Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 May Not Be Around for 2020
Leaked order guide shows revised AMG GLC available as GLC 63 for 2020 model year, no other GLC model available.
Not too long ago, Mercedes revealed a fresh face for the GLC compact luxury crossover for the 2020 model year. Not only that, but it now comes with a standard 2.0-liter turbo-four making 255 horses and 273 lb-ft of torque to the rear or all corners, all linked together with a nine-speed automatic.
Thus, it stands to reason that AMG would get its hands on the crossover for some high-performance tricks of its own. And it has, but only for its 63 series. According to Motor1, an anonymous employee at a Mercedes-Benz dealership tipped off the publication with a leaked order guide featuring only the GLC 63.
Currently, you can order either the GLC 63 or the less-hardcore GLC 43, the latter packing a 3.0-liter V6 making 362 horses through its nine-speed automatic. The GLC 63, of course, has a 4.0-liter V8 pumping out 469 horsepower through the same automatic.
If the guide is exactly what it claims to be, though, the GLC 43 isn’t long for this world. This fits in with what Mercedes R&D chief Ola Källenius told Top Gear magazine at the 2018 Paris Motor show, who said that while the 2020-2022 portfolio will have north of 40 vehicles, his company “must not hesitate to slim down as well.”
CarBuzz adds that a possible replacement for the GLC 43 could be a GLC 53 powered by the same tuned 2.0-liter turbo-four found in the AMG A 45 and upcoming GLB 45, making anywhere between 382 and 416 horsepower depending on what all is done with the turbo-four.
Should the GLC 43 indeed be given the axe, it would join other vehicles, rumored or otherwise, scheduled to meet their end. We reported earlier this year that the S-Class coupe and cabriolet would likely not make it far into the new decade to come, while CarScoops reported last year that the AMG SLC was set to fade into the twilight in the near future.
Meanwhile, fans of the GLC 63 will need to save up a few more dollars to spend on the updated crossover. Per the same leaked order guide, the starting price for the high-performance machine will be $73,750, nearly $3,000 more than the base for the 2019 model.
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