Remember the days when SUVs were slow mom mobiles? Not anymore, as the market is vying for sports car-like performance with the added ride height and proportions of a utility vehicle. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S is a perfect case in point.
The GLC 63 S is the fastest GLC you can buy and, as such, it is one of the fastest SUVs in the compact luxury segment. What is more, the twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8-powered behemoth can more than just stay with much sleeker sports cars it may encounter in traffic. Actually, this Coupe-styled SUV is faster to 60 mph than an AMG GT-R. Yes, we'll let you give that another read if you don't believe your eyes.
The AMG GLC63 S is faster than AMG's flagship sports car, enough said!
The SUV market is booming and has been for a few years now. Every manufacturer tries to get in on the action, and there actually seems to be room for everyone. There are people who want compact crossover SUVs, people who look for full-size luxury SUVs, people who want their SUVs styled like sedans and people who want their SUVs to go as fast as a sports car or a supercar.
The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S Coupe is an SUV that fits like a glove for the latter category of customers. It follows the trend of Coupe-bodied utility vehicles but it doesn't just try to mimic the appearance of a coupe, it goes like one as well.
Fitted with a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 with dry sump lubrication taken right from the AMG GT-R, the GLC can exceed its two-door, two-seat sports car brethren. The engine itself develops 510-horsepower on the S version and 516.29 pound-feet of torque. This allows the souped-up GLC, which weighs 4,430 pounds, to reach 60 mph in just 3.8 seconds. Edmunds, however, managed to get there even quicker, reaching 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds and completing the quarter mile from a standstill in just 11.7 seconds. In comparison, an AMG GT-R in Edmunds' hands sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds!
How is it possible, you may ask? I mean, the AMG GT-R has the same M178 engine as the GLC SUV but it's amped up to 580-horsepower at 6,250 rpm, and it has the same 516.29 pound-feet of torque. It's a car that lapped the famed Nordschleife in under 7 minutes and 11 seconds, and it features adjustable coilover springs, an active underbody fairing, a manually adjustable rear spoiler, and a 9-mode AMG Traction Control system. But all that power is only sent to the back wheels.
The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S Coupe is fitted with the 4MATIC+ system. It features fully variable torque distribution which means, according to Mercedes, that it "enables a seamless transition from traction-oriented all-wheel drive to 100% rear-wheel drive" and it also "also improves the longitudinal dynamics of the vehicle for even more dynamic acceleration." The multi-chamber air suspension system with multiple ride settings also has a contribution and let's not forget about the 9-gear MCT transmission with the 'Race Start' function which builds the revs up before launch, momentarily transforming the beefy SUV in a race car.
There you have it - clever engineering helps Mercedes outdo themselves as they bring an SUV that can beat their GT-R sports car in the exercise of pure acceleration. Watch the video below to find out more!
Further reading
Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63.
Read our full review on the 2018 Mercedes-AMG GT R.