- Mercedes keeps its promise and returns to bigger engines
- The new GLC 53 gets a turbocharged 3.0 liter inline six
- The latest engine makes 443 HP and 443 lb-ft.
Mercedes is making things (in part) into the world of AMG by stuffing more cylinders under the trunk of some models. While we wait to break cover on the recently announced six-cylinder C53, its crossover counterpart is getting the same turbocharged 3.0-liter engine. The new GLC 53 modifies the controversial four-cylinder after the 43 and 63 models, while the CLE 53 is a surprise surprise from where it inherits the engine.
For this new application, AMG has updated the “M256M” engine to pump out 443 pound-feet (587 Newton meters) of torque. That’s an increase of 30 lb-ft (41 Nm) over the CLE 53, but it gets even better. An overboost function bumps torque to 472 lb-ft (640 Nm), though it only lasts for 10 seconds. Affalterbach’s latest iteration of its inline-six also features a different cylinder head and intake camshaft, along with a new intercooler and a larger-volume intake system.
The GLC 53 will also be sold as a “Coupe”, with a heavily sloping roofline for those who want more style at the expense of practicality. Both versions sprint from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.1 seconds and top out at 167 mph (270 km/h), provided the AMG Dynamic Plus package is ordered. To properly celebrate the return of the six-cylinder, there’s a new exhaust system with “special resonators” designed to deliver a deeper soundtrack.
Photo by: Mercedes-Benz
A nine-speed torque converter automatic transmission powers all four wheels, with an optional electronically limited slip differential. Interestingly, the GLC 53 is the company’s first crossover to offer a flow-through option for tail-happy shenanigans, albeit at a higher price.
Mercedes won’t charge more for rear-wheel steering, since it’s standard. At speeds up to 60 mph (96 km/h), the rear wheels move 2.5 degrees in the opposite direction to the fronts. At high speeds, they move in the same direction by 0.7 degrees.
The GLC 53 is technically not the first version of this generation to feature six cylinders. Mercedes-AMG has been selling the GLC 450d in Europe for years with an inline-six diesel. An oil burner has not yet been offered for the C-Class, which should make the upcoming C53 the first C-Class model of the W206 era to feature a six-cylinder engine.
Pricing hasn’t been mentioned, but it should cost between $68,900 for the GLC 43 and $88,100 for the GLC 63.
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Source: Mercedes-Benz
Take Motor 1: The GLC 53 doesn’t bring back the V8, as it doesn’t directly replace the GLC 63, but it’s still a step in the right direction. It’s only a matter of time before the C-Class is also upgraded with a larger-displacement engine to take on the Audi S5 and the upcoming BMW M350.
With a new V8 and V12 in development for the S-Class, renewed interest in Mercedes’ combustion engines should help drive more people back into showrooms. Electric vehicles continue to gain ground, but not at the pace the company expected a few years ago.
Back in 2021, Mercedes said it would go fully electric as early as 2030 “where market conditions allow.” The plan was to transition from “electric first to electric only,” but while the brand is fully committed to EVs, it realizes it will still need ice for many years to come.
