Sedan or SUV, that is a fundamental decision that everyone has to make before buying a car. In the case of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E Performance, the identical drive train in the sedan was not completely convincing. At the time, we complained that the transmission sometimes didn’t always find the right gear and that the inharmonious interaction resulted in jerking. To anticipate it. The Affalterbach technicians have eliminated this penalty. The power SUV’s drive is smooth and made from a single piece. Seen this way, the crossover is the better choice.
On top of that. In contrast to the sedan, the stilt part-time electric vehicle has active electromechanical 48-volt roll stabilization. The Mercedes technicians use these to make the car more agile and at the same time achieve a more natural behavior of the body. Depending on the driving mode, the system stiffens or not. So the body tilts more in fast corners with the comfort-oriented setting than is the case with the sporty, dynamic setting. “We allow the structure to sway a little so that the driver can feel the car,” explains driving dynamics expert Kevin Berger. On the rear axle, a more rigid roll stabilization system in conjunction with the all-wheel drive and the rear axle steering, which turns the wheels at a maximum of 2.5 degrees, supports the turning of the rear end. Thanks to the two-speed transmission, the electric motor doesn’t run out of air even at higher speeds.
In fact, the 2,310 kilogram AMG powerhouse carves around corners quite nimbly without the rear developing too much of a life of its own, which would make the driving behavior less harmonious. The almost perfect axle load distribution of 49 percent at the front to 51 percent at the rear (predecessor 55 to 45) and the rear axle steering, which turns the wheels at a maximum of 2.5 degrees, help with neutral driving behavior. The significantly lower weight of the four-wheeler compared to an eight-cylinder engine is also noticeable when turning. The front of the car readily follows the directional commands and even in tight corners the front wheels only struggle with traction at very ambitious speeds.
When it comes to steering, Mercedes-AMG does not make the mistake and does not fall into the misconception that high restoring forces are synonymous with sportiness. The control is precise and reliably reports the traction of the wheels without responding too directly from the center position, which makes driving on the motorway relaxing. However, the steering could feel a little less synthetic. The brakes also have room for improvement, but this is usually the case when recuperation and analog deceleration have to be reconciled: the braking power cannot be perfectly controlled, especially when braking progressively.
The AMG GLC 63 S E Performance is not lacking in power. The drive train consists of the 350 kW / 476 hp four-cylinder petrol engine on the front axle, a 150 kW / 204 hp electric motor at the rear, a battery with a capacity of 6.1 kilowatt hours (4.8 kWh net) and a nine-speed automatic transmission is identical to that of the C63 AMG sedan. This results in a system output of 500 kW / 680 HP and a maximum torque of at least 1,050 Newton meters. This means that the SUV reaches 100 km/h from a standstill in 3.5 seconds and can reach speeds of up to 275 km/h. Mercedes – AMG states consumption as 7.5 l/100 km.
The distribution of tasks is also identical to that of the sedan. The most urgent task of the electric motor is to support the gasoline engine and thus ensure the most dynamic progress possible. That’s why it only has a purely electric range of 12 kilometers, 1,000 meters less than the sedan, but still enough to be able to drive out of residential areas. For an AMG high-tech vehicle, it doesn’t fit that the onboard charger only manages 3.7 kW, even in the power crossover. So that you can recharge while driving if necessary, the stilt AMG PHEV, like its sedan brother, offers four recuperation levels. With the SUV, the driver can also choose from eight driving programs: “Electric”, “Comfort”, “Battery Hold”, “Sport”, “Sport”, “Race”, “Smoothness” and “Individual”, which are refined with many additional setting options can be. In racing mode, the system charges the battery as soon as possible in order to always be able to provide additional electrical power. As is typical for AMG, the selection of the desired driving program and other settings such as the strength of the recuperation are made using the two rotary knobs on the steering wheel. You can quickly find your way around the Mercedes infotainment, even if the AMG version is sometimes a little more colorful. This also applies to the price of the AMG GLC 63 S E Performance starting at 121,856 euros.
