Mercedes-AMG has long been known for its characterful V8 engines, and the uproar when some models switched to hybrid operation and a four-cylinder engine was thus great.
First up with the four-cylinder hybrid powertrain was the C 63 S, and when I drove it I was honestly a little disappointed.
It wasn’t just that the V8 sound was gone. Powertrain calibration also felt unfinished, while handling was bouncy and the cabin was noisy on the highway.
When I jumped on the flight to Barcelona to drive the new GLC 63 S, I was afraid to find more on the same theme.
The hybrid powertrain has created quite a stir. Photo: Mercedes-Benz The figures are impressive
While a turbo four of just 2.0 liters isn’t necessarily what we associate with AMG, there’s no denying that the numbers are impressive.
The power is 680 horsepower and the torque is a whopping 1,020 newton meters, which ensures that the 0-100 sprint is completed in just 3.5 seconds – despite the car weighing a whopping 2.3 tons.
476 of the horsepower comes from the gasoline engine thanks to a relatively large turbo, which is equipped with a small electric motor to ensure good throttle response.
The performance figures are impressive to say the least. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
The electric motor has an output of roughly 200 horsepower and drives the rear wheels through a two-speed gearbox.
The car is technically a plug-in hybrid, but the battery is small and you only get 12 kilometers on pure electric power. Rather, the hybrid system contributes extra performance and response.
High-tech chassis
Even the chassis is packed with advanced technical solutions that should provide good road characteristics despite the car’s massive weight.
Air suspension with adaptive shocks is standard, and so is four-wheel steering. As an option, electromechanically controlled anti-roll bars are also available.
Even if the car weighs a lot, the weight is in any case evenly distributed in the car, as there is not a heavy V8 under the hood while there is a heavy hybrid system in the back.
Air suspension, adaptive shock absorbers and four-wheel steering are standard. Photo: Mercedes-Benz The better packaged sibling
Compared to the C 63 S, I got a significantly more positive impression of the GLC 63 S already when I threw my bag into the tailgate.
In the IC 63 S, half the luggage compartment is taken up by the electric motor’s gearbox and the hybrid battery, and there is thus not much space left for packing.
In the higher GLC, all this gets a place under the floor, and the luggage compartment is thus fully normal size.
Convincing comfort
When you go out on the road, the impression is even better, as the car with its air suspension, longer suspension travel and higher tire sides appears to be significantly more comfortable than the C 63 S during normal driving.
I also feel that less road noise finds its way into the coupe, and that the calibration of the powertrain feels more elaborate than in the C 63 S I drove.
The driving settings offer an incredible number of options. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
It has also updated the drive settings menus which are now more logical, although the number of menus and options is still confusing. There are, for example, a total of eight driving modes.
As with all newer Mercedes cars, the interior is a bit plasticky, and the MMI system is unnecessarily complicated and cumbersome.
A rally car in luxury packaging
If you choose one of the more performance-oriented driving modes, however, you are immediately impressed.
The car feels significantly more elaborate than the C 63 S purely dynamically, and can be compared to a luxury rally car when actively driving on curvy mountain roads.
On curvy roads, the car is extremely nimble and light-footed. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
With its nimble steering, the car gives an incredibly nimble and light-footed impression, and rotates nicely through the tightest of curves, while the chassis is not disturbed by unevenness in the road.
On larger roads with faster, sweeping curves, the car also feels good, with minimal roll, good stability at higher speeds, and confidence-inspiring brakes.
The drivetrain is also, despite its complexity, responsive in all situations.
Masks its performance
What the car fails to deliver, however, is a genuinely exhilarating driving experience if you don’t drive like an absolute lunatic.
The feeling of speed through the curves is effectively masked by the competent chassis and the well-insulated cabin, and no matter how hard you press the plate into the carpet, the car never feels quite as fast as it actually is.
Whether it is due to the weight of the car, the rather generic engine sound, or the way the powertrain delivers its power is hard to say.
The GLC 63 S is good at masking its performance. Photo: Mercedes-Benz Everyday in normal driving
For similar reasons, the new GLC 63 S also feels significantly more mundane at normal speeds than the previous generation of the model.
If you choose a driving mode with a more comfort-oriented feel, the car feels pretty much exactly like any GLC plug-in hybrid.
In the old car, by contrast, it was enough to push the gas pedal a little harder to be reminded of the car’s power and hear the dull V8 rumble.
An exception to the rule
The biggest problem with the new Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SE Performance is that it is almost too competent, and thus can be experienced as a bit boring in certain situations.
Most GLC 63 S buyers will probably use their car as a pure everyday car. If the car feels like any other GLC during everyday driving, then the question is why should you pay several hundred thousand more for the AMG version.
The car feels considerably more elaborate than its relative C 63 S. Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Having said that, the GLC 63 S is an incredibly competent performance car when you get the hang of it, and feels considerably more refined than its close relative the C 63 S.
Sedans and station wagons are generally better sports cars than the corresponding SUVs, but the case of the GLC 63 S and C 63 S seems to be an exception to the rule.
Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E-Performance (2023)
Engine: 2-liter inline four, gasoline, electric motor, 680 horsepower, 1020 newton meters
Transmission: 9-speed dual-clutch box, four-wheel drive
Acceleration: 3.5 seconds
Top speed: 275 km/h
Electrical range: 12 km
Weight: 2,310 kg
Dimensions (length/height/width): 4749/1635/2076 mm
Award: From SEK 1,255,600