option of air suspension, while it also gets quicker, sportier steering than the standard GLC SUV.

Engines

Like the SUV, the GLC Coupe will initially come with a couple of 2.1-litre four-cylinder diesel engines, producing either 167 or 201bhp and a 255bhp 3.0-litre V6 diesel. The four-cylinders are both capable of returning around 55mpg and emit from 134g/km of CO2. This means an annual road-tax bill of £130 (if registered before April 2017) and a Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) company-car tax liability of 23%.

Performance is identical to the standard GLC, thanks to the identical engine and gearbox combinations, with 0-62mph coming up in 8.3 seconds for the less powerful model and 7.6 seconds for the 204bhp model.

Meanwhile, the 3.0-litre V6 diesel is capable of doing 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and will return around 47mpg on average. This equates to CO2 emissions of 161g/km of CO2 and a resulting annual tax bill of £185 (more if registered from April 2017 onwards).

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Arriving at a later date than the diesels, the entry point to the range will be a turbocharged 2.0-litre petrol, producing 208bhp. Capable of doing 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds, it’ll be capable of returning approximately 40mpg. Buyers of this model will be liable for a £180 tax bill.

A super-efficient plug-in hybrid – the GLC 350e – will arrive at a later date, with preliminary figures suggesting it’ll be capable of a combined 316bhp and a 0-62mph time of 5.9 seconds. Despite this impressive performance, it’ll be able to go for around 18 miles on electric power alone and will emit just 59g/km of CO2, making it exempt from road tax and the London Congestion Charge and only liable for an 11% BiK contribution.

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Naturally, a high-performance AMG version is also on the cards and this will feature the same twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 that we’ve recently seen in the new Mercedes E-Class. It’ll produce 362bhp and Mercedes says this version to do 0-62mph in 4.9 seconds.

All versions of the GLC Coupe will be four-wheel drive and come with Mercedes’ latest nine-speed automatic gearbox.

Price & release date

Orders for the new Mercedes GLC Coupe are open now, with first deliveries beginning in the UK in October.

Entry-level GLC Coupe 220d Sport models cost from £40,580, while GLC 250d models in sport trim start at £41,735. You’ll have to fork out at least £42,090 for an AMG Line model, while a top-spec GLC 250d AMG Line will set you back £43,245. Meanwhile, for the GLC 350d Coupe, you'll have to find £47,135 and the top-spec AMG GLC 43 Coupe will set you back £50,960.