It’s almost as if you could take this car to the trailhead. Of course the suspension is a little low for any real off-roading otherwise it would certainly be possible. Still, a moderately maintained gravel trail shouldn’t be any issue whatsoever, I pulled off in several areas worse than this one that I would be more worried about with a low slung sports car and never had issues.
If you DID take it for a hike, you’d find the cargo area very practical and extremely well trimmed out. The seats fold if needed in sections (40/20/40 – each side and the center separately or in any combination), there is more storage under the floor, and a netted area to the left side for water bottles or whatever other loose oddments. Of course it opens/raises/lowers electrically and the button to close it again is in the overhead sill area of the hatch (and duplicated on the keyfob).
While this phone picture is a little distorted making it look a bit smaller than it really is it gives a decent idea of the size difference between it and the Toyota Highlander to the left and the Chevy Tahoe to the right. The AMG was also one of the most commented on and “looked-at-by-bystanders and passers-by” vehicles that I’ve driven lately, for example as we were taking this picture the owners of the Tahoe walked toward their car. Mr. Tahoe Driver pointed our car out to his passengers and then when we walked toward it while they were entering their car, we overheard him remarking on it complimentarily.
He then waited for me to start it and drive off while nodding his head at the sound (it really does sound distinctive) and watching us leave. I’m a fairly low-key person and while it’s not really a show-offy vehicle (as well as that not really being my thing), it has just enough for others who know cars to appreciate it. In this case, the Cardinal Red Metallic “designo” paint (optional at a fairly eye watering $1,080) really was a draw, it’s a very pretty color that shows off the lines wonderfully and thankfully isn’t just another shade of gray.
After exploring everything including driving around the roads linking the different lots and going through a natural rock formation tunnel we eventually descended back to the Town of Morrison, another little enclave in the lower Rockies filled with one main street with several restaurants and some shops.
It wasn’t tacky, there are no chain outlets or anything at all like that, just a pleasant place for a stroll and perhaps lunch or a beverage from a local establishment.
After we ourselves enjoyed lunch at “The Cow, An Eatery” (whose namesake cow had apparently been tipped by parties unknown) where I texted Paul some pictures of the car and we text-chatted back and forth while my son ate his grilled cheese, we continued on to one of Morrison’s other attractions, Bandimere Speedway.
A full 1/4 mile drag racing facility, Bandimere is just off I-470 outside of Morrison and has been in operation since 1958. While the track was closed the grounds were open so we pulled in and watched some go-karts race in the parking lot for a bit.
I’ve actually run my 911 here and while initially dismayed at my times even though I seemed competitive with my group of friends’ cars, once I used the significant correction factor applicable to this altitude I was pleased that my times were about what the factory had advertised. As regards today’s ride, according to Car&Driver, when they tested a similar example to this AMG tester two years ago, they recorded a 1/4 mile time of 12.0 seconds at 115mph.
On Wednesday evenings during the summer they do a “public night” where anyone can go and try their hand, it is a fun event and even the local police departments show up and drag race the local youths in their cars. It beats doing it on the street.
There’s the heart of this beast, a 4.0liter V8 with twin turbos visible right on top next to the small plaque bearing the name of the craftsman that hand-assembled the entire engine at his station by himself. AMG is now a wholly owned part of the house that Karl and Gottlieb built, but originally AMG was a small racing shop founded in the 1960’s by two Mercedes engineers named Aufrecht and Melcher (the A and the M). The G stands for Grossaspach, the town that Aufrecht lived in and where they worked on engines.
Their most public claim to fame came when they built a 5liter V8 engine with an AMG-developed 4-valve head that was implanted into a W124 chassis and known colloquially as “The Hammer”. Over the years they worked closer and closer with the factory and as of 2005 the company was 100% sold to Mercedes and now is based in Affalterbach.
While AMG has also become sort of a trim line for some Mercedes’, the top AMGs have their engines built by one person whose name is affixed to it and are badged as AMG, then the model line (GLC in this case) and then a two digit number that used to denote displacement but with the advent of turbos seems to denote relative power within the line (or lineup). In this case the 63 is a 4liter biturbo V8 with 468hp, but in the S-class AMG S63 (same 63 number), it’s also a 4liter biturbo V8 but produces 603hp for example. (There’s also a “lesser” AMG GLC43 that uses a turbo six but that’s a production line engine, not individually built.) It’s confusing, I know.
