Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe Gets Midlife Facelift

Mercedes-Benz reveals a facelifted version of the 3-year-old GLC Coupe ahead of the launch of North American sales of the freshened BMW X4 and Porsche Macan rival during second-half  2019.

Set to make its public debut at the New York auto show in mid-April, the ’19-model-year GLC Coupe receives midlife tweaks like those of its GLC SUV sibling, which was displayed at the recent Geneva auto show.

The two GLC models are produced alongside one another at Mercedes-Benz’s Bremen plant in Germany, with a long-wheelbase variant of the GLC SUV assembled in Beijing exclusively for the Chinese market.

Changes brought to the facelifted GLC Coupe include a subtle exterior restyle with re-profiled bumpers and a newly shaped grille as well as altered headlamp graphics and taillamp lens graphics. Alongside the standard styling, Mercedes-Benz also offers the coupe-style SUV with an optional AMG package featuring 19-in. wheels.

Inside, it receives a new multifunction steering wheel and new displays for the instruments and infotainment system. The latter comes in two sizes at 10.3 ins. (26 cm) or 12.3 ins. (31-cm) and now boasts touchscreen as well as touchpad control and a “Hey Mercedes” voice prompt as part of the automaker’s new MBUX operating system first seen in 2018 in the smaller A-Class hatchback and sedan.

Together with the new operating system, the facelifted GLC Coupe has more-advanced driver-assistance systems, including updated Active Distance Assist Distronic cruise control.

As with the GLC SUV, Mercedes-Benz confirms just one engine for the reworked GLC Coupe. The new turbocharged 2.0L gasoline 4-cyl. goes under the internal codename M264 and replaces the M274 engine used by earlier models.

It develops an added 14 hp but the same torque as its predecessor at 255 hp and 273 lb.-ft. (370 Nm) in the GLC300 4Matic Coupe, which continues with a 9-speed torque-converter-equipped automatic gearbox and all-wheel drive as standard.

Further engines are to be confirmed later, according to Mercedes-Benz.