Ian of Sydney

Until recently the AMG nameplate had been reserved for the V8/ V12 motors with MCT gearboxes, which are hand assembled by a single master builder and his/ her name stamped on the engine cover. The V6 TT motors are built by robots on the production line and use conventional automatic gearbox. Moreover, the V6 TT were used by MB GLE 450/ C450 (now renamed AMG).


So is MB using the GLC 43 AMG nameplate to justify a 50% (approx.. in Australia) price hike over the lesser 250/ 300, or put another way, would you pay nearly 50% more had the model be called 400/ 450?


Incidentally, for less money than the price of the GLC 43 coupe you can have a Macan S in Australia; albeit, with a longer wait period.

dejongj

I think it is more a case of pricing in Australia then anything else. In the UK a similar specced GLC250d vs a base GLC43 AMG was only £2500'ish less.

The AMG 43 range certainly offered a discussion topic, and some very mature discussions going on about those in the AMG Private Lounge forum hosted by Mercedes including some great participation of Mercedes AMG team explaining the positioning of the full range.

Would I have gone for the GLC43 AMG if the 350d was available? Likely not. But I would have specced up a standard GLC to the same level. It is just extremely good value for money.

But even though it doesn't follow one man one engine, the other AMG tweaks like on the suspension, gearbox and rear wheel drive bias to name a few a very noticeable modifications.

We did did look at the Macan as well, just found it too small on the inside in the rear and the boot; and in the UK it would have been about £15,000 more expensive.

I guess the pricing in Oz is set at a level appropriate for the market; I.e. at a level that people are willing to pay for it.

fabbrisd1

So you know - yes - there is a new "AMG Sport Class" E43. C43, GLC43, GLE43 etc using the twin turbo V6 - body badge AMG - AMG Designed suspension, AMG designed engine program/mod's - but NOT signed AMG engine nameplate.

So - yes "AMG Performance" w/egine nameplate continues to go forward and expand - at the same time this new "AMG Sport" class has been added.

Mr. J

If that's truly the case, then buy the Macan S. But I suspect that you are looking as MSRP for base models. If you config a Macan S similarly to a GLC 43 on the US site it gets considerably more expensive than base MSRP would suggest.

Regardless, the AMG 43 models have many more upgrades besides just the engine from their base models.

gobiman

My tuppence worth -
1. Mercedes Benz is a company aiming to maximise profit for its shareholders. It is not a motoring enthusiasts' charity. They have calculated that they can extend the AMG brand (with its perceived exclusivity) within the range to increase sales and ultimately profit, without damaging that sub-brand. As others have commented the 43 cars are effectively "AMG lite" - a good description!
2. There were similar groanings when Porsche went into SUVs, BMW went FWD...etc.
3. The power of branding is strong and appeals to the aspirational. The Macan forums are full of people convincing themselves they have something special ("because it's a Porsche") which they implicitly feel reflects on them rather than what it is - simply a very good car from the VW stable. I have owned a couple in the past!
4. As others have commented, I think the GLC43 needs to be considered objectively alongside the competition and price is pretty fundamental. Like-for-like it was 25% cheaper in the UK for me than the Macan GTS and the supercharged F-Pace and strangely good value. I don't trust the reliability/build quality of the Jag and wasn't prepared to pay 25% more to feel "special" for the Porsche. Actually, it was just a bit too small!
5. I have debadged mine on the basis I would rather it was not thought of as an "AMG" - those who know will know and I couldn't care less about those who don't.
I think it is great as a fast SUV and couldn't care less about the branding but each to his own.

Philamg

I haven't bought the 43 because it is an AMG, I bought it because I am disappointed with the build quality of the discovery sport and when looking around found it was good value in the UK for what you get.
To spec up a comparable Macan in the UK would cost getting on for £15000 more, as Gobiman says the Macan is smaller and I personally don't like the look of it.
In the UK all the GLC'S can be bought in AMG "spec", the 220D, 250D and 350D as well as other spec levels, the 43 only in AMG spec.
It will be my first Merc and hopefully I have made the right decision
The thing that gives me confidence is this forum, in that there isn't owners posting about fault after fault like there is on the discovery sport forum.

dejongj

One thing to remember (in the UK) the naming "AMG Sport" is purely a visual styling / luxury level; I.e. lipstick, just like BMW M Sport, Audi S Line, VW R Line etc. And to be fair I wouldn't want my diesel Mercedes in any other option level. But it does not come with any other modifications.

As as per the AMG Private Lounge the model nomenclature

43 - 3.0V6 biturbo
45 - Four cylinder biturbo (some speculation it may be using 32 in future)
55 - V8 Compressor (old)
63 - 4.0V8 biturbo (current) or naturally aspired V8 (old)
65 - V12

insame1

this is offered in NA also

this was a 6.2 NA.

wmc021

Also remember Australian GLC AMG comes with a very High spec as standard.
Stuff US & Europe have to add as options

Penn

Australian pricing is complicated by the Luxury Car Tax.
For fuel efficient vehicles ie less than 7 liters per 100 k the threshold is $75,526
The LCT percentage is 33% so a big chunk of the additional cost goes directly to the fiscal fiend.

cahiil55k

I was stuck between buying our current GLC43 or a 2014 CLS63 S, with the latter actually being much much cheaper. My wife forced me to get the fake AMG. LOL!

dejongj

And why is it fake? Mercedes-AMG sells it, supports it, provides access to the private lounge etc.

cahiil55k

It was a joke. The GLC43 gets the AMG trunk badge so that makes it 100% legit, although I would have loved badging on the seats too.

dejongj

Are you sure? The rest of the post suggest it isn't really. Why not just say what you mean

cahiil55k

If it were a fake AMG I would not have bought it. I would have just leased it. Edit: But I am somewhat bitter about the missing seat badging, seriously.

Philamg

Forgive my ignorance but what is the private lounge?.

decorily

Isn't it the special place at the dealers where AMG drivers sit and wait (without fear of having to mingle with the lowly Mercedes drivers) while the staff try to make up some BS story about why your car skips/crabs etc !!!

cahiil55k

Nah...it's all virtual but they do give you free caps, sometimes a mug, and a keychain from time to time. Oh, and several years ago I got window stickers made of paper . Once you sign up, you rearly ever sign back in.

dejongj

It is a Mercedes AMG forum run by Mercedes AMG staff, with special news, media, downloadable, competitions, community events etc. Entrance is based upon your vehicle identification number.

Also some key information takes place through there where not even the Mercedes dealers inform you off. For example the introduction of the AMG Pit Stop Radio which now provides direct access to AMG technical specialists (although European market only as it isn't available in the US) with a single number to dial anywhere from within Europe.

They also sponsor events and get togethers with other AMG owners. I had a great meet back in December in Coalville with some real people in the real world owning AMG vehicles.

Grand Prix F1 visits, competitions etc.

Sure it is a marketing thing, but Mercedes AMG did put some money/funding aside for them.

Philamg

Thanks for the info.

insame1

Are these new "AMG" cars built in Germany?

dejongj

Mine definitely was

insame1

How do you know?

SmokinBuddha

My car is sitting at the dock right now waiting to be ship to the U.S.. Also, my SA asked me if I wanted to go visit Mercedes Benz in Germany to pickup my car.

insame1

Well.... thats a good way to know for sure.