Our last stop of the day was just north of Bandimere, it was Dinosaur Ridge, a National Natural Landmark. A popular hiking and bicycling area, Dinosaur Ridge has a visitor center, small museum, and more importantly a closed off mountain that is covered in Dinosaur tracks and other fossil remains.
We’d been here before (and that time sort of got lost on a five or so mile hike), but this time we just ventured up the road about a third of a mile to the main dinosaur track find to check it out again. This area was once all covered in water and apparently host to a number of migrating dinosaurs over the ages, as such many fossils were preserved in the sediment (marked with paint here to make them more visibly obvious). It’s not just a kid thing, it really is interesting for all ages and the hiking varies from easy paved paths to more difficult trails.
Since we are on the subject of Dinosaurs, specifically dead ones, how’s the gas mileage? Well, officially it’s rated at 16city and 22highway. As shown earlier I averaged around 19 on a heavily freeway oriented section. Around (a busy) town on the days when I just ran errands or work stuff, it seemed to be below the 16 number, usually ranging between 12 and 15 or so, likely due to me enjoying driving it, what’s the point otherwise really. You don’t need to hoon it to have fun, but there’s no need to pretend there’s an egg underfoot either. Note that for three days of its stay with me, temperatures were between 0 degrees Fahrenheit and about 30, which doesn’t help those numbers.
With that fairly low mileage rating it was useful that the navigation system showed gas stations as well as the current price for super unleaded at most of them. In this state gas stations only display the price on a big sign for unleaded and diesel, if you want super you don’t know the price until you arrive at the pump, so being able to comparison shop as you drive around is nice. It’s a feature that I believe is standard for a while (to get you used to it), then eventually a subscription fee is required. The way gas prices vary around here it’d probably pay for itself fairly quickly though.
So going back to the “means” part in the title, let’s talk turkey, what are we looking at here to put this bad boy in my (or your) driveway for good? Well, I know there are people that will say the numbers are outrageous, but in context I’ve come to the (personal) conclusion that it’s actually a value as compared to the basic vehicle it is derived from. A basic regular 2WD GLC with a 2.0 turbo 4 starts at $42,500, I can’t seem to configure one that would be acceptable to me for under $50k. The base price of the AMG GLC63 like this one here is US$73,750. As tested it rings in at $83,655.
After looking at the online configurator I’ve realized that this is the rare test car that is not actually loaded with every possible option although nobody would ever call it a stripper. The options it does have I’ve mostly touched on before, here goes with prices – the special paint at $1,080; Nappa leather interior at $2,590; the AMG performance steering wheel covered in “Dynamica” suede-ish material for $600; 21″ wheels for $1,000; AMG Drive Unit (the dynamic selector program) for $400; AMG Track Pace (allows you to time yourself and more on track only) at $250; Panorama Roof for $1500; Inductive Phone Charging and Near Field Pairing for $200; Parktronic parking assist and surround cameras for $1,290 and then the delivery charge at a comparatively to lots of other cars very reasonable $995.
“Value” obviously assumes that it’s of use, further that it can be used to its fullest and that it can be appreciated. While viewed purely in the context of a generic transportation device, sure it’s expensive. But as a phenomenal sports “car” filled with technology, safety, and as an engineering accomplishment it can transcend all that. Just for giggles I figured out what I would want personally.
I’d actually probably take this color paint or one of the blue hues, skip the Panoramic Sunroof, I like the wheels, I could skip the Nappa leather although it is quite lovely, I like the AMG Drive Unit selector, need the inductive charging and NFC (goodbye cables!) and would take the parking camera package as it has come in handy in my garage this week as I successfully attempted to not damage this car as well as wanting the lighting package with automatic high beams. All told I could be out the door for just under $80,000 and I already told my wife I really want one. And I do, I found it to be simply a glorious vehicle. Alas, she told me to work harder…
(Note: Mercedes provided the GLC63 shod with winter tires and a tank of gas for us to drive for a week. I spent my kid’s lunch money for the month on more gas. He didn’t seem to mind.)
