Redesigned version of Stuttgart brand’s best-selling model nears mid-year reveal as winter testing wraps up
With the all-new C-Class now on sale, Mercedes-Benz has turned its attention to the iconic mid-size luxury sedan’s SUV counterpart, as evidenced by the start of the official teaser campaign for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLC.
carsales understands the third-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC, which has now started the final stages of winter testing, will make its global debut around mid-year ahead of a spring international launch, but it’s unlikely we’ll see Stuttgart’s latest answer to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3 in Australia before 2023.
Promised to be the brand’s most dynamic SUV “on any terrain”, the new Mercedes-Benz GLC is in pole position to inherit some of the new technologies first seen on the latest S-Class limousine, including a fully digitalised cabin, adjustable air suspension and rear axle steering system.
Four-cylinder turbocharged petrol and diesel engines will be the mainstay throughout the new GLC range, as it is with the new C-Class, and all of them will be fitted with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech courtesy of Merc’s proprietary second-generation integrated starter generator.
Until four-cylinder replacements for the bahnstorming V8-powered Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 show up, from its launch in Australia the new GLC range – again like the W206 C-Class line-up – will likely be limited to 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre engines for the 150kW/300Nm GLC 200 and 190kW/400Nm GLC 300 respectively.
As per C-Class, the 2023 GLC is unlikely to be available here with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel that offers up to 195kW/550Nm in Europe, where three plug-in hybrid powertrains based around the same engines (two petrol, one diesel) will also be offered, headlined by a 100kW/440Nm electric motor and an all-electric driving range of “well over 100km”.
Visually the new GLC looks to have followed the C-Class’ lead in adopting a sleeker aesthetic led by a new thin headlight arrangement and completely reshaped grille design.
Like the next-gen Audi Q5, the disguised prototype pictured here looks marginally bigger than its predecessor, but only time will tell for sure.
“The winter testing is an essential and important quality component of the development process,” said Mercedes-Benz in its teaser release.
“With it, Mercedes-Benz ensures the customer readiness of new model series as part of the last maturity level loop.
“The technologies used in the GLC, in particular the optional Driving Package with air suspension/adjustable damping and rear axle steering, together with the further optimised tuning of the control systems, combine maximum traction and driving safety with hallmark Mercedes comfort characteristics.”
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Keyword: Next-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC almost ready