The Mercedes GLC has so far racked up more than two million sales globally since it replaced the GLK back in 2015. Around 400,000 units or 20 percent of the total volume were generated by the swoopy GLC Coupe, which will transition to the next generation in mid-March. Ahead of its world premiere, the BMW X4 competitor is being previewed as the three-pointed star has been nice enough to share some preliminary technical specifications.
We're being told the GLC Coupe will be 32 millimeters (1.25 inches) longer than before, stretching to an overall length of 4763 mm (187.5 in). 15 mm (0.6 in) of the added length will go into the wheelbase, now at 2888 mm (113.7 in). The increased proportions will pay dividends on the inside where the more spacious cabin will hold 545 liters with the rear seats in place or 45 liters more than its predecessor. Fold the rear bench and you get 1,390 liters. For the plug-in hybrid versions, cargo capacity is up by 30 liters to 390 liters or 1,200 liters after dropping the rear seats.
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe new spy photos
Mercedes says a flat underbody and sleeker side mirror caps will make the GLC Coupe a tad more slippery, reducing the drag coefficient from the outgoing model’s 0.30 to a Cd of 0.29. Naturally, the evolutionary exterior styling and revolutionary interior of the conventionally shaped GLC will be carried over. The cabin should be a tad quieter compared to the old model courtesy of a bitumen-based material in the transmission tunnel. An optional air suspension is planned, as is an off-road package with a 360-degree camera featuring a Transparent Hood function by providing footage from underneath the front of the vehicle.
The mild-hybrid gasoline and diesel engines are likely to be carried over from the GLC. The German luxury automaker confirms there will be three plug-in hybrid versions with a 24.8-kWh battery pack. Two will be based around gasoline engines while the third will be a diesel-electric hybrid known as GLC300de Coupe. All three PHEVs will utilize 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engines and support a maximum charging power of 60 kW, in which case it’ll take less than 20 minutes to juice up the battery from 10 to 80 percent.
Regardless of configuration, the 2024 Mercedes GLC Coupe will have 4Matic all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission. Logic tells us the AMG 43 and 63 models will follow shortly with 402 and 671 hp, respectively. The flagship will be a plug-in hybrid with a colossal 752 pound-feet (1,020 Newton-meters) of torque. Expect the spicy versions from Affalterbach to land in 2024.
