Youtube channel Sam Car Legion put the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic and the new BMW X3 M50 xDrive head-to-head against a Jaguar F-Pace SVR. Although on paper the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic is more powerful than the new BMW X3 M50 xDrive, it clearly lost the showdown.
The Englishman has a saying: “No replacement for displacement.” Although Mercedes tries to explain in its press releases that this is not the case, the Englishman is right. So what do we have here?
It’s a race between the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic, equipped with a 421 PS 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder, the new BMW X3 M50 xDrive powered by a 3.0-liter 398 PS inline-6, and the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, which has a 510 PS 5.0-liter supercharged V8 with a mechanical supercharger under the hood. So on paper, Mercedes is more powerful than BMW but what happens in reality?
Electric turbo or the 48V mild hybrid system with integrated electric engine in the gearbox?
The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic and the BMW X3 M50 xDrive use different 48V mild hybrid powertrains.
The BMW X3 M50 xDrive has an 18 PS and 200 Nm electric motor integrated between the combustion engine and the 8-speed automatic transmission, which contributes to the propulsion. Thus, to the 381 PS of the thermal engine is added the 18 PS of the electric motor, resulting in a total of 398 PS.
In the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic, the 14 PS and 160 Nm electric motor is belt-driven and does not contribute to propulsion, but only helps to start the car from a standstill. The Mercedes has an electrically driven turbine instead. A motor just 4 cm thick driven by the 48V mild hybrid system is integrated on the turbine shaft, between the exhaust-driven compressor, which runs up to 175,000 rpm, and the turbine in the intake tract. The result should be a direct and linear response across the rev range. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 4Matic develops 421 PS in total, 23 PS more than the BMW.
It’s also worth noting that the Mercedes-AMG GLC GLC 43 4Matic weighs in at 1975 kg, 80 kg lighter than the BMW X3 M50 xDrive.
BMW is always faster
But let’s see what actually happened.
The first test was acceleration from 60 kph. The BMW got a lead immediately after acceleration started and kept it until the end, even though it was 80 kg heavier and had 23 PS less power.
In the second test, accelerating from 80 kph, Mercedes gets a slight lead but can’t hold it. The BMW catches up and both cross the finish line at the same time.
The third heat was a standing start race. Here, we expected the Mercedes’ electric turbine, which theoretically has no turbo lag as it’s powered electrically rather than by exhaust gases, to gain an advantage in the first few meters. But surprisingly, BMW got off to a better start and then increased its lead to win by a comfortable margin. The race was repeated and BMW won again but with a smaller lead.
In the figures, the results were as follows: 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds for BMW and 4.7 seconds for Mercedes, and the ¼ mile with a standing start 13.0 seconds for BMW and 13.2 seconds for Mercedes.
Next, the BMW was outdistanced by the Jaguar F-Pace SVR, which has 112 more PS. Although it has a much larger displacement engine, 5 liters instead of 3 liters, and an engine with a mechanical supercharger, the Jaguar won by only a very narrow margin.
It accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds compared to BMW’s 4.3 seconds and covered the ¼ mile standing start in 12.3 seconds compared to BMW’s 13.0 seconds.
And in the end, the British saying is truer than ever. There is no replacement for displacement.