It’s been 10 years since Mercedes-Benz rolled out the compact GLC crossover to replace the boxier GLK you might remember, and it wasn’t long before the GLC platform yielded a coupe version with a sloped roofline, making for a sportier profile about the time a number of automakers were exploring this stylistic departure from the functional SUV body style.
When the fully redesigned second-generation GLC broke cover in 2023, Mercedes offered both the conventional crossover and the coupe body styles of this bestseller, and now it’s time for something even more tantalizing.
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The AMG tuners in Affalterbach have come up with another powertrain offering, if you’re partial to the GLC coupe body style. For the 2026 model year, you were limited to AMG GLC coupes with only 2.0-liter four-cylinder power in the 416-horsepower GLC 43 (priced at $74,700, with destination charges) or the GLC 63 S E Performance hybrid (starting at $94,700), also with the 2.0-liter turbo-4. But a 201-horsepower electric motor driving the hybrid’s rear axles cranks up overall output to a stout 671 horsepower and 752 pound-feet of torque.
6-Pot Comes This Year
Along comes a third AMG GLC coupe that settles numerically between these four-cylinder offerings but with more internal-combustion power and likely more refinement. The 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 4Matic+ will roll into U.S. showrooms in the second half of 2026 with the smooth, powerful 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine rated at 443 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, although overboost will nudge that up to 472 pound-feet for up to 10 seconds under hard acceleration.
0 to 60 in 4.1 Seconds
While Mercedes-AMG says the hybrid can sprint to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds and the base GLC can do it in 4.7 seconds, the new AMG GLC 53 splits the difference, doing the run in an estimated 4.1 seconds if you have the Race Start feature in the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package.
The new six-cylinder AMG GLC uses the Speedshift TCT nine-speed automatic transmission with a conventional torque converter for smoother shifting and quick response (with paddles if you want), while both four-cylinder GLCs employ the MCT nine-speed that replaces the traditional torque converter with a wet multi-disc start-off clutch for more aggressive shifting.
All three come standard with 4Matic all-wheel drive, but both the 63 hybrid and the new GLC 53 get 4Matic+ that is fully variable with an optional electronically controlled limited-slip differential. The base GLC 43 makes do with an all-wheel-drive system with a permanent power distribution of 31 percent to the front axles and 69 percent to the rear.
The new AMG GLC 53 also gets the second-generation integrated starter generator incorporated in the transmission housing as part of the 48-volt mild-hybrid system for smoother start/stop and improved brake energy recuperation. The GLC 43, on the other hand, uses a less-powerful belt-driven starter generator.
Turbo + Electric Compressor
There are meaningful updates to the GLC 53’s six-cylinder engine, including a secret ingredient that could make a big difference. While the turbocharger adds 21.8 bar of boost pressure, there’s also an electric auxuliary compressor — or supercharger — that can now operate continuously for a longer period of time, adding 10 horsepower of electric boost (up from 7 horsepower previously) to improve throttle response.
AMG upgrades to the engine include a new cylinder head with improved intake and exhaust ports and a new intake camshaft. There’s a new intercooler, and the redesigned intake system accommodates more volume, helping with torque delivery.
Try All The Modes
Five AMG Dynamic Select modes should meet your needs by toggling through Slippery, Comfort, Sport, and Sport+ (if you like crackling exhaust), and you can tailor your own setup with Individual mode.
It appears the standard AMG Ride Control suspension carries over from both the GLC 43 and 63 with adaptive adjustable damping while the steel coil springs have been newly tuned for the GLC 53 for both comfortable cruising and dynamic driving. The driver should feel the difference in ride and handling when cycling through the modes.
Rear-Wheel Steering, Too
Braking comes courtesy of 15.4-inch front ventilated discs pinched by AMG four-piston fixed calipers up front and 14.2-inch discs at the rear clamped by six-piston floating calipers. This hardware is similar to what is found in the GLC 63.
Steering is designed to feel light during low-speed parking maneuvers and heavier at higher speeds. Rear-axle steering is standard and allows for up to 2.5 degrees of steering angle, turning in the opposite direction as the front wheels at speeds up to 60 mph (for better agility) but turning in the same direction at higher speeds (for better stability).
If you plan to track your GLC 53 on weekends, the optional AMG Dynamic Plus package comes with a “Race” drive program with drift mode, a grippy microfiber steering wheel and red AMG brake calipers. You can pay even more for the Golden Accents package (only for model year 2027) that pairs Obsidian Black Metallic or Graphite Grey Magno exterior paint with “techgold” accents throughout.
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Whether you choose the inline-six, V8 or 576-horsepower PHEV, the spa-like interior will be standard in the 2027 Mercedes S-Class.
Priced Right In The Middle?
We’ll get pricing information closer to the sales launch later this year, but you probably noticed the sizable $20,000 gap between stickers for the AMG GLC 43 and 63 models. If this sporty, upright coupe ends up in the $84,000 ballpark, then Goldilocks and other shoppers might find the new AMG GLC 53 to be just right.
And if you’re leaning toward a zero-emission GLC with a plug, the 2027 Mercedes-Benz GLC 400 4Matic electric comes to the U.S. later this year on a new BEV architecture that is completely different from that of the ICE GLC.
Source: Mercedes-Benz