Fascinating review, mainly because it drives home just how simple my own needs and desires are. And how out of reality the modern automobile market is for me. Two weeks ago, I picked up my latest playtoy, a 2002 Honda Civic Si. Mileage well into six figures, I’ve known the previous owner for decades and am well conversant with how she cares for cars. And at $3000.00, all I had to do was hit my friendly local bank teller for a withdrawal from my reserve account to complete the transaction.
Tech? I’m happily living with air conditioning, power windows, power sunroof and a five speed. I’m not so happily living with a single DIN stereo by JVC that is the same model I had installed in my Porsche 924S about ten years ago. No Bluetooth (a deal killer), no Pandora (inconvenient), no Sirius XM (ditto). Best Buy will be visited sometime before Memorial Day.
And then I look at the tech at the Mercedes. For me it’s overkill. Massive overkill. I could have the same run on these roads with that car and my Honda, and I seriously doubt that the Mercedes would give me any extra pleasure. Considering that I normally drive in the summer with both windows down and the sunroof open (yes, even AC is kind of optional to me – credit that to being a biker), 3/4ths of the tech in this car is probably never going to get used. Other than the sound system.
$80,000? Huh? I haven’t bought a new car since my first 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport, and the constantly escalating prices is why. With a realistic budget of $15,000.00 (maybe $20,000.00 – and both these figures mean financing, which I don’t like) it’s pretty obvious that my ownership of one of these will happen about 2030. As an 80th birthday present, secure in the realization that I probably won’t be able to afford the repairs as the systems deteriorate.
Thank you for a wonderful science fiction short story, I enjoyed it immensely. Who does buy these cars, anyway?
Nobody, at least not for another three years. People who obtain them from new generally lease.
Myself, I’m in the market for another manual-transmission subcompact while I can still get one, the plan is to buy new and keep it 10-12 years like I did the last one by which time EVs should be cheap, proven and long-range enough to make the jump.
If I didn’t live in road-salt country I’d do needed repairs to my ’08 Toyota Yaris and keep it like Paul’s doing with his xBox but I do and it’s (finally) starting to rust.
Who buys them? Relatively few people buy them, most (67%) are leased. My neighborhood is awash in leased Mercedes vehicles because no one wants them for the long term. They are unreliable as they age and , in my experience most Mercedes drivers want the newest items. They have no interest in being seen driving an older model.
Finally, I appreciate this article as it’s well crafted and well written. But I have no interest owning one of these. It’s not an enthusiasts’ vehicle, it smacks of someone who’s susceptible to fashion and can barely afford the payments.
If your figures are correct, it would appear that one in three people actually DO purchase instead of leasing. But not everyone wants to tie up that much money even if they have it to spend. And others have enough to be able to keep themselves supplied with the newest and latest.
Thank you for the compliment, I appreciate it.
100% agreed, Syke. I haven’t had a car payment since 1988.
Thanks for the great tour. Some of this was familiar from a family trip to Denver about 5 years ago. Not sure how we missed the Cabrini shrine though.
Like Syke, the idea of an $80k car sort of makes my head hurt. But then again, isn’t a high end car supposed to be 4-5x the cost of a modest new car? I wonder how many of these are purchases rather than leased.
You had me giggling at the “handcrafted by” plaque. Who would have figured that one of the finest automotive craftsmen in Germany would be named Esposito? An imported car made by imported craftsmen – now *that* is luxury! 🙂
A friend of mine “handcrafted” Toyota engines at the Cambridge, Ontario plant for seven years . He never got to sign anything. All he got for his trouble was carpal-tunnel syndrome and a job layoff because he could no longer shuffle bearing shells fast enough.
By “handcrafting” they mean that one individual builds the entire engine from block to finished piece. This is fairly rare in the automotive world. What your friend did was most likely work on an assembly line doing a repetitive job (Peg A into Slot B, repeat).
Thanks for the great tour!
