India-bound Mercedes GLC features detailed - Report

Comes with air-suspension as optional equipment.

Mercedes have begun preparations for the unveil of the all-new Mercedes GLC SUV on June 17, inviting select media to be driven in pre-production prototypes around an off-road course. The GLC will come equipped with a slew of active drive technologies that is expected to offer the best of both worlds: off-road tackling and on-road driving dynamics.

Initial reports have placed the design of the GLC as "low slung" when compared to the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. It's final design was unofficially revealed via the COMAND infotainment software, which depicts a low crossover that draws influence from the GLE Coupe Concept as well as Merc's current range.

For people familiar with the interior of the new C-Class, the GLC will hardly catch them by surprise. It features an updated version of Mercedes' COMAND infotainment software running on a free-standing touch display and navigated through a Touchpad on the center tunnel. The rear legroom is, reportedly, more spacious than the current C-Class, while the optional Panoramic sunroof roof adds to the airy feeling of the cabin.

Mercedes have not divulged details on the engine lineup of the GLC, although, at launch, it will only be available with the 2.0-liter petrol and diesel motors from the Mercedes C-Class. It will come standard with a new 9G-TRONIC automatic transmission and a 4MATIC AWD system, with a cheaper rear-wheel drive version joining the range next year.

A plug-in hybrid Mercedes GLC 350 e petrol and a Mercedes GLC 450 AMG Sport variant (featuring the 362 bhp twin-turbo V6 from the C 450 AMG) will follow in due course.

For the new GLC, Mercedes have greatly improved the off-road tackling capabilities by integrating various new technologies. For starters, people who wish to use their GLC to traverse rough terrain can opt for the off road pack, which tailors the driving characteristics to better suit ice, offroad, uphill/downhill, and towing a trailer.

The off-road pack can be specced with car's standard steel springs, although Mercedes recommends opting for the AIRMATIC air-suspension. It offers an extra 30mm or 50mm ground clearance, which can prove to be beneficial when traversing across a rocky terrain. The MRA-based crossover also comes equipped with a front camera that displays the surroundings and guides the vehicle, should the view from the windscreen be limited when negotiating steep slopes.

Despite all the off-road talk, it still doesn't come equipped with a locking differential, like its bigger and utilitarian brother, the Mercedes G-Class. Yet, Mercedes reassures that the onboard ESP system is tuned to work "like a diff lock".

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Another interesting discovery is that the RHD version of the GLC will have more torque bias to the rear (31/69 to be exact) than the LHD version's torque split of 45/55, reason being the packaging issues. So the India-bound model will be "more fun to drive", as stated by Uli Zillmann, project leader for the GLC's development.

[Source: Auto Express]