This year’s Brabus Signature Night showcased some of the German tuning house’s latest projects, including a new addition to the ‘Rocket’ lineage.
Product showcase events are all the rage for premium brands these days. We’ve all seen the tech conferences where men in polar necks laud a new gizmo in front of a sea of adoring fans, and car companies seemingly want a slice of that spotlight too.
Admittedly, the Brabus Signature Night is more akin to a trendy fashion show than an Apple keynote event (in fact, on multiple occasions, they literally just sent out some models wearing Brabus clothing), with new modified cars being paraded down the center of onlooking fans and potential clients.
So, amidst all the Euro dance music and intense strobe lighting, what did Constantin Buschmann and his Brabus engineers put out on display this year? Here are some of the highlights…
Brabus 750 Bodo Buschmann Edition
As it turns out, three-spoke rims work surprisingly well on the current-gen Mercedes-Benz SL. Known for their extreme takes on Stuttgart’s performance cars, it was only a matter of time before Brabus turned its attention to the SL roadster, and we must say, aesthetically they’ve done a great job.
The 750 Bodo Buschmann Edition – named in honor of the company’s founder, and father of its current CEO – offers subtle visual cues to the fact that it’s no regular SL, without going overboard. And, while technical details are scarce at the time of writing, if Brabus’ model naming structure is anything to go by, the 4.0-liter biturbo V8 under its hood should be tuned up to 750hp. Also known as, ‘plenty’.
Brabus Crawler
There’s only so many ways you can re-invent the G-Wagon wheel, right? This boxy SUV has been the darling of the world’s urban elite for about a decade now, and as such, we’ve seen countless re-imaginations of it over the years. Even Brabus themselves have churned out multiple different versions of the utilitarian Merc, such as the utterly mental P 900 Rocket Edition.
However, the Brabus Crawler is a genuinely refreshing take on the G-Wagon recipe. Essentially, it transforms the Chelsea tractor into a wild 900hp dune buggy, even sans doors! Production is incredibly limited (we’re talking less than 20), but if you are rich enough and lucky enough to get your hands on one, we can only imagine how much fun you’ll have behind the wheel of it. Provided you’ve got access to a big slab of private off-road land, that is…
Brabus Rocket 900 R
Understandably, Brabus has kept its Porsche tuning efforts to a minimum throughout much of its history. After all, it’s hard to improve upon the 911 – a car which, year after year, is held up by those in the know as the benchmark for all mass-produced sports cars. If you’re going to put the effort into altering one, you better go big.
In Brabus terms, going big means one thing – adding the word ‘Rocket’ to a car’s nameplate. The Rocket badge is reserved for only the most extreme performance vehicles to leave the Brabus workshop; the sort that are given aggressive body kits, bespoke interiors, and top speeds of at least 200mph.
Again, details are limited so far, but you don’t need us to tell you that a 900hp 992-gen Porsche is going to feel a bit lively.
Brabus XLP 900/800 6×6
It wouldn’t be a modern Brabus showcase without multiple G-Class SUVs on parade, and the latest XLP 6×6 variant was another flagship that they were keen to show off.
Offered in either 800hp or 900hp trim, the XLP is an oligarch’s dream, combining supercar levels of power with Hummer-esque brawn, all wrapped up in a very European – but still very flash – aesthetic. Oh, and did we mention it’s got six wheels? No overcompensation here, at all.
Beyond these standouts, there was plenty more on show during the night. So, if you want to watch the full catwalk for yourself, check out the video here.
