The 2027 Mercedes-AMG GLC 53 has arrived. Expected to replace the existing GLC 43 when it departs at the end of 2026, this new offering packs a twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six, 443 horsepower, all-wheel drive and… a drift mode. This is normally where I’d add “for some reason,” but these days, the more I ask “Why?,” the more it seems the only coherent answer is “Why not?” Fair enough, I guess.
Technically, the GLC can be had as both an SUV and a “coupe,” but the latter remains entirely a crossover apart from its shaved roofline. That 443 hp is matched by an equal torque figure (which can briefly over-boost to 472 pound-feet) and the company’s tried-and-true 9-speed automatic shunts that grunt to the standard 4Matic all-wheel drive system. Mercedes said the combo is good for a 0-60 sprint of 4.1 seconds with its “Race Start” launch control mode.
If you covet that performance, you’ll want the AMG Dynamic Plus package, which not only includes the Race Start feature, but lifts the GLC’s top speed from 155 to 167 mph. Go ahead and laugh, but that will knock almost 10 minutes off your drive time from Stuttgart to Berlin at full-tilt boogie—provided you don’t run into any traffic. The mild hybrid system will make you feel better about yourself afterward despite having to stop to refuel… probably twice.
And, as I noted above, the new GLC 53 can also go sideways. Drifting and all-wheel-drive aren’t exactly natural dance partners, so to speak, so the GLC uses some powertrain wizardry to make the whole sideways thing work. Mercedes-Benz described the GLC’s all-wheel-drive system as “fully variable,” allowing 100% of power to be directed to the rear wheels, allowing the electronic limited-slip rear differential to work its magic. The front axle also disconnects for efficiency when you simply don’t need all-wheel drive, but that doesn’t sound quite as impressive as “Drift Mode,” now does it? That trick diff also requires the Dynamic Plus package, so budget that in if you want to get your hoon on.
To celebrate the new model, Mercedes will offer the 2027 GLC 53 with a one-year-only “Golden Accents” package that does, well, exactly what it sounds like. This dress-up option throws in a smattering of “techgold” contrasted with Obsidian Black or Graphite Grey exterior finishes.
Mercedes didn’t offer a starting price or exact launch window for the 2027 GLC 53, but we expect to learn both in short order, as this car will likely be on sale before the end of the year. Stay tuned.
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Byron is an editor at The Drive with a keen eye for infrastructure, sales and regulatory stories.
