From the front an SUV and from the rear a Coupé. Which was the first manufacturer to build something like this? It doesn't matter, in this case, one is proud to be able to continue both the SUV- and the Coupé range. One speaks of a "Field of tension" between the two. Compared with the BMW X6, this car is 18 centimetres shorter.
What does come as a surprise, is the race for dropping the height of SUVs. Despite having 21 inch- instead of 19 inch rims, this GLC-Coupé is almost 11 cm lower than the X6, in fact it's even lower than the X4. Could it be possible, that at some point, the Coupé-like SUVs are going to have space problems? On top of that, the GLCs engine is not far from the M-performance of the X6 either.
All together, the GLC doesn't give the impression of being as bulky as the X6. At the most, only there where the bonnet towers over the bottom edge of the side window. The Mercedes GLE threatens the market position of the X6 from the top and the GLC from below. The GLC is actually positioned between the X6 and the X4. From the front, the GLC is somewhat less-, from the rear a lot less bulky than the GLE.
With the expression 'lowered roof-line', the manufacturer is attempting to preempt the accusation that adults in the rear will bump their heads on the ceiling. That wouldn't be fitting for a four-door car at all. Whereas, because of the ever decreasing gap dimensions and the sunken door handles, the doors can hardly be recognised as such any more.
At least the relatively narrow window-line with the 'crouching greenhouse' fits in well with the coupé concept, and what does the short upward slope of the rear window-line have to do with the all-round vision? At least the rear-end design hasn't been overly burdened with useless frills. Four lights and four exhausts, that's it. It will be interesting to see whether the spoiler on the production model, is in reality, as elegant as that of the concept. After all, this concept is apparently, quite close to that which will be produced and sold.
The rest is told quickly. All the lighting works on the principle of LED, with the indicators laid out as 'running lights'. Swivelling lenses make it possible to direct the beams in almost any direction and they are starkly reduced to prevent the possible dazzling of oncoming road users. In contrast to the rear, everything is packed into the two headlamp-housings. The engine is strong enough to warrant the additional predicate, 'AMG'. 04/15