It feels like we've been writing about the next-generation Mercedes GLC for months, and, well, it looks like we have. Mercedes began testing the new crossover over a year ago, though the latest batch of spy photos reveals the progress being made. The new pics show the crossover losing some of its camouflage for the first time, providing us our best look yet at the revamped GLC.
This is our first clear look at the model's grille, though we are not surprised with its design. Mercedes is keeping things traditional with an evolutionary update. The photos show the GLC now wearing a pair of silver roof accents the look like roof racks, though they're spaced far apart. They weren't on previous test vehicles, though you can clearly see where they should have been. The test vehicle is also sporting the production headlights and taillights, which we've seen before.
Gallery: New Next-Gen Mercedes GLC Spy Shots
The new GLC will be slightly larger than the outgoing model, which could have Mercedes introducing a seven-seat variant as it did for the smaller GLB a few years ago. The new GLC shares its underpinnings with the new C-Class that debuted earlier this year, which means the crossover's interior will likely mirror that of the saloon. However, it'll likely arrive with small crossover-specific tweaks and other minor changes.
Check out more GLC spy pics:
Another thing that won't be radically different between the GLC and C-Class is the powertrain lineup. The crossover is expected to adopt the one offered in the saloon, which means there'll be a range of four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines with mild-hybrid tech. A nine-speed automatic gearbox will be standard. Expect plug-in hybrid options and the sportier AMG variants to arrive later, though we don't know when Mercedes will reveal the next-gen model. We expect it to occur by early 2022 at the latest, though we wouldn’t be shocked if we saw it before the end of the year.
Source: CarPix