Driver's Notebook: Brabus Unleashed
02/01/2007
In Newport Beach, Calif., where locals typically use red Ferraris and silver Porsche Turbos for daily commutes and grocery runs, a black Brabus K8 stands out like a rabid canine. A dramatic reworking of the Mercedes-Benz CLS55, the K8’s bark—numerous exterior modifications such as smoked taillights, tinted glass, and a lowered front valance—also packs a powerful bite, and the supercharged AMG engine growls with authority.; function voidFunc() { } voidFunc();)
During our test-drive on the Pacific Coast
Highway, a local authority pulled alongside us at a stoplight. While scrutiny
from law enforcement is almost never a good thing, this police officer merely
wanted to issue a compliment, not a citation. “That car is incredible,” he said.
“I haven’t seen anything like it.” (Click image to enlarge)While the Brabus K8 strikes a mean profile, the restyling of the car’s panels is not purely cosmetic. Nearly every element of the body’s modifications has an aerodynamic purpose that increases speed, true to the vision of Bodo Buschmann, the company’s founder and CEO. The son of a Mercedes-Benz dealer, Buschmann grew up with an intimate knowledge of the luxury marque. And in 1977 he decided that—good though it was—a Mercedes-Benz could always be better. The German tuner established his reputation with aggressive performance enhancements for already-accomplished factory cars, and the Brabus K8 continues the envelope-pushing tradition.
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The Brabus K8 raises the peak torque to 572 ft lbs at 3,000 rpm,
acquainting the road with its Michelin Pilot Sport 2 tires on every
takeoff. (Click image to enlarge)“The K8 is one of my favorite cars,” says Claus Ettensberger, president of the aftermarket powerhouse Claus Ettensberger Corp. (CEC) and principal partner of the newly formed Brabus USA. “The car has style, class, and a mean engine. In fact, I drive this car every day.”
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Central to the K8’s street-legal
transformation, Brabus massages an additional 74 hp from the 5.5-liter V-8, for
a total of 550 hp available at 6,400 rpm. “We designed many of the external
features specifically for the engine performance,” says Peter Moeller, chief
mechanic at Brabus USA. “We even included the ‘Rocket’ front
bumper—originally designed for the CLS V-12—which gives more airflow to the K8
engine.” Throttle response is incredible; stomping on the accelerator elicits a
snarl from the quad-pipe Brabus sport exhaust system as the K8 strikes 60 mph in
4.1 seconds. Power flows unabated until the car reaches nearly 200 mph. “If you
drive this car on the streets, every Porsche and Corvette will be behind you on
the right-hand side wondering what just passed them,” he says, adding, “and the
Ferraris will be jealous of how good your engine sounds.” (Click image to enlarge)Brabus accommodates the K8’s additional capabilities with 20-inch wheels and a suspension that rests more than an inch lower than its stock counterpart, which lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity, allowing the car to stick to the ground far better than the stock Benz. Newly calibrated springs and custom sport sway bars further enhance handling, and firmer damper settings improve road feel. Brabus also beefs up the CLS55’s AMG-developed brakes with its own high-performance braking system. Speeding along winding canyon roads, the K8’s handling prowess is Porsche-esque.
Interior features continue the personalized theme with upholstery selections such as Brabus Mastik leather and Alcantara, and a variety of wood trim options. A de rigueur electronics package includes a DVD player and game console, both linked to LCD monitors. And though the Brabus K8’s cabin maintains a reasonably low profile in daytime driving, its flashier potential becomes more pronounced at night. Integrated LED courtesy lights showcase the interior during arrivals and departures at valet stands, and the Brabus name shimmers blue in the sill of the front doors. These lights can be easily switched off should you wish to be more discreet about your comings and goings.It is possible to go too far with aftermarket accessories, and Brabus knows when to leave well enough alone. This is a Mercedes-Benz, after all, and the silver star can still be found at the center of a K8’s steering wheel. And so the same seats found in the CLS55—examples of Mercedes-Benz’s AMG-developed dynamic seating—expand and compress for full support while cornering, and remain an important feature of the K8 experience.
There are two ways to get your own K8: The tuner can give the Brabus touch to a CLS55 you already own, or you can order a brand-new Brabus straight from the Bottrop factory with your exact specifications. The price of a K8, which comes with a Brabus-backed warranty of three years or 100,000 kilometers, depends on the extent of modification, but Ettensberger’s personal car added $35,000 to the 2006 CLS55 sticker price of $86,600.
Brabus USA
949.797.0177
www.brabus-usa.com