Prepare for the ultimate clash of AMG power and innovation! In this thrilling episode, we put the cutting-edge 2024 GLC43 AMG Coupe with its advanced inline-4 engine head-to-head against the iconic 2021 AMG GLC43 Coupe and its roaring V6. But just as the competition begins, the unexpected happens—our mysterious driver, Chinook, makes a dramatic entrance in the legendary 2020 AMG GLC63S Coupe, equipped with a thunderous V8!
2024 AMG GLC43 Coupe vs 2021 AMG GLC43 Coupe vs 2020 AMG GLC63s Coupe (DRAG RACE,SLALOM,BRAKING)
Testers pitted two Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupes against a V8-powered GLC 63 S in a drag race, slalom, and braking test.
A Mercedes-Benz SUV is a common sight on American and Canadian roads. However, it’s not something you often see at a drag strip or circuit. Let alone three of them. Still, testers at Mercedes-Benz Downtown Calgary wanted to see how the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe and its electrified inline-four-cylinder powerplant stacks up against an older iteration and a V8-powered GLC 63 S.
To assess their performance chops, the Canadian duo and their rather obvious Stig-esque character, “Chinook,” planned a drag race, slalom, and brake test for the three SUVs. On one end of the grid, the 2024 AMG GLC 43 Coupe packs a 416 horsepower 2.0L four-cylinder mill with an F1-derived electric turbo system. “I’ve got really great weight distro. It’s got a really wide stance. I’m going to have fantastic grip,” one reviewer said of the 2024 model.
Challenging the 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLC model, a 2021 AMG GLC 43 Coupe and its 385 horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 promised to put up a fight. And to make things interesting, the Chinook showed up in a throaty 2020 GLC 63 S Coupe. With a 503 horsepower twin-turbocharged V8 under the hood, Mercedes-AMG asserts that the GLC V8 model could hit 60 mph in just 3.4 seconds.
Despite Power Disparity, New Mercedes-AMG GLC Holds Steadfast
In the first quarter-mile drag race, the four-year-old GLC 63 S Coupe took the win by several lengths. The 2024 GLC 43 Coupe crossed behind the V8 model and ahead of the 2021 GLC 43. Despite a poor launch from the 2024 GLC 43 Coupe, a second race confirmed the results.
The AMG GLC 63 S managed a 12.56-second quarter-mile sprint at 109.5 mph. Behind the big, twin-turbo V8, the 2024 GLC 43 and 2021 GLC 43 crossed the line in 13.24 seconds and 13.63 seconds, respectively. In the slalom test, all three SUVs sprinted through a cone course before turning around and heading back. The 2024 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 took the win with a 1:07 in the slalom.
Finally, the braking challenge involved getting the SUVs up to 160 km/h (about 100 mph) and braking to a standstill. Understandably, the 2021 Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 Coupe with the lower curb weight and upgraded brake package pulled out the win. After the tire smoke had cleared, each vehicle won a category.
