5 things you need to know about the new Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 4MATIC+, AMG puts a six-cylinder back where fans wanted it

KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-AMG has pulled the GLC back toward what buyers actually expect from an AMG middle child, more character, more noise, and a proper six-cylinder under the bonnet.

This is not just a trim-level shuffle, the GLC 53 gets a heavily reworked 3.0-litre inline-six, new driveline hardware, and a one-year-only Golden Accents package for buyers who want something a bit louder visually too.

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1) The big story is the engine, AMG has dropped in a reworked 3.0-litre inline-six

At the center of the new GLC 53 is a further-developed 3.0-litre inline-six with twin charging, an exhaust turbocharger plus an electric auxiliary compressor.

Output is 330 kW (449 hp) and 600 Nm, with overboost pushing it to 640 Nm for 10 seconds at 5,200 rpm. That alone tells you what AMG is trying to do here, this is about restoring feel, not just chasing a number on paper.

AMG says the engine has been substantially reworked, with a new cylinder head, improved intake and exhaust ports, a new intake camshaft, a larger-volume intake system, and a new intercooler. There is also 1.5 bar of boost from the optimized turbo, while the electric auxiliary compressor now delivers up to 7.5 kW, up from 5.0 kW, to sharpen response.

This is not the same setup as the current GLC 43’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder.

2) Performance is properly AMG again, quick, loud, and built to feel dramatic

The new GLC 53 does 0 to 100 km/h in 4.2 seconds with RACE START (part of the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package), and top speed is electronically limited to 250 km/h, or 270 km/h with the AMG Driver’s Package. Those are serious numbers for a midsize performance SUV, and more importantly, AMG is leaning hard into the emotional part this time.

There is also a new exhaust system with special resonators, and AMG specifically calls out the crackling on lift-off, AMG-style misfires, and a deeper bassy sound under hard acceleration. If that still is not enough for some buyers, AMG Real Performance Sound with a flap-controlled exhaust is optional.

The 48-volt system is still here too, via a second-generation integrated starter-generator (ISG), which can add a short 17 kW and 205 Nm boost, while also handling recuperation, gliding and smoother stop-start restarts.

So yes, there is electrification, but this one sounds like AMG used it to support the engine, not replace the character.

3) The driveline setup is a big part of the story, especially if you care about how it drives

The engine is paired with the AMG SPEEDSHIFT TCT 9G, and AMG says shift times are shorter, reactions are quicker, and the gearbox is especially sharp in Sport+ and manual mode. It also supports multiple downshifts and the usual performance gearbox tricks you want in something with this badge.

Drive modes are handled by AMG DYNAMIC SELECT, with Slippery, Comfort, Sport, Sport+, Individual, plus a RACE mode when you tick the AMG DYNAMIC PLUS Package. AMG DYNAMICS control layers over that with Basic, Advanced, and Pro settings, adjusting ESP and all-wheel-drive behavior depending on what the driver is doing.

The fully variable AMG Performance 4MATIC+ system is standard, and AMG says it can continuously vary drive between rear and all-wheel drive depending on conditions. In normal driving, the front axle can fully decouple for efficiency, and with ESP Sport it becomes more rear-biased. With the optional DYNAMIC PLUS package, Drift Mode lets it run as a rear-drive vehicle across the speed range, backed by an electronically controlled rear limited-slip differential. AMG also says this setup lifts braked towing capacity to 2,400 kg from 1,800 kg.

4) It is not just an engine swap, the chassis and steering hardware got proper attention too

AMG did not stop at the powertrain. The GLC 53 gets AMG RIDE CONTROL suspension with a retuned steel spring setup and adaptive damping, and AMG says the spread between comfort and sporty behavior is now wider than before. Dampers can be set to Comfort, Sport, or Sport+, which matters because many fast SUVs can do one thing well, but not the other.

Brakes are also serious, 390 x 36 mm front discs with four-piston fixed calipers, and 360 x 26 mm rear discs with single-piston floating calipers. Steering is a three-stage AMG parameter setup, and rear-axle steering is standard. The rear wheels can steer up to 2.5 degrees opposite the fronts below 100 km/h for agility, and up to 0.7 degrees in the same direction above 100 km/h for stability.

That is the kind of hardware list that suggests AMG wants this car to feel more complete, not just more powerful.

5) The one-year-only Golden Accents Package is the “special edition” angle, and it is actually pretty detailed

AMG is also launching a Golden Accents Package, available only for one year from market launch. It pairs Obsidian Black metallic or Graphite Grey Magno with techgold accents, plus optional AMG side foiling. This is AMG doing a limited visual package, but it is more than just gold bits on the badge.

The package includes matte black 21-inch forged cross-spoke wheels with techgold rim flanges and hub caps, plus gloss black brake calipers with white AMG logos, a silver chrome fuel filler cap, AMG Night Package details, and the AMG DESIGN PLUS Package with extra aero-style trim pieces. Inside, it adds black leather AMG sports seats with contrast stitching, matching stitched door and dash trims, and AMG carbon trim woven with metallic threads to match the exterior accents.

It is a niche option, but for the right buyer it gives the new GLC 53 a recognisable “launch-year” identity.

“With the new GLC 53, our goal was to make its Affalterbach DNA even more tangible - with more emotion, more character, and even more fun to drive.

To achieve this, we have significantly upgraded our six-cylinder engine. Together with the sophisticated chassis and the fully variable all-wheel drive, it makes the GLC 53 a highly dynamic vehicle with exceptional versatility", said Michael Schiebe, Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG,
Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management, and Chairman of the Management Board of Mercedes-AMG GmbH.

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