As a lifelong Illinoisan, the Land of Lincoln manufacturer plate immediately caught my eye. Where’d the front one go? 😉
I’m kinda in Syke’s camp, though my fleet is considerably more modern than his, but that doesn’t stop me from appreciating the GLC and very much enjoying Jim’s review. And it was a great reminder of a wonderful long weekend my wife and I spent in Jefferson County five years ago, including a concert at Red Rocks (and a rental C-Max). But I struggle with a Mercedes that has the numbers 6 and 3 in its name, and doesn’t have a 6.3 liter SOHC V8. Somehow, I don’t think those 14.2 “ disks would fit inside the 14” wheels of a 300SEL 6.3, or even the 15-inchers of a Grösser 600.
When I bought my ’08 Prius a couple years ago (a car that is tech-heavy its age) I played with all the buttons and gadgets for about a month and largely haven’t touched them since. I *still* can’t bring myself to stare at a TV screen in the dash to drive backwards – my neck swivels just fine.
I’ve gotten used to the rearview camera on my wife’s Dart GT and have learned to love it. May add one to the Honda when I do the stereo, although the one that really needs it is the Kia van.
One thing I wish you could do to those cameras is switch them on at will. While mirrors work find while swapping lanes there are occasional moments when I’d prefer to have the camera. Like at the I-95 southbound/I-64 eastbound interchange, with Arthur Ashe Boulevard about 1/4 mile down the road. And AAB is the exit for The Diamond and Richmond Flying Squirrels games. Attempting to do that shuffle thru the ramps and into the exit lane for a 1830 ballgame on a weekday can be nerve wracking.
These are really rather nice. Overall, I think it’s a very different experience than the Jaguar F-PACE SVR which is a little more raw and on, all the time. It’s probably very similar to the Porsche Macan Turbo and BMW X3 M.
But “hot vee” engines make me nervous, which is why I don’t have a CPO 750i/Li.
It is an extremely livable vehicle. Why does the hot V setup make you nervous? I understand re: heat but if nothing else at least it’s extremely accessible as opposed to some other twin turbo setups where they are crammed aside the block next to the wheelwells, making access difficult (Audi 2.7t comes to mind). I don’t think exterior air flow is really that much better down there with underbody shrouds etc anyway.
Thanks for a very nice review.
Hot-V makes great sense in V engines. Heat rises, so cold intake below the block and hot exhaust above the block are ideal. It’s not the traditional setup because it doesn’t work with a single carburetor. With port or direct injection that’s no longer a problem. Hot-V is the logical setup today.
Reminds me of a R&T review back when I used to read it, Very professional indeed!
You really took me along with you; sounds like a fun way to spend a day. It’s the kind of car I would really enjoy driving for about a day or so on the open road. A real monster!
I have never seen something like this in Eugene, and probably won’t anytime soon, so you’ve given me the only exposure to it I’m likely to have.
Thanks for the motor tour, Jim, looks like that was a grand day.
The rabid crossover does nothing for me, unfortunately. My 83 grand would go to a GS-F without a second thought. A few more years of being bludgeoned by the crossover reality may bring me around somewhat, but for now I want my performance car to be sedan/coupe, my SUV to be an SUV, and a crossover to be a practical tool. This one is breaking the rules of a polite society and I’m not yet having any of it 🙂
Somewhere you just made some product planner perk up with excitement that someone is still potentially interested in a sedan/coupe!
Conceptually I understand your point completely but would add that this car and some others like it really kind of change the conventional wisdom a bit, Sure, perhaps the same powertrain in a conventional sedan/coupe MIGHT be even better but as is the performance is already so much better than most performance sedans/coupes in many/most respects that the extra practicality and livability really might make one think different as it could wear multiple hats without much if any compromise depending on actual use case.
It seems that Mercedes really nailed the looks on this car. It manages to look special without being garish — kind of like what a Mercedes ought to look like. And it’s well-proportioned, too… the image of the AMG parked next to the GLE “Coupe” at the Amphitheater is interesting, because your test car is such a more pleasing design.
And oddly, I never thought about what the AMG initials actually stood for… now I know.
“It manages to look special without being garish”
If only that 3 pointed star on the grille could be a little smaller. 🙂
At least it doesn’t light up. I guess my standards have changed…
I’m sure the lighted star is a dealer-installed option.
