2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 SUV And Coupe Get Tech And Dynamics Upgrades
Mercedes-AMG is giving the GLC 63 line-up a revamp, with new exterior lighting, sharper driving dynamics, and a tech bump for the cabin. Making their debut at the New York Auto Show 2019 this week, and headed to dealerships later this year, the new 2020 AMG GLC 63 SUV and 2020 GLC 63 Coupe now get Mercedes' brand new MBUX infotainment system, which first appeared last year.
Outside, both cars are still sharper, more aggressive versions of their non-AMG siblings. The biggest visual alteration is the new lighting, front and rear.
At the front, there are new, slim LED High Performance headlamps. These get a flared layout on the daytime running lamps. The back, meanwhile, has a new light signature – two blocks, with backlit edges – echoing the new 3.5-inch trapezoidal twin-tailpipe trims.
New 21-inch light-alloy wheels have been added as options, and there's a new Graphite Grey Metallic paint color on the chart, too.
Inside the changes are more obvious. There's a new upholstery option, with Magma Grey/Black Nappa leather punctuated with yellow contrast topstitching, for example, and a new AMG steering wheel. That gets Touch Control buttons for navigating through the infotainment system.
The latter is now MBUX, or Mercedes-Benz User Experience, the updated system that the automaker launched on the new A-Class sedan last year. Here, it has been given new AMG-specific functions and displays, too. The center screen is a touchscreen now, though the whole thing can also be controlled via a touchpad in the center console.
A 12.3-inch display handles instrumentation for the driver, while the center display is 10.25-inches. Optional is the MBUX Interior Assistant, which adds gesture control to the system. Move your hand near, and the interface enlarges the UI element you're approaching. Mercedes' 3D cameras can differentiate between the driver's hand and the front passenger's hand.
Alternately you can talk to MBUX. The "Hey Mercedes" wake-phrase triggers the system, much like a smart speaker at home, and there's natural language recognition for a variety of commands across the basics, like navigation, HVAC, and multimedia, through to more complex queries like weather reports and general knowledge.
As for driving dynamics, there's a new "Slippery" mode in the AMG Dynamic Select system. The AMG Dynamics now offers three agility modes as standard – Basic, Advanced, and Pro – with the GLC 63 S version adding in a fourth, Master mode as well. Whichever you select, it adjusts factors like the responsiveness of the 4.0-liter V8 biturbo engine, the AMG Speedshift MCT 9-speed transmission, and the standard 4MATIC+ all-wheel drive.
Otherwise this is the AMG GLC 63 as we know and love. Lots of power, silly performance for an SUV or SUV Coupe, and yet surprisingly practical inside, too. No word on pricing changes at this point, but we'll learn more about the updated cars closer to their on-sale date later in 2019.
