2018 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 First Drive: Family Friendly, Fast
The Mercedes-AMG lineup, once a niche in the Mercedes family, now includes more than 40 models. Vehicles at this level are still a niche, but Mercedes is hoping to change that perspective a little by rolling out vehicles that “lull kids to sleep.” This is, in Mercedes’ words, the new “fast family” segment, which includes the new 2018 AMG GLC lineup.
The family-friendly veneer of Nashville provided the backdrop for our first access to the 2018 GLC63 SUV and GLC63 S Coupe, and how they drive Mercedes-AMG’s strategy. SUVs are a compelling force in the Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-AMG brands, representing about half the models in the lineup. Wagons are a much smaller piece of the puzzle, but Mercedes, for the time being, remains committed to this more traditional vehicle. Mercedes-Benz sells about 3,000 station wagons a year, and AMG models make up about 10 percent of that figure. Even if the AMG E wagon is a high-end accessory of sorts to the sedan, the two make an elegant pair.
The Growing AMG Family:
The elephant in the room, of course, is the GLC Coupe, and for the purposes of this discussion, let’s get it out of the way. An SUV with four doors and a sloping roofline is not a coupe, nor is anyone really pretending it is. The actual issue is whether or not you can get over the idea of an SUV with a lot of its functionality — that is, its cargo space — stri...
