glc 43 for hpde
 

hi all. newbie here who wants to get a glc43 as daily driver that can be used for 2-3 hpde events/year. im an experienced instructor who usually tracks a lotus elise but there are times when weather is bad or i need to take people with me, etc that lotus doesnt work for me. thats where glc would come in.

i tested one on street along with macan gts and bmw x4m and like the amg best. but can i trust it to last on track? i know the macan would hold up. i have instructed students in gle63 that did fine but never saw a glc. i would obviously not push it like i would a sports car, would give it cool down laps in middle of session, etc.

anyone here with glc track experience? ever see one on track? should i get tried and true macan instead? btw, considered alfa stelvio qf but impossible to get dealer to order me one.

thanks

Hey there. I saw one of your other posts mentioning the same questions.
I haven't had a track car for a few years, but have done about 20 track days over the last 10yrs.
A few weekends ago I took my son to a safe driving course that was held at a racetrack. Most of what we did was more autocross style with road cones in the parking lot, with a few slower speed laps on the track at the end (cold and wet, was actually snowing but not sticking)
I was surprised at how well the GLC handled. It was surprisingly competent and with the suspension in its firmest setting stays relatively flat in the corners.
There had been a few others there with the GLC43 a few weekends before for a track day and the staff there said they were really impressed with how well it handles for an SUV. (Apparently there was one corner where it would always be on 3 wheels, lol)

That being said, I can't speak to how well the transmission or vehicle would hold up long term to track use. If it's being driven moderately and just a few times a year, I would certainly hope it would be fine.
In my manual it says that Sport Plus mode is meant for track use only. It does have a lap timer too so it must be ok. ;)

My bet is the GLC43 will be a good track car with some mods. After driving it real hard on a 1000 mile drive on real nice California secondary roads, it feels quite planted and solid. You can push it hard and it is a good 7/10s car. Past that you start entering into some push that will limit it on the track. I still intend on taking this car to the track, but only after I have it lowered with a renntech lowering module. I think after it is lowered it will be more suited for the track...plus the addition of a dinan elite tune (as soon as they field it), then the car will really do well on the track. I am betting the AMG brand will hold up fine on the track...since that is what it has been designed for.

Good info so far. Thanks much
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im not so much interested in its total performance capabilities. Im an experienced track instructor and will only drive it within its envelope. I just dont want it go into limp mode, over heat, stability control freak out because it doesnt understand its on track, etc. These are things macan can handle. I just like the amg better and wonder if it can do similarly on track

I took mine out for a track day and noted zero issues with limp mode, overzealous stability control or brake fade. Super novice driver so grain of salt 'n all.

thats just the info i was looking for! thanks.
i did just get a good macan gts price - 3yrs, $5.5k down, $995/mo, 10k mi/yr. thats w ny sales tax. basically 5% off msrp of $75k
waiting for amg lease deal but msrp of glk is almost $10k less so hoping for 250 less/mo

where do you live? I can hook up a GLC lease maybe (can try). Here at Summit point they wont let a GLC on track though (SUV)... the wouldnt let me take a GLA45 AMG (which isnt tall enough to be legally classed an SUV, no privacy glass allowed)

Thanks for offer but I've changed my mind from suv completely. Going w audi s5 sportback which has same room, awd but lower center of gravity. Plus it looks really pretty

Nice :) They are pretty. Plus they will let you on track with one of those lol.. what organization did you instruct for?

work w lots of groups - nasa, hod, scda, bmw
no issues with trucks @ pocono, njmp, lrp, wgi that i know of though

I wonder if its a organizational thing? I normally do scca and trackdaze and summit points events (FATT)... summit point was saying no SUV's... stopped me from getting a Forester XT turbo sports manual when I was younger (I did actually end up getting one later down the line).