German tuning company Brabus has been quite the busy bees the past couple of months, haven’t they?
It was only a few months ago at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show that they introduced two new models to their line-up: the 2012 Brabus Rocket 800 and the 2011 Brabus High Performance 4WD Full Electric Concept Car. Then, they followed that up at the recently concluded Dubai Motor Show with the release of the 2012 Mercedes CL 800 Coupe by Brabus.
And now that the 2011 Essen Motor Show is knocking at the door, it appears that we’re going to get a couple more new programs courtesy of the noted Merceedes tuning company, including one for the Mercedes SLS AMG Roadster.
Official details behind the car have not yet been announced but the word out on the street is that it will be similar to the program given to the SLS AMG, particularly the prevalent use of carbon fiber, lightweight forged wheels, a new electronically adjustable suspension system, and of course, a performance boost that should take the output of the SLS AMG Roadster straight into the neighborhood of 700 horsepower.
The only indication we have of this new program comes courtesy of a pair of official images that have been revealed leading up to its debut at the 2011 Essen Motor Show. Check back with us soon because as soon as the car is revealed, we’ll be on top of it with all the official details.
Noted Mercedes tuner, Brabus, may be famous for all their high-powered tuning programs, but their penchant for power doesn’t necessarily mean they don’t have eco-friendly bones in their bodies.
Somewhat surprisingly, Brabus is tapping into their inner affinity towards the environment with the introduction of the new BRABUS Technology Project HYBRID. The vehicle hybrid program is based on the Mercedes E 220 CDI, but instead of its usual powertrain, this particular car has been fitted with four electric motors. There’s one motor on each wheel and each carries 50 kW (67 horsepower) apiece in Eco mode and up to 80 kW (107 horsepower) each in Sport Mode. The four electric motors are then joined by a 56 kWh lithium-ion battery that further increases the car’s total output to 320 kW (435 horsepower) and - prepare yourself - 2,360 lb/ft of torque. Whoa.
The numbers translate to performance figures that include a 0-62 mph sprint time of 6.9 seconds, an ECO-mode top speed of 118 mph and a Sport-mode top speed of 137 mph. As a hybrid, careful attention has to be paid on the car’s driving range and the BRABUS Technology Project HYBRID returns a very impressive 217 miles on the dot with the battery taking 90 minutes to recharge at a 380 V three phase grid and up to five hours through a normal 220 V AC outlet.
Mercedes tuner extraordinaire, Brabus, is bringing their latest Rocket program to the Frankfurt Motor Show through the Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class. Days ahead of the premiere, details of the tuned-up luxury sedan have finally been revealed, giving us an indication on what to expect for the whole program.
The Brabus Rocket 800 comes with both aesthetic and technical improvements. The former includes a new trim that features a new front fascia with massive air intakes, air outlets for the front fenders, a new rear fender and rear fascia, a diffuser wing, a rear wing, and a set of lightweight Brabus Monoblock F Platinum Edition cross-spoke wheels. Inside, the changes largely feature the usual goodies and luxury refinements that Brabus has come to be known for.
The Brabus Rocket 800 is considered one of the, if not the most powerful luxury sedan in the world. As such, great lengths are have been taken by Brabus to ensure that it lives up to the hype. For the 2012 model, the Mercedes CLS is expected to carry a newly tuned V12 engine that produces 800 horsepower and 811 lb/ft of torque mated to an AMG Speedshift MCT seven-speed sports transmission. Performance numbers result in a 0-62 mph sprint time of 3.7 seconds with a top speed of 230 mph.
With its lofty status as one of the fastest luxury sedans in the world, the Brabus Rocket 800 will cost you €429,000, excluding taxes. Base that on current USD exchange rates and you’ll need to shell out $582,000 for the privilege of owning this monster.
While everyone is still waiting for the new Mercedes SLK55 AMG, German tuner Brabus has decided to give a little flavor to the recently launched SLK-Class. Their target was to provide a good idea as to what the future AMG model will look like, so they included exterior and interior updates and a few engine tricks to spice things up.
For starters, Brabus added a new front spoiler lip, side skirts, rear apron with new diffusers, and a boot lid wing. This was followed by new tailpipes and the obligatory new set of wheels, offered in 18", 19", or 20". The wheels can be ordered in a Mono block VI double spoke Design, Mono block A six-spoke Design, Mono block S double spoke Design, Mono block E 9, F, and Q series. We can’t imagine the interior was a major focus for this tuning project as there are not many changes from the standard SLK and the AMG model. Just as well, the tuner added leather upholstery, aluminum trims in matte finish, aluminum pedals, steel door sills, and floor mats with the Brabus logo.
What the AMG model will have that the standard SLK does not is a boost in power. Since the point of this package was to make a pseudo-SLK AMG, Brabus is offering two engine upgrade levels. The first includes an ECO PowerXtra cgi B20 that provides a jump of 26 HP and the second is the PowerXtra cgi B20 S that adds 41 HP, which leaves the SLK with 328 HP and 343 HP, respectively.
Brabus is apparently not satisfied with preparing tuning packages with blow your socks off speed and have moved on to the world where briefcases and hand held devices are key to survival. No, we’re not talking about a Brabus-tuned iPad - although that would be fascinating -, but the iBusiness 2.0, a vehicle that is fully equipped with the new iPad 2.
We’ve seen Brabus do something very similar to this before when they introduced the "iBusiness" SV12 R with the first generation iPad, but their latest package has been upgraded to the new and improved tablet computer. The setup for this new model is exactly like the first version as the iPad is offered with a WiFi network and a Mini Mac. The ultra-small, yet powerful Mini Mac serves as the central computer and is hidden away in the S-Class trunk under the rear shelf in an electrically deployed drawer.
The iBusiness 2.0 package can be applied to any model in the S-Class line-up, but prices on the package have yet to be announced.
Hit the jump to read about the Brabus iBusiness 2.0.
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