Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 63 S Coupe: Ach, Mein Gott!

Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 63 S Coupe:

Ach, Mein Gott!

The 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLC is a 4-door crossover that can be whatever you want it to be.  Want a standard cushy, luxury crossover to impress the neighbors? Mercedes has a GLC for that. Want a rip-roaring, blow the doors off most any other car on the road? Yup, Mercedes has a version of the GLC that can do that, too. It just depends on how much you are ready to spend to get the Benz you want.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC has been in the market for four years, and is the brand’s most popular SUV. The 2020 model version was heavily refreshed, and it looks spectacular.  It features a more stylish appearance, a new control concept, the MBUX infotainment system, innovative driving assistance systems and a new range of engine choices. There are enough options to customize the GLC exactly the way you might want it.

I was able to drive the really fun one, a 2020 AMG GLC 63 S Coupe sporting a $89,630 window sticker.  This is the ultimate version of what a GLC can be.  Driving this car felt almost more like driving a Detroit muscle car than a refined European vehicle, given the raw power under the hood, ready – I think! – to be let out of its cage. All that power is generated by a handcrafted AMG 503 hp, 4.0 liter bi-turbo V8 engine that can rocket the car from 0-60 in 3.6 seconds. Unfortunately, there aren’t any roads in Texas where you can completely unleash this beast; you’re not driving on Germany’s Autobahn, and won’t get even close to the top end speed of 174 mph. And that’s more than a little beyond my driving skill, anyway.

With the GLC 63 S Coupe able to move as fast as it does, keeping your eyes on the road is absolutely essential; that’s where the new MBUX infotainment system comes into play.  Whether it’s operated via the touchpad, Touch Control buttons on the steering wheel or through the voice control, the operating system of the GLC 63 is versatile and flexible. It’s designed to carry out tasks simply and easily without taking your hands off the steering wheel.  There’s a voice control feature that’s activated with the words “Hey Mercedes”. With the use of artificial intelligence, MBUX recognizes and understands nearly all sentences from the fields of infotainment and vehicle operation, even if they are expressed indirectly.  It’s easy to use and very addictive.

The interior is stylish yet starkly German, with black wood insets and aluminum trim.  The seats are stiff, holding you in place with excellent lateral support.  Although passenger comfort is never sacrificed, this is a car that is built around driving – the driver gets most of the attention from the design of the vehicle.

Six drive programs are available, including a RACE program. The programs are linked to the AMG DYNAMICS agility control, which means that the handling characteristics of the GLC 63 can be set to meet various requirements and driving conditions with even more differentiation.  Parameters such as the response time of the engine, transmission, steering and suspension, the torque distribution of the all-wheel drive system, and the interventions by the electronically controlled locking differential are adapted according to the drive program.  

The 2020 AMG GLC 63 S Coupe is designed to be driven and driven hard.  Yeah, it can be a daily driver, but taking it to the mall or for take-out is a waste of a beautifully engineered beast.  The hand-built AMG 4.0 liter V8 engine is a tiger under the GLC hood; it has to be unleashed in order to truly appreciate it.  You have to drive it – REALLY drive it – to fully appreciate the beauty of this AMG machine.