Six Cylinders Are Back, Baby

Mercedes is making things (partially) right in the AMG world by stuffing more cylinders under the hood of some models. While we wait for the recently announced six-cylinder C53 to break cover, its crossover counterpart is getting the same turbocharged 3.0-liter engine. The new GLC 53 makes amends after the controversial four-cylinder 43 and 63 models, while packing a nice surprise over the CLE 53 from which it inherits the engine.

For this new application, AMG has updated the “M256M” engine to extract 443 pound-feet (587 Newton-meters) of torque. That’s a 30 lb-ft (41 Nm) increase over the CLE 53, but it gets even better. An overboost function bumps torque to 472 lb-ft (640 Nm), though it only lasts 10 seconds. Affalterbach’s latest iteration of its inline-six also features a different cylinder head and intake camshaft, along with a new intercooler and a larger-volume intake system.

The GLC 53 will also be sold as a “Coupe,” with a heavily sloped roofline for those who want more style at the expense of practicality. Both versions sprint from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 4.1 seconds and top out at 167 mph (270 km/h), provided the AMG Dynamic Plus Package is ordered. To properly celebrate the return of six cylinders, there’s a new exhaust system with “special resonators” designed to deliver a deeper soundtrack.

A nine-speed torque-converter automatic transmission routes power to all four wheels, with an optional electronically limited-slip differential. Interestingly, the GLC 53 is the company’s first crossover to offer a drift mode for tail-happy shenanigans, though it costs extra.

Mercedes won’t charge more money for rear-wheel steering, as it comes standard. At speeds of up to 60 mph (96 km/h), the rear wheels steer up to 2.5 degrees in the opposite direction of the fronts. At higher speeds, they turn up to 0.7 degrees in the same direction.

The GLC 53 is technically not the first version of this generation to feature six cylinders. Mercedes-AMG has been selling the GLC 450d in Europe for years with an inline-six diesel. The oil-burner hasn’t been offered for the C-Class yet, which should make the upcoming C53 the first C-Class model of the W206 era with a six-cylinder engine.

Pricing isn’t mentioned, but it should cost anywhere between the $68,900 GLC 43 and the $88,100 GLC 63.

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Source: Mercedes-Benz

Motor1’s Take: The GLC 53 doesn’t bring back the V8, as it doesn’t directly replace the GLC 63, but it’s still a step in the right direction. It’s only a matter of time before the C-Class is also upgraded with a larger-displacement engine to rival the Audi S5 and the upcoming BMW M350.

With a new V8 in development and the V12 sticking around in the S-Class, Mercedes’ renewed interest in combustion engines should help draw more people back into showrooms. Electric vehicles continue to gain ground, but not at the pace the company had anticipated a few years ago.

Back in 2021, Mercedes said it would go fully electric as early as 2030 “where market conditions allow.” The plan was to transition from “electric-first to electric-only,” but while the brand remains fully committed to EVs, it has come to the realization that it will still need ICE for many years to come.