When Mercedes-Benz debuted the fifth-generation W206 C-Class sedan in 2021, we knew the second-generation GLC compact crossover would not be far behind. The 2023 GLC is now one step closing to gracing the dealership showroom as Mercedes-Benz recently conducted its final winter testing of the vehicle in Arjeplog, Sweden.

The GLC pre-production prototype (pictured here) has driven over 11 million miles in four years of development work across the globe, including locations in Dubai, China, Finland, Italy, and the United States.

Dancing Over Snow

The icy and snowy region of the Swedish Lapland has a quadruple growth in population every year from January to April, and it has nothing to do with birth rates. Arjeplog has more lakes and wildlife (particularly moose and reindeer) than people and is the perfect nesting spot for testing vehicles from the world’s top auto brands. The vast, frozen lakes combined with gusty winds and temperatures below negative 30 degrees allow automakers to validate the reliability of any new vehicle in the most extreme weather conditions.
For Mercedes-Benz, torture-testing the new GLC is part of the automaker’s “last maturity level check.” The testing cycle includes perilous hill climbs of up to 20 percent gradient and driving through a series of custom-made test tracks and skid pads to assess traction and grip over loose or slippery terrain.

Mercedes has sold more than 2.5 million variants of the GLC (and its ...