Muscular AMG GLC 63 S Devours the Porsche Macan PP
Top Gear video shows that while Porsche’s SUV costs less, it certainly lacks the Benz’ muscular look and twin-turbo V8.
As consumers turn more and more towards SUVs and crossovers, every manufacturer is looking at every way possible to capture the market. One way happens to be injecting high performance into the standard soccer bus, leading to the arrival of hot-rod SUVs.
Top Gear recently got a hold of a couple of mid-size high-performance SUVs for a brief going-over, the Porsche Macan PP, and the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S. Who comes out on top? We know who, but let’s not spoil ourselves.
“What we’ve got here is the Porsche Macan Performance Pack, and the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S,” says deputy editor Jack Rix, “two cars with differing philosophies. The Porsche [is] more focused on handling finesse, and the Mercedes [is] all about brute force.”
While the Macan makes do with a twin-turbo V6 making only 434 horses, the GLC 63’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 delivers 503 horses to the pavement, pushing the hot-rod mid-sizer from zero to 62 mph in 3.8 seconds.
Of course, the Macan does beat the GLC 63 S on price, nearly $89,000 “for the Porker” compared to the AMG’s $97,000 price tag. But that’s all “the Porker” can beat the GLC 63 S with.
“Let’s face it. Most of these cars are gonna live out their lives as style chariots,” says Rix, “not really as the engineers intended. So, the way they look is important, and for me, it’s gotta be the Merc.”
That’s right. The GLC 63’s “pumped-up arches” and wide track are a better look while waiting to pick up the kids from school than the Macan’s jelly-bean dad bod, with plenty of “larger-than-life character” to spare.
The Macan may be about precision in comparison, but Rix puts it best: “Who wants precision when you got power?” Mercedes-AMG wins again, as always.