SHADES OF GREY

THERE IS GOOD reason we find ourselves here. And I’m not talking about where I am standing, which is before a long drag strip and between two souped-up Germans with enough performance technology to dazzle your revhead uncle. I mean, how did we get to the point where $150K and the desire for a fast mediumsize SUV summons a long list of choices, all capable of frightening any muscled-up reardrive sedan? Or where the record for the fastest SUV Nurburgring lap is something you can even recall? It’s 7:42.2, by the way, for an Audi RS Q8.

Wind time back a couple of decades and the overlap between performance driving and SUVs stood separate as black and white. Buying habits have changed that. The SUV’s popularity has forced manufacturers to mix the historically exclusive concepts in chase of the status-seeking or speed-craving niche. And as this test is about to prove, the results are still fanning out in many shades of grey.

Within that spectrum are the newly updated Mercedes-AMG GLC63 S and Porsche Macan Turbo. Admittedly, we hoped a third contender would join them. BMW’s