If it has a distance sensor in the star, the lighted star isn’t available.
The bling bling, don’t even think about taking these off-road rims, AMG engraved exhaust tips and the overcompensating for something three pointed star say anything but understated.
On the other hand compared to the newer Lexus CUVs and GM full size trucks, it is pretty tame.
One criticism that I have with all Merc’s that use this type of exhaust tip setup. They are leg burners. I learned the hard way several times ( slow learner apparently) that its easy to get your leg scorched by casually brushing next to one loading the rear compartment.
A very timely, excellent review, and enjoyable travel log. Here in SoCal, the GLC is Mercedes-Benz’s bread-and-butter car. It is not difficult to understand why. The enormous three-pointed star provides entre for those who care, the car is highly configurable, ranging in price from $40K to $80K , at 183” long and under 75” wide the size is perfect for urban driving, and the styling is handsome not radical.
My cousin received this highly optioned ($78K sticker) but pedestrian (no signed engine) AMG 43 version for Christmas three years ago. For her it has been an excellent car with excessive tire wear being one of the few issues. I find the ride a bit firm even in Comfort mode but at 6’1” agree with Jim that the rear seat in such a small vehicle is perfectly comfortable. The 63 seems a bit excessive as the 43, with a bi-turbo V6 and 385/384 HP/torque rating has plenty of scoot.
A nice place to be.
Thank you. Your cousin’s car does look quite nice, and must be very well optioned indeed as the GLC43 starts at $59,500 for the 2020 model year. And yes, those power levels are likely very satisfactory already.
A terrific review of an intriguing Mercedes. Paul is right as spending some time in the pilot’s seat would be a wonderful way to spend some time. It sounds like you chose the ideal setting to experience the goodness of this red beauty.
I’m sure if you bought Mrs. Jim one she wouldn’t mind.
She would in fact not mind at all but is also wise enough to have decided that she would not need the extras that this provides over the more pedestrian trim levels. 🙂
I got very lucky with the weather that day. The rest of the week was less agreeable in that respect but the winter tires did their job extremely well, even in the larger sizes as fitted here so it was able to give a well rounded accounting.
Thanks for the great write-up on tour! I lived in Denver-area for eight years and loved the close proximity of mountains and outdoor activities. So much that I hadn’t gotten to do everything I wanted to do in Colorado during the eight years. This article gave me lot of wonderful memories.
I learnt the hard way about the carburetted engines in my first year of residence there when driving at higher altitude. I got stuck on the mountain pass road when my car couldn’t muster any more power to climb. No room to turn around to head down to the lower altitude. Thankfully, the park ranger knew the trick and managed to get my car started. He also gingerly turned my car around on the two-lane road with quick drop-off at the edge. The ranger advised me not to take any road that goes above 7,000 feet in the future if I drive a vehicle with carburetted engines.
We always stop by Beau Jo’s pizzeria in Idaho Springs on I-70 for pizza every time we head to the mountains or home in Denver.
I definitely miss Colorado…
The ranger advised me not to take any road that goes above 7,000 feet in the future if I drive a vehicle with carburetted engines.
I don’t know what exactly was wrong with your car, but that advice is of course utterly absurd. Tell that to the inhabitants of Leadville (el. 10,151′) and so many other high elevation places in Colorado. Folks have been driving up Pikes Peak (el. 14.115′) since the road was built in 1915. We drove our 1965 Coronet wagon up the even higher Mt. Evans road, as have hundreds of thousands of others, before fuel injection was ever installed on any mass-market cars in the US.
I drove my 40 hp VW all over the highest roads and back-country mining roads, over some very high passes. It ran like a top.
Altitude does reduce power, but not to the extent that a car suddenly can’t make it over a pass or grade. Something obviously was wrong with your car. It might have been vapor lock, which used to be a fairly common ailment back in the ’60s and earlier. But pulling over and waiting for the engine to cool so the fuel stops boiling cured it.
I miss Colorado too. I spent lots of time driving my carburated cars there, exploring every possible little back “road” and driving over the high passes. I could stay with some friends who had a cabin at almost 9000′, right at the edge of Rocky Mt. National Park. I’ve hiked just about every trail in that spectacular place.