Brabus 6.1
04/01/2006
I’ll admit to being a bit leery the first time I sat in the passenger seat of the Brabus 6.1 UTV, or Urban Tactical Vehicle, especially after spying the row of red toggle switches tucked under the center armrest. This heavily modified 2002 S-Class sedan carries enough high-tech security and survival gear to have been customized by James Bond’s gadget master Q instead of the world’s über Mercedes-Benz tuner.My apprehension faded, however, once I was assured that none of the switches operated an ejector seat. Closer inspection revealed that the objects lurking in the bumpers were not machine guns, but laser detectors and a camera in the rear. Also visible just below the rear bumper are dispensers for the oil slick and smoke screen, should tailgaters have more sinister intentions than not being late to work. Who would neglect to equip their UTV with these two important active safety devices?
Which begs the bigger question: Why would anyone need a UTV in the first place? Is life in the new millennium so difficult that we have a practical need to outfit a car like a British secret agent’s Aston Martin DB5? The Brabus on these pages was a special commission, but now that he has driven the finished product, Brabus North America president Steven Beaty does not deny that a niche market exists for the UTV. “The UTV appeals to individuals who demand luxury transportation that not only includes comfort and enhanced performance, but also tactical features,” he says.
Those features include defensive, evasive, and what Beaty calls “preemptive danger subsystems for unexpected emergencies such as armed carjacking, high-speed chases, random violence, natural disasters, and surveillance.”
The UTV’s owner, a Russian-American venture capitalist who has occasion to interact with some of the world’s wealthiest and most powerful individuals, explains that his training in self-defense and law enforcement provided the inspiration for the car’s creation.
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The “6.1” badge on the trunk along with four tailpipes. (Click image
to enlarge) “I wanted to create a paradigm to fit my lifestyle,” says the man we will call “Yuri.” “I like Mercedes-Benz and the excellent brand image and execution that Bodo Buschmann has built at Brabus over the years. Building a Hummer like this is one thing, but I wanted high-quality luxury.”
Yuri says that the freeway shootings and police pursuits that dominate news coverage where he lives in Southern California did not motivate him to commission the UTV. Rather, it was his training under Alon Stivi, who, in addition to being a martial artist, is also an internationally renowned expert in security and counterterrorism techniques.
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Indicate the presence of a larger displacement Brabus engine. (Click
image to enlarge) Stivi, who was born in France, grew up in Israel, where he served in that country’s Special Forces. “But I was nuts then,” he says with a grin. He moved to the United States 20 years ago and founded a company called Direct Measures International, which provides security services and training to government officials, business leaders, and other high-profile individuals around the world. Among his clients–the only ones he will name–are Larry King, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Warren Beatty, and Warren Buffett. Stivi also trains law enforcement and military units, such as the Navy SEALs, in survival techniques and tactical threat control. Stivi coordinated the selection and installation of the security and survival systems for the UTV, while Brabus handled the performance, luxury, and appearance modifications.
To outrun trouble before it begins, the UTV had its original 302 hp V-8 replaced with a larger 6.1-liter V-8 from the Brabus catalog. The new engine produces 426 hp. It also has plenty of torque (458 ft lbs at 4,100 rpm) to easily haul the added weight of extra electronics gear, ballistic protection, survival systems, and a tank full of the oil slick in the trunk. The engine has been treated with NRG 24/7 advanced engine oil and fuel concentrate to protect against a sudden loss of engine oil or contamination of the fuel system.
To cope with the added power and weight, Brabus added sport suspension and high-performance brake packages. The UTV rides on Brabus-designed 18-inch modular wheels with run-flat tires measuring 245/45 in front and 275/40 at the rear.
Exterior changes include an aerodynamic body kit featuring a more aggressive front apron that incorporates quad high-intensity driving lights, side skirts, and a lower rear valance. Interior enhancements–aside from those special red switches–include a sport steering wheel, gearshift lever, aluminum pedal covers, illuminated stainless steel doorsill plates, and custom leather trim.
Safeguard Security & Sound installed the 500-watt Nakamichi sound system with a TV, DVD player, satellite radio, and the rear-view camera.
Now let us examine what sets the fast, responsive, well-equipped luxury UTV apart from the crowd–especially the bad element in that crowd.
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Red trim accents the interior. (Click image to enlarge)Up front, high-power halogen headlamps are paired with flashing emergency-style red, blue, and clear strobe lights. The taillights include flashing red strobes. The UTV can also operate in a lights-off stealth mode thanks to an infrared night-vision camera behind the front grille and a device that preempts traffic signals, similar to those used by fire trucks and other emergency vehicles.Thwarting attacks from the rear are the previously mentioned oil dispenser and a smoke-screen unit that creates a dense, acrid fog. Activating a high-intensity flashing light mounted behind the rear window can also blind pursuers. These touches are crude, but effective. It is the not-so-obvious accessories that illustrate Stivi’s expertise and defensive artistry. Rather than relying on heavy armor plating, the UTV is lined with lightweight Kevlar padding (as on military helicopters), which offers the same protection as steel at one-third the weight. Thick bulletproof glass is eschewed in favor of a shatterproof, blast-proof, semirigid protective coating that can withstand multiple rounds at close range from weapons ranging in caliber from .22 to .44 Magnum. Additionally, this covering does not hinder vision or the operation of the windows.
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Tactical systems are hidden away in the trunk. (Click image to
enlarge)Stivi says the UTV is “not just a tank.” He prefers the ability to drive undetected, thanks to a little black box that fits in a briefcase and shuts down “anything wireless” within 150 feet. This not only precludes eavesdropping devices but, more important, the detonation of explosive devices in or near the car. Assuming, of course, that these devices were not already detected by the electronic “bomb sniffer,” which also warns of the unauthorized opening of the doors, hood, or trunk during the owner’s absence.
Should the UTV come under siege, there is a 20-minute life-support air reservoir in the trunk. The glove box contains controls for a powerful public address system to issue warnings or emergency calls. A Cybertrack real-time vehicle locator pinpoints the vehicle’s position for assistance from law enforcement or emergency crews.
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Glovebox. (Click image to enlarge)The UTV looks, rides, and handles like a well-tuned luxury sedan. Indeed, Yuri uses his as a daily driver. While UTV buyers may not anticipate ever needing to use the added protection, they may enjoy–just like Yuri–the peace of mind of knowing it is available if needed.
Brabus can deliver a complete S-Class UTV for $325,000.
Brabus North America
949.797.0177
www.brabus-usa.com