![amg lite amg lite](https://icdn-8.motor1.com/images/mgl/BP684/s4/2018-mercedes-cls.jpg)
Amg lite driver#
But the AMG was nearly as quick through some corners, and a more talented driver would narrow the gap even further. We won’t lie and say the Mercedes kept up easily – your author had to work hard – and on long straights the sports cars could create plenty of space between us and them. The ultimate test of the GLC’s talents came when chasing a couple friends driving a Lamborghini Huracan Evo and a Porsche Cayman GT4.
Amg lite full#
And the brakes easily convert speed to heat and dust, resisting fade even after a full day of driving in the heat of California’s high desert. Exiting corners yields plenty of grip to go along with the excellent thrust, thanks to the rear-biased 4Matic system that can send more power forward as needed. The Mercedes responds to midcorner corrections well, and it resists the urge to either under- or oversteer if the driver tries to scrub speed. The GLC 43’s handling and braking are in perfect balance with the powertrain, with neutral behavior even at higher-than-advisable speeds. Speaking of, that exhaust we were complaining about earlier? It’s absolute heaven in the canyons, with a bellicose snarl we don’t usually associate with AMG’s muscular-but-genteel rides.
Amg lite plus#
With very little turbo lag from the pair of snails underhood, the throttle is responsive to the point of twichiness in its most aggressive setting, but dialing it back to Sport Plus instead of Race makes it easy to even out the GLC’s cornering attitude using the loud pedal. Once you actually hit the road, the numbers matter less than the athletic way the GLC 43 moves.Īccording to Mercedes-AMG, 60 miles per hour happens in 4.7 seconds before arriving to a top speed of 155 with this particular tire setup, and we believe that wholeheartedly. The Mercedes is also lighter than its German rivals, down on the Audi by 115 pounds and the BMW by 144.
![amg lite amg lite](https://d3lp4xedbqa8a5.cloudfront.net/imagegen/max/ccr/1023/-/s3/digital-cougar-assets/wheels/2018/03/06/135411/2018-Mercedes-AMG-C43-updated-front-34-dynamic-2.jpg)
But one press of the big starter button allays that assumption, a lusty 3.0-liter V6 roaring to life and boasting that aforementioned 385 hp and 384 lb-ft – higher numbers than the 382-hp, 365-lb-ft BMW or the 349-hp, 369-lb-ft Audi. Performance & Handling ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ ⠀ 9/10Īs comfortable and pleasant as it is to look at and sit in, you’d be forgiven for thinking the GLC 43 were a jack-of-all-trades and a master of none. Our example’s multi-mode exhaust didn’t seem to switch on and off reliably, meaning we were left with some annoying drone at part throttle on the highway.
Amg lite windows#
We also enjoyed the hushed cabin, possibly thanks to the $150 heat- and acoustic-insulated front side glass – though at that price, shouldn’t they just be standard? The windows couldn’t solve our only major comfort complaint, though. Ride comfort is impressive, particularly given this example’s $1,500 21-inch wheels (20s are standard), and credit goes to the AMG-tuned Air Body Control sport suspension, which can firm or soften each damper according to the driver’s tastes. The rear bench is less contoured, useful for carrying three passengers but not quite as supportive for just two. The front seats are supportive and cushy, with four-way lumbar adjustment and a power tilt/telescope wheel making it easy to find that sweet spot. Luckily, the GLC 43 does it without a chip on its shoulder, accomplishing its dual roles with nearly equal aplomb. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 is the middle child in the company’s small SUV lineup, and like any other middle child, it somehow must be both attention-grabbing and genteel if it wants to earn any love – Jan Brady to the GLC 63’s Marcia and the GLC 300’s Cindy. It’s all very exciting to look at, but does the GLC uphold the luxury promises made by that huge grille badge? And what of AMG’s reputation for exciting performance when the pace quickens? That’s what we’re here to find out.Ī vehicle's verdict is relative only to its own segment and not the new-vehicle market as a whole.
![amg lite amg lite](https://st.motortrend.com/uploads/sites/5/2016/09/2017-Mercedes-AMG-E43-sedan-side-profile-03.jpg)
Last year also brought slightly more aggressive styling, with narrowed headlamps, AMG-specific Panamericana grille, sophisticated LED taillight design, and reshaped rear bumper. In addition to tuning the engine, AMG had its way with the carryover nine-speed automatic and 4Matic all-wheel drive, the GLC 43 defaulting to a torque split of 31 percent to the front axle and 69 percent to the rear – nice. Its twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 now makes 385 horsepower, up from 362 ponies before, with 384 pound-feet. The refreshed 2020 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 is a bit faster still, thanks to a suite of updates that apply to the 2021 model too.