No matter how fast and well-rounded a car is, there will always be those who want to make it faster and… uh… rounder. Take the 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT for instance — by all accounts an outstanding sports car->ke506 with a powerful and sonorous V-8 under its long hood and spot-on looks. It’s a car just about any of us would love to have in our driveways, and Mercedes-AMG->ke8 have spent hundreds or millions of dollars and invested countless man hours to make sure that’s the case. So, you sort of have to give the side-eye glance to tuning outfits claiming they can improve upon the product of a multi-billion-dollar multi-national corporation.

But Brabus->ke368 has been at this for nearly 40 years now. Just like Mercedes-Benz’s->ke187 own in-house tuning arm AMG once was, Brabus is an independent tuning company that’s become known for turning out some ridiculously powerful Mercs with sinister characters fit for a Jason Bourne antagonist. How ridiculous? The 720-horsepower CLS-based 2012 Brabus Rocket still holds the title as the world’s fastest street-legal sedan->ke142 at 227 mph.

Now Brabus has turned its attention to the new Mercedes-AMG GT S, and while it’s not quite as off the wall as the Rocket, it does look like a pretty complete package. The Brabus AMG GT S boasts several performance enhancements over the stock GT, including a significant boost in power, and a few visual and aerodynamic updates that add a bit of aggression without coming off as too over the top. Let’s take a closer look.

Updated 09/29/2015: We've added a gallery of original photos from the Frankfurt Motor Show. Enjoy!

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes-AMG GT S By Brabus.

2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S By Brabus

Specifications

• Make: Array
• Model: 2016 Mercedes-AMG GT S By Brabus
• Horsepower: 591
• Torque: 553
• [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array

Pros

Cons

Exterior

It’s rare, but it’s always nice when body kits are functional, and that certainly seems to be the case with the Brabus AMG GT S.

The additional bodywork has been sculpted from carbon fiber using a wind tunnel, which Brabus says has optimized aerodynamics. As shown here, the components are finished with a gloss clear-coat, but Brabus also offers them with a matte finish or in matching or contrasting body colors.

Around the front, Brabus says the new lip spoiler reduces lift at the front axle, and the air intakes on either side of the front fascia get carbon fiber inserts with integrated LED strips.

The front fenders get new carbon-fiber air outlets that extent to the door seams and include illuminated blue Brabus logos. The new side skirts accentuate the car’s lowered stance and help manage air flow around the sides. The rear gets a small wing and new lower bodywork that houses the quad exhaust and a diffuser.

It all sits on ultra-light, forged Brabus wheels (20 inches at the front and 21 at the rear) and a suspension system that lowers the car by about half an inch. The wheels are available in mirror finish (seen here) or brushed titanium finish. Brabus says all the modifications add up to improved handling at low speeds and better stability at high speeds.

Interior

When entering the interior, drivers are greeted with illuminated Brabus-branded carbon-fiber door sills, which can be switched between red and white (real Pep Boys stuff if you ask me). The pedals can be switched out for matte-anodized or chrome plated items and the wheel-mounted paddle shifters have been reshaped in aluminum for improved ergonomics. The car shown here has an otherwise standard interior, but the Brabus upholstery shop offers a nearly limitless range of leather and color combinations to suit owner preferences. Custom carbon-fiber and wood surface inlays are also offered.

Drivetrain

Thanks to a new engine management system that remaps injection and ignition and bumps up boost pressure, the twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 now produces a nice round 600 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 553 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm, which are 97-horsepower and 74-pound-feet improvements over the stock AMG GT S. Brabus claims a 0-60 time of 3.6 seconds and a top speed of 201 mph — 0.1 second quicker to 60 mph and 8 mph faster at the top end.

The Brabus titanium exhaust system adds both bark and bite and weighs 40 percent less than the stock exhaust system. The system also features a cockpit-controlled butterfly valve that takes the stock GT’s exhaust management to a new level. Its even louder than the standard exhaust in its default setting, but can be switched to what Brabus calls a “coming home” mode to make it quieter than the standard car. Other than that, the rest of the AMG GT’s drivetrain is carried over, including the seven-speed dual-clutch transaxle and optional carbon-ceramic brakes.

Prices

Brabus hasn’t announced pricing, but we wouldn’t expect much change back from a donor AMG GT S and about $50,000.

Competition

2016 Porsche 911 Turbo

We don’t have many solid details on the newly face-lifted 2016 Porsche 911 Turbo yet, but if past examples are anything to go by, then it should be extremely fast and very competent. We’re expecting it to receive updated looks, with new lights and a slightly more aggressive front fascia.

Even though just about every 911->ke282 model (baring the GT3->ke617) will be turbocharged moving forward, the 911 Turbo->ke571 will still be at the top of the heap in terms of power and pace. The base 911 Turbo should get a power bump from its current 520 horsepower, while the Turbo S could have a figure approaching 600 horsepower. Power will still be sent to all four wheels, which should make for neck-snapping acceleration.

You can read our speculative review here.

2016 McLaren 570S Coupe

The 570S->ke4924 Coupe represents McLaren’s->ke284 first foray into the sub-$200,000 sports car territory currently occupied by the Mercedes-AMG GT and Porsche 911 Turbo. With a detuned version McLaren’s twin-turbo 3.8-liter V-8 mounted behind the seats, the 570S sends 562 horsepower to the rear wheels, which translates to a 0-60 time of 3.2 seconds.

With a curb weight of just 2,895 pounds, it’s also by far the lightest car in this segment, which should make it extraordinary agile. Variants including a drop-top Spider and a unique grand touring model with panoramic glass roof are also rumored to be on the way.

You can read our full review here.

Conclusion

I like what Brabus has done here, but car customization by its very nature is a very personal thing, and when I ask myself if I would take a Brabus AMG GT S over a standard AMG GT S, the answer would have to be no. Personally, I prefer the cleaner, less cluttered looks of the stock GT S. The extra power would be nice, but if Mercedes-AMG thinks 503 horsepower is enough, then it’s enough for me as well. Plus, Mercedes-AMG has said there are faster in-house GT variants on the way, so I'd be content to just wait. But, as long as there are customers who want to go faster today, then there will always be a place for companies like Brabus.