Facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe revealed

We saw the facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLC at the Geneva motor show earlier this month, so now comes a similar upgrade for the ‘coupe’ version of Australia’s top-selling luxury model.

Although precise local release timing for the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe is yet to be announced, it shouldn’t be too long after the regular version, which arrives here in the third quarter of this year.

Indeed, while the GLC found about 5600 Australian homes for the GLC last year, making it the German brand’s most popular model, the Coupe was still a top-10 seller within Mercedes-Benz Cars’ 22-strong line-up with almost 1000 sales.

That makes it a vital player for the premium vehicle market leader that was more than 13 per cent down in 2018 with just over 32,000 sales.

In its quest to outsell its most direct rival in the BMW X4, the 2019 GLC Coupe – like the GLC wagon -- brings fresh interior and exterior styling, new engines, DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL variable damping and improved safety and infotainment.

The latter centres around the three-pointed star’s MBUX Mercedes-Benz User Experience multimedia system, while safety improves via the addition of an exit-warning function, emergency-corridor function, tail-end-of-traffic-jam function, among others and the new Trailer Manoeuvring Assist to make towing in reverse easier. These are in addition to Active Steer Assist and Active Brake Assist.

Design upgrades are punctuated at the front by a new contoured diamond grille (silver as standard or black with the Night package) with integrated star and single louvre, plus new torch-style LED High Performance headlights as standard. At the rear there’s a new-look diffuser with ‘underride guard; and full-LED tail-lights.

Inside, there are bigger new central infotainment touch-screen displays (10.25 inches with 1920x720 pixel resolution and 7.0-inch with 960x540 pixels), plus a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster.

The GLC Coupe also scores the choice of two revised multifunction steering wheels with Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC and Touch Control buttons to control the instrument cluster, a new multifunctional touchpad on the centre console to replace the rotary push-button, and a new magma grey interior colour scheme.

In all, there are five different ways to manipulate the GLC's infotainment system: By touch control on the central display, by using the Touch Control buttons on the multifunction steering wheel, with the multifunction touchpad on the centre console, via optional gesture control with the Interior Assistant and by voice control by saying ‘Hey Mercedes’.

There’s also a new optional ENERGIZING comfort control system that combines mood lighting, music, video and climate systems to create “create an optimum environment”.

Mechanically, DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL with variable damping is available as an alternative to the standard sports suspension with adaptive damping, and the standard steel springs can also be replaced by AIR BODY CONTROL air suspension.

Echoing the GLC under the bonnet, the Coupe brings new four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with improved efficiency, in the former case thanks in part to Merc’s 48-volt EQ Boost electrical system with belt-driven starter/generator.

Australian specs are yet to be announced, but five new engines will be available in Europe from launch, all matched with all-wheel drive as standard.

The petrol-powered GLC 200 4MATIC and GLC 300 4MATIC run a 2.0-litre turbo engine outputting 145kW/320Nm and 190kW/370Nm respectively, combined with a 10kW/150Nm electric motor. Fuel consumption is listed at 7.1-7.4L/100km for both models.

Matched to a nine-speed automatic transmission, three four-cylinder turbo-diesel models comprise the GLC 200d 4MATIC (120kW/360Nm), the GLC 220d 4MATIC (143kW/400Nm) and the GLC 300d 4MATIC (180kW/500Nm), consuming between 5.2 and 5.8L/100km.