Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class 2016 News

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced its latest round of safety recalls, with models from Subaru, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota and Ford affected.

The top end of town has snubbed next week's Paris motor show but the biggest auto event on the European calendar will have plenty of new sheet metal.

The new Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe range will start at $77,100 when it arrives in Australia in November.

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Now for a small sporty coupe-like SUV from Mercedes-Benz.

Here's a recap of the year's stars, with impressive arrivals and value added to staples.

Even below six figures, there are styling and performance high-flyers.

Mercedes has announced prices for its upcoming GLC SUV ahead of its Australian arrival in December 2015.

The GLC, a good-looking competitor for the strong-selling Audi Q5 and BMW X3, was unveiled in Stuttgart last week. It goes on sale in Europe from September but won't be here until December at the earliest.In Europe and elsewhere, the GLC will replace an existing model. The GLK, introduced in 2008, became Benz's best-selling SUV worldwide. But the company designed it only for left-hand drive. This, officials admit, was a bad blunder.The new SUV's name makes clear its close relationship to the fine C-Class sedan and wagon.Initially, the GLC will be four-cylinder only and Australia will get 2.1-litre turbodiesels (125kW and 150kW) and a 2.0-litre turbo (155kW), teamed with a Mercedes-made nine-speed auto and 4Matic all-wheel-drive.It's expected to outsell its obvious German rivalsThe technology and performance top-liner is unlikely to make it to Australia. The GLC 350 e is a plug-in hybrid, with an electric-only driving range of 34km and an 85kW electric motor to work with the 2.0 turbo.Combined power output of 235kW can push the SUV from rest to 100km/h in just 5.9 secs, yet the vehicle also has a scooter-like thirst: 2.6L/100km.Mercedes-Benz Australia will almost certainly wait for the even faster and much thirstier GLC 450 AMG, powered by a 3.0-litre V6 turbo (270kW), to top its range. Already used in other models, this smooth, strong performance engine will have strong appeal in Australia.With its elegant exterior and broad engine choices, it's expected to outsell its obvious German rivals. Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman Jerry Stamoulis says the GLCs will be priced accordingly.There will be a less useful version of the GLC in 2016. It will be a production version of a concept recently shown in China. "There will also be two variants," says Benz SUV boss Wolf-Dieter Kurz, the first being the wagon-like version in a couple of months. "In 2016 it will be followed by the extra sporty Coupe, which we showed as a study at the Shanghai motor show." The GLC Coupe is likely to go on sale in Australia later that year.