With 1000hp, an exposed carbon fibre body, striking shooting brake styling and a £700k price tag, the Brabus Rocket GTS is about as ridiculous as limited run cars get.
What you’re looking at isn’t the lovechild of a weird Z3M couple. And while Brabus has almost certainly taken design cues from the originally-hated-but-now-adored Z3M Coupe, this right here is a complete custom built car presumably reserved for those with very deep pockets. At around £700k, the price tag is almost as staggering as the way this car looks. For me, this might well be car of the year. I’m sick to death of seeing boxed-up SUVs with less personality than a stone. Finally, someone has decided to shove two fingers up to convention and shown us what can be done presumably without budget constraints. I digress.
What is the Brabus Rocket GTS all about?
Sadly, Brabus hasn’t confirmed what the Rocket GTS is built from. Some have reported that it’s a modified Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, while others have claimed it’s the SL 63 S E Performance. One thing for sure is that it shares the engine (and electric motor) with both of those cars, which meant it already came with 804bhp. But now, Brabus has turned up the wick to the tune of 1000hp and, wait for it, 1,342lb ft of torque!! That’s a lorry-pulling amount of torque… Thankfully it retains four-wheel drive and the 9-speed Mercedes DCT to make getting the power down far easier.
The increase in power has mostly come about thanks to the use of two new turbochargers. To support those bigger turbos, forged pistons and special con rods ensure the factory pistons don’t end up through the engine block… As you’d expect, a Brabus sports-cat downpipe and valved exhaust system complete the hardware changes.
All that power means 0-62mph is over with in a claimed 2.6 seconds, and 0-124mph in 9.5 seconds, while it’ll go on to an electronically-limited 197mph.
Brabus Rocket GTS Shooting Brake design
In order to create the carbon fibre body, Brabus has used state-of-the-art CAD and CFD technologies as well as wind tunnel optimisation. Brabus says that its design reduces front axle lift at high speeds while also providing superb stability at over 186mph. The design also guides more air into the radiators and brakes to improve cooling. And if you were wondering, that new rear end now measures 198.5cm wide…
As you’d expect, the wheels Brabus has chosen for the Rocket GTS are suitably outrageous. Measuring 21 inches at the front and a whopping 22 inches at the rear, the Rocket GTS needs 275/35 tyres at the front and, wait for it, 335/25 at the rear! That won’t be cheap when it comes round to replacing those…
Inside, Brabus has gone about including its usual touches including new stitching on the seats, more carbon fibre and of course Rocket GTS badging. Customers can go to town on options here in order to create more personalisation.
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