SPY PICS: Mercedes-Benz GLC updated

After three years on the Australian market, the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class is due for a mid-life refresh and these spy photos of the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 wagon and coupe versions, snapped recently at the Nurburgring in Germany, prove it's not too far away.

The visual changes, as you'd expect, are likely to be minimal, with some tidying-up at the front and rear ends basically the gist of it.

As the wagon and coupe test mules seen here both wear different front and rear-end disguise (the wagon looks pretty much identical to the current vehicle) it's difficult to determine what will be happening with the mouldings below the grille area, but it would be surprising if there weren't noticeable changes when the facelift model goes into production.

It's difficult to say, but Mercedes-Benz could use new front-end mouldings to re-shape the lower portions of the headlights for a more squared-off look while at the same time changing the grille aperture to a more aggressive shape where it gets considerably wider at the base.

The rear end probably won't get the same degree of attention although there appears to be the suggestion of an aero splitter between reconfigured, squared-off quad exhausts. The tail lights, although it appears they will occupy the same apertures, are almost certain to be given a new set of lenses.

Inside, it's certain that the updated GLC Benz will gain a revised dash area with a bigger tablet-style screen, a reworked centre console controller and digital instruments.

Mechanically, it's not expected there will be many changes to the GLC range, with an engine lineup that includes petrol and diesel four-cylinder and V6 engines in addition to the twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 seen in the AMG GLC 63 variant. It's been suggested, but now seems unlikely that the GLC will employ the company's new inline six-cylinder engine as seen in the current CLS four-door coupe. Maybe for the next generation of GLC?

With mid-size SUV competitors such as BMW's new X3, Volvo's highly-regarded XC60 and Audi's Q5 already lined up to challenge it, the GLC Benz, though currently the segment-leader, is well ready for an update.

As the new-look wagon and coupe are anticipated to launch in Europe early in 2019 it would be reasonable to expect an Australian appearance of the GLC before the end of the same year.