Weekend Drive by Hormazd Sorabjee: It’s a small world after all
The new Mercedes-AMG Coupe has a smaller engine. It’s powerful, fast and loaded with tech. But it comes at a price
In an age when global warming is a reality and carbon dioxide is responsible for heating up the planet, the only way for the internal combustion engine to redeem itself is by becoming smaller and cleaner. Even high-performance cars which thrive on big multi-cylinder engines have had to downsize. The 12-cylinder engine is almost extinct, V8s are a dying breed, and six cylinders are giving way to four.
So, what does going small mean and how does it affect the performance and character of a sportscar or SUV? That’s the question I was expecting to be answered as I slipped into the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe, which has a smaller engine than before. Its 2.0 litre, four-cylinder engine replaces the 3.0-litre V6 in the previous model.
Does that make it any less powerful? The Formula 1 tech has actually boosted power to 412hp, up from 390, though torque has dropped to 500Nm from 520. But that deficit is taken care of by an extra 14hp and 150Nm of electric boost from a small 48V motor. The new engine also gets an F1-derived electrical turbocharger, which spools up early to deliver an instant response when you stamp on the accelerator.
So how does this tech stack up in the real world? I did a couple of laps at the new CoASTT circuit in Coimbatore to extract every ounce of performance from Merc’s latest addition to its performance SUV range.
Off the line, the AMG GLC 43 Coupe simply rockets forward and feels distinctly faster than the previous version. It pulls strong and hard all the way to 6,500rpm before the nine-speed auto transmission shifts up a gear automatically. Performance is strong throughout the rev range and there’s almost no ‘turbo lag’ or that zone at low revs where turbocharged engines feel sluggish. Instead, the AMG GLC 43 pulls cleanly, shooting from one corner to the next.
The engine sound is pretty good too and though some of it is artificially piped through the audio system, you won’t complain about lack of authenticity. There’s an assortment of pops, burbles and bangs when you downshift, which amps up the engine’s sporty feel. But the gearbox’s hesitation to go down the gears quickly at speed is a bit of a dampener. You end up tugging at the left paddle with nothing happening.
More impressive than the engine is the handling. It’s razor sharp, making this high-riding SUV Coupe feel like a sportscar on stilts. There’s hardly any body-roll through corners, it feels remarkably agile thanks to rear-wheel-steering, and the brakes are simply outstanding. The flip side is a stiff ride, which gives the GLC 43 AMG a hard edge that compromises its everyday useability.
What the new version does is suck you into the AMG experience. It looks very sporty on those massive 21-inch wheels, with its muscular body and a nicely hunkered down stance.
The interiors, as in any Merc, are top class and justify the German luxury brand’s high-pricing strategy. Which leads us to the price: A steep ₹1.1 crore, which is a good 20 lakh over the outgoing model. That’s the price you pay for the latest tech.
From HT Brunch, August 17, 2024
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