Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 Review

The Formula One inspired AMG GLC 63 is fuelled and ready for the drive of a lifetime, but first, another unique automotive experience pulls me in different direction.

John from the Napier Art Deco Trust arrives in a pristine 1940 Packard 110 Drop Head Convertible. It’s a gloriously sunny Saturday in Hawke’s Bay, perfect weather for a top-down chauffeured tour. Splendidly outfitted in era-appropriate attire, John’s patter and encyclopaedic knowledge of Napier’s history makes for an insightful jaunt.

The Art Deco Trust has a fleet of five Packards; the 110 is a rare right-hand drive, running a straight-six flat head producing 100 brake horsepower. Between 1899 and 1958, Packards were considered the ‘American Rolls Royce,’ challenging Cadilliac as a premium luxury automobile. Their claim to fame was being the first production car to feature a V12 engine (launched in 1915 in the Packard Twin Six).

Getting behind the wheel of the eighty-five-year newer Mercedes-AMG is a time warp, visually and audibly transporting me from the analogue simplicity of the Packard to the Mercedes’ mind-bending technology. The ear-crushing graunching of the Packard’s synchro gearshifts are replaced by the Multi-Clutch 9-speed transmission in the AMG, capable of an astonishing 0.1 seconds between gearshifts.

If that isn’t impressive enough, the AMG’s power figures are even more mind boggling. The 2.0 litre, with twin-scrolled turbocharger designed in the famous Afflerbach AMG plant is considered the fastest four-cylinder production engine on the planet, delivering 500 kW (670 horsepower) and 1020 Nm (both hybrid system assisted numbers).

Mercedes says this is a glimpse into the brand’s state-of-art hybrid technology. I would take that one step further and speculate this engineering might herald the extinction of outmoded pure ICE V8 engines. Because matching efficiency figures to the impressive power numbers paints a brutal reality: official fuel economy claims for the AMG are 7.3L/100km, compared to the previous V8 model of 12.2L/100km.

The GLC 63 comes in two body styles, both five door SUVs, with the Performance Coupe version being a coupe in the literal French sense, with its truncated or sloping rear roofline. It sits in the same luxury crossover segment as the BMW X6 and these large coupes have an unorthodox appearance; their sloping silhouettes are not a mainstream look on New Zealand roads.

But my musings on exterior aesthetics are forgotten after about five seconds behind the wheel. Driving the AMG is enthralling. I flick through driving modes (eight in total) and feel the different levels of handling pliability, grip and cornering stability.

Despite the tall stance and heavy battery architecture (curb weight is 2,325 kg) the AMG presents minimal body roll and nimble cornering dynamics. This is achieved in part through clever weight distribution, situating the small electric motor on the rear axle (moving from 55:45 front/rear in the previous model to 49:51). Another key feature is the addition of rear-axle wheel steering, allowing the rear wheels to turn up to 2.5 degrees (up to 100km/h).

Watching State Highway 5 pass by from the comfort of the AMG is a touch sublime. The scenery transitions from evergreen pine plantations to rugged volcanic plateaus. A route highlight is the gentle 708-metre climb up Titiokura Saddle, all while being immersed in favourite tracks streaming through thirteen speakers of Burmeister audio.  

The only downside is a pang of melancholy as I near my destination; thoughts cross my mind of extended the drive, turning the AMG around and heading straight back to Napier.