Mercedes-Benz sketch previews compact GLC crossover

As Mercedes-Benz gears up to confuse luxury car buyers with a wholesale change of its crossover naming strategy, the company has previewed its upcoming compact GLC ahead of the vehicle’s full reveal at a press event later this week in Germany.

If you followed our coverage of the Shanghai auto show, you read about the GLC Coupe, which will share the GLC’s platform but wear slant-back styling like that of the BMW X4. As the sketch shows, the GLC will be a redesigned GLK-Class with a new name, a moniker conceived to better link this model with the C-Class, as both occupy similar positions in the brand’s crossover and sedan lineups, respectively.

Mechanically, we expect the GLC to get the turbocharged 3.0L V6 that has replaced a naturally-aspirated 3.5L in several other Benz models; apparently, there will eventually be an AMG-tuned variant too, something we never saw from the GLK. Benz promises a segment-exclusive air suspension, and an up to 19 percent improvement in fuel consumption, though the question remains whether that applies to any engine that will be offered in North America.

Mercedes officially pulls the wraps off the GLC on June 17; our editor Jacob Black will be there, so we’ll have proper images and more information about the GLC to report in a couple of days.