2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC53 First Drive: More Power, More Torque, More of the Same
Key takeaways
- AMG sticks a six-cylinder engine under the hood of its entry-level GLC model.
- The 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC53 takes Affalterbach’s well-proven performance formula and dials it up a notch.
- The GLC53’s 443 hp is just 6 percent more than the peak output achieved by the GLC43’s four-cylinder engine.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
AMG sticks a six-cylinder engine under the hood of its entry-level GLC model.
More is more. The 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC53 takes Affalterbach’s well-proven performance formula and dials it up a notch. The GLC53, which will be available in both SUV and “coupe” body styles and is scheduled to arrive in the U.S. in the second half of this year, replaces the GLC43. It looks much the same, but the new nomenclature reflects a big change under the hood: The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that powered the GLC43 has been replaced with an AMG-massaged version of Mercedes-Benz’s 3.0-liter straight-six.
Two more cylinders and a 50 percent increase in capacity don’t deliver the step-change in horsepower you might expect, although that’s perhaps more an indication of how much grunt AMG has been able to extract from the turbocharged four-cylinder engine over the years. The GLC53’s 443 hp is just 6 percent more than the peak output achieved by the GLC43’s four-cylinder engine. But peak torque has jumped 20 percent, to 443 lb-ft, with 472 lb-ft available for up to 10 seconds via an overboost function.