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The Mercedes-Benz GLC luxury SUV is the best selling car or SUV ever for Mercedes-Benz, so a lot is riding on the next generation GLC. The new 2023 GLC will be released on June 1 in a digital world premiere. We don’t know a lot about the new GLC, but we know it will have to be good to continue its sales success.

It will face stiff competition for Audi, BMW and Porsche, who are all eager to steal some buyers from Benz dealers.

What we know about the next generation GLC

Mercedes-Benz is teasing the next generation GLC with one new image.
A teaser image of the 2023 GLC | Mercedes Benz

Mercedes has confirmed that the next generation GLC will offer a plug-in hybrid version, with an electric range of more than 100 kilometers, or 62 miles. It will feature the MBUX infotainment system, and the company’s 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system. The GLC has always been a mild off-roader, and the company says the new one will be, too.

The company says it will have “variable space,” which presumably means that it will have sliding seats. Other Mercedes SUVs offer the slick sliding seat option.

The 2022 Mercedes GLC will be a tough act to follow

A gray 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class is on display.
A gray 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLC Class is on display | Sjoerd van der Wal via Getty Images

The 2022 GLC300 is known as one of the most luxurious small SUVs that offers a leather interior, all-wheel-drive, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and it earned a five-star crash rating from the NHTSA. It may only have 255 hp, but it can still get to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds. It starts at $43,850.

It will have some stiff competition

The 2022 BMW X3 M40i could be the right luxury SUV for you.
2022 BMW X3 M40i | BMW

The competition from other German brands will be stiff. But it will face the 2022 Audi Q5, which is less expensive, but offers a similar experience. It will also compete with the BMW X3, which is a bit sportier than the GLC, but has similar power and speed. The Porsche Macan may be the bogey for GLC. It’s a rocket, especially in the GTS  version that packs 434 horsepower.

Will Lewis Hamilton show up in the new ad campaign?

Professional racing driver Lewis Hamilton celebrates a Formula 1 victory with champagne on the podium
Could F1 star Lewis Hamilton show up in the GLC premiere? | Mario Renzi via Getty Images

The world premiere will be fully digital and will have a different take on the vehicle release. Instead of simply driving a car onto a stage and then having a company executive talk about it, Benz promises something different. The premiere will instead be a humorous look at the behind-the-scenes production of the release. Mercedes promises a confused director, an overzealous team and a “smart Formula 1 driver.” Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton races for Mercedes and is one of the biggest stars in the automotive world.

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Writer - Sedans & Coupes

Dan Mayfield

Dan joined MotorBiscuit in 2022 with over 20 years of experience in journalism and a lifelong passion for anything related to the automotive industry. He grew up wrenching a 1949 Ford pickup truck and an MGB with his dad, learning how not to wire a fuel pump (he inadvertently set the MGB on fire).

After earning a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism from the University of New Mexico, Dan has contributed his expertise to a range of local outlets, including the City of Albuquerque, US Eagle, and the Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity.

On weekends, Dan spends Saturdays enjoying “cars and coffee” chats and, on Sundays, he’s watching the Route 66 Cruise roll through town. He also races motorcycles, and it’s not unusual to find him elbows-deep in his latest cafe racer build.

Taking advantage of the local desert terrain, Dan also enjoys exploring and driving off-road in his trusty Ram Rebel pickup truck, which provides personal insights into his contributions to our Trucks, SUVs, & Crossovers coverage. Dan strives to give our readers unique information about the dynamic automotive market, reading anything that has to do with cars, trucks, bikes, 4X4s, and, in his words, “everything with a motor.”

Dan has earned a number of accolades from the Public Relations Society of America, and is a University of Southern California, Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism Fellow.