What is it?
The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe is a luxury compact crossover with a sloping roof. We a firmly within the post-fact era, so a “coupe” can now be a four-door sport-utility vehicle. The AMG GLC 43 slots between the base GLC 300 and the boss AMG GLC 63 within the non-hybrid GLC-class hierarchy. Mercedes describes it as a “toned muscle, tailored suit” look with a “uniquely seductive shape”…which is one way of putting it.
Is it new?
New-ish. Mercedes refreshed the GLC for 2020. “GLC43” became “GLC 43,” and the SUV received aesthetic upgrades, a new digital infotainment setup and a power bump from 362 horsepower to 385 for the biturbo 3.0-liter V6.
Mercedes-BenzWhy is it special?
Let’s say you wanted to create the trendiest, most sell-able Mercedes-Benz vehicle based on focus group recommendations from the modern day. It would be a crossover — specifically a compact crossover. It would have AMG branding, which resonates with buyers, but be sold at a more accessible price point and without the monstrous 600-plus hp V8. And, hey, maybe throw in one of those cool sporty-looking rooflines as an option. That car is the AMG GLC 43 Coupe.
I grappled with who would buy the AMG GLC 43 Coupe; it can be bizarre to look at. Then I realized it offers a lot of the styling cues from the GT, but it costs less than half as much, is better prepared for winter and is easier to climb in and out of. And, yeah, many Mercedes-AMG customers are probably thinking along those lines.
