SPY PICS: 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC outed

Spy photographers have snapped the first images of the second-generation Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class ahead of the new mid-size luxury SUV’s arrival in about two years.

Our first look at the replacement for Australia’s top-selling premium SUV comes just months after the Mercedes-Benz GLC SUV and it Coupe sibling received a mid-life facelift Down Under.

In the four years since its launch in 2016, the original GLC has outsold rivals such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3 and Volvo XC60, and became Australia’s top-selling luxury vehicle bar none in 2018, before falling narrowly short of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class in 2019.

Now its all-new replacement has emerged testing on public roads in Germany in heavy disguise, and despite the camo cover it’s clear the new GLC won’t stray too far from its popular forebear.

At the rear end, visible round LED lighting hints towards a new tail-light design, while up front the headlights could be slightly slimmer but there’s too much cladding to be sure.

Underneath, the next Mercedes-Benz GLC will sit on Daimler’s new Modular Rear Architecture (MRA) platform, which will be debuted by the all-new C-Class.

Also like the 2021 C-Class, the next GLC will bring an all-new interior and more self-driving technology, and a range of fresh powertrain options.

The current Mercedes-Benz GLC is powered by a range of 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol and hybrid engines, plus a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 for the GLC 43s and AMG’s beefy 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 for the GLC 63s.

A straight turbo six-powered GLC 53 AMG is almost certain for the next generation, but whether the AMG GLC V8 continues remains to be seen.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class family isn’t due for launch until at least 2022, after which it will followed by a new GLC Coupe.

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