Mercedes has revealed its new GLC Coupe SUV.

A year after making its debut in concept form in Shanghai, the production version appears largely unchanged, fusing the stylistic elements of a sporting coupe with Mercedes’ modern SUV design language.

“The GLC Coupé reflects our iconic Mercedes-Benz coupé design while symbolising the bipolarity of our brand – it is ‘hot and cool’,” said Gorden Wagener, Head of Design at Daimler AG. “With its design idiom of sensual purity, it perfectly embodies our styling philosophy while at the same time representing contemporary luxury.”

Standard sports suspension is combined with sports steering, permanent all-wheel drive and a nine-speed automatic transmission for a blend of ‘superior’ ride comfort and ‘decidedly sporty’ agility, says Mercedes. 

Two suspension variants with continuously adjustable damping are optionally available: the new DYNAMIC BODY CONTROL with steel springing as well as the already familiar AIR BODY CONTROL multi-chamber air suspension – both promising further enhanced driving dynamics and comfort.

Measuring 4.73 metres in length, 1.60 metres in height and with a wheelbase of 2.87 metres, the GLC Coupe is almost eight centimetres longer and some four centimetres lower than the ‘regular’ GLC, with which it shares its basic architecture.

The GLC Coupe is distinguished by a single-louvred diamond radiator grille and a restyled, sloping roofline. The A-pillar is less steeply raked, while the continuation of the roof outline is lower, flowing to a muscular rear end. The rear window dispenses with a wiper, as the airflow does not break away until after the spoiler lip, which, according to Mercedes, means that water is unable to strike the rear window.

The new GLC Coupe is available in a total of eight model variants, with four diesel and four petrol engines, including a plug-in hybrid as well as a powerful Mercedes-AMG model.

The entry-level models are the four-cylinder diesel-engined 220 d and 250 d 4MATIC Coupe with outputs ranging from 170hp to 204hp as well as the four-cylinder petrol-engined 250 4MATIC Coupe rated at 211hp.

Mercedes also offers a plug-in hybrid (350 e 4MATIC Coupe) that combines agile all-wheel drive with low fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. With a total system output of 320hp, it delivers a top speed of 146mph with acceleration from rest to 62mph in 5.9 seconds, courtesy of a boost function.

CO2 emissions are between 59‑64g/km in normal use but it can cover as much as 18.6 miles in zero-emission all-electric mode.

The range-topping Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4MATIC Coupe, powered by a 367hp V6 biturbo engine, can cover the 0 to 62mph sprint in less than 5 seconds.

Market launch will be in the autumn with these engine line-ups. Further models will follow at the end of 2016.