The aftermarket world is both fascinating and mysterious. It’s fascinating for all the reasons that make tuning programs appealing to a lot of car owners. It’s also mysterious for all the reasons that we don’t know exactly what happens when a specific tuning program is developed. Well, if you want a peek behind the proverbial aftermarket curtains, this 50-minute documentary featuring German tuner Brabus is a must-watch. From 900-horsepower sedans to massive SUVs that turn into Autobahn bullets, Brabus has built and developed some of the most impressive tuning programs for Mercedes and Mercedes-AMG models. Through this documentary, we finally get the chance to see the magic behind the madness.

Who is Brabus?

Brabus is a German aftermarket company that specializes in building tuning programs for Mercedes-Benz models. We’ve featured a lot of the tuner’s works over the years, and the central theme behind each program is a comprehensive engine upgrade program that puts serious power under the hood of these Mercedes models.

The 2016 Mercedes-Benz GLE 63 S Coupe is a good example. On its own, the high-powered SUV comes with a 5.5-liter turbocharged V-8 engine that produces 577 horsepower and 561 pound-feet of torque.

In so many words, Brabus doesn’t mess around when it comes to building aftermarket programs for Mercedes and Mercedes-AMG models.

What does the documentary show us?

The Brabus documentary is 50 minutes long. That’s enough time to give us a never-before-seen look into the inner working of Brabus as a tuning company. A lot of what was shown in the documentary are things that we don’t usually think about when we’re talking about these programs once they’re out in the market.

We don’t see the amount of scrutiny each Mercedes model goes through before they’re subjected to the tuning upgrades. We don’t get to see the process behind each tuning build and the level of sophistication and attention-to-detail that goes into making sure that each program lives up to the standards of Brabus.

The documentary gives us a look at the side of Brabus that’s far removed from the glitzy and impressive products it rolls out. It’s a fascinating watch, especially if you’re a fan of the tuner, Mercedes, or the entire aftermarket subculture.

How important is compliance?

It’s very important, particularly in Europe where tuners like Brabus have to abide by government regulations before they can offer their tuning programs to customers. The documentary spends a good amount of time talking about these regulations particularly TUV, which stands for the Technical Inspection Association.

The government body holds a lot of influence on German tuners like Brabus, particularly when it comes to making sure that the products these tuners offer to customers meet government standards.

All of these pieces work side-by-side in the creation of these tuning programs that we all love. Brabus’ programs for Mercedes models are no exception, and when it comes to seeing first-hand what happens inside the company’s production facility, this documentary will give you everything you need to know, and then some.