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At 211 mph, the Brabus GLK V12 can't outrun ugly

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:58:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, Crossover, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz GLK V12 by Brabus - Click above for high-res image gallery

It ain't pretty, but it's fast. Actually, with a claimed 211 mph top speed, the Brabus Bi-Turbo V12 GLK is the fastest SUV in the world. Which is kinda like being the winner in a Twinkie-eating competition: It's an epic feat of embarrassing proportions.

To pull it off, the Brabus crew stuck with its tried and true formula of shoving entirely too much engine into a small package. Underneath the vented hood lies a Mercedes-sourced V12 that's been stroked from 5.5- to 6.3-liters. From there, the Bottrop boys fit a duo of turbos, two intercoolers, a couple high-flow cats and a stainless steel exhaust. The effect is typical Brabus: A staggering 740 horsepower and 995 pound-feet of torque, which is actually limited to 811 lb-ft (at 2,100 rpm) to avoid the gearbox, diff and rear tires from vaporizing in an oily, metallic haze. And naturally, the absurdity doesn't stop with the engine.

Twelve-piston front calipers clamp onto 15-inch discs, with six-piston calipers and 14.2-inch rotors in the rear, while a height adjustable coilover suspension with ten settings for bound and rebound join 22-inch wheels wrapped in a choice of Pirelli or Yokohama rubber. The exterior and interior have been restyled to match, and while Merc's diminutive 'ute isn't exactly a beauty queen to begin with, Brabus' blocky aftermarket brutalization lends itself well to the GLK's squat proportions.

But aesthetics aside, there's a bigger problem. Actually, there are 397,000 of 'em. That's how many euros you'll need for the GLK V12. For that kind of scratch ($580,000 using a straight conversion), there's a host of high-power exotica available. And when you consider the GLK's sprinting stats -- 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and 124 mph in 12.8 ticks -- the far less expensive BMW X5 M is easily on par and was actually designed from the onset to be an offensively quick grocery-getter. Then again, the M can't break the double-century mark at Nardo... something to consider during your trip to Costco. Press release below the fold.

Gallery: Mercedes-Benz GLK V12 by Brabus

Continue reading At 211 mph, the Brabus GLK V12 can't outrun ugly

At 211 mph, the Brabus GLK V12 can't outrun ugly originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SEMA 2008: Mercedes reveals its GLK delinquents LIVE

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, SEMA Show, Tuners, Crossover, Mercedes-Benz

Click above for high-res galleries of each SEMA-fied Merc GLK

Today is a historic event. No, not that one. The 2008 SEMA show is the first time Mercedes-Benz has participated in the aftermarket antics in Vegas and it's chosen the GLK to be the standard-bearer for its entry into the realm of U.S. tuning.

Four concepts graced the stage last evening ahead of their debut at the show, each attempting to highlight the GLK's strong points while taking sharp aim at the buyers Mercedes hopes to bring into the tri-point fold.

The first, and arguably most extreme of the four, is the Urban Whip from Boulevard Customs, which turns the cute 'ute into a true roadster by removing every pillar aft of the windshield (cut down by 5.5 inches) and fitting a biggie-sized grille, three-inch wider track and 15-inch Brembo brakes eclipsed by 26-inch custom wheels. In addition to adding a 5,700-watt stereo, Boulevard shaved the door handles to keep the GLK's lines clean and installed a remote-opening mechanism into the mirrors.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Urban Whip GLK from Boulevard Customs

Far more impressive and 10-times more menacing is the RENNTech Pikes Peak model that gets a "concept" turbo/hybrid V6 producing 375 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque to the wheels, massive brakes, a fully-caged interior, tons of race-ready equipment and a functional body kit and rear wing that's been virtually honed on a fluid dynamics system to produce downforce. According to RENNTech, it works... and we believe them.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: RENNTech Pikes Peak GLK Hybrid

Legendary Motor Cars (of SPEED Dream Car Garage fame) was tasked with creating a GLK that would take Xtreme (forgive us) sports addicts to the destinations they crave and allow them to test their predilection for suicide with a winch to drag them at 30 mph (!) up and over the Merc. In addition to side sills that extend out to provide grind rails, a ramp can be pulled out of the rear and a set of roof rails can be (theoretically) ground without fear of crashing through the sunroof (it's been swapped out with a plexiglass piece).

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Legendary Motor Cars Rock Crawler GLK

Finally, there's the Brabus GLK, which is the most subtle and easily most streetable of the four. A new fascia joins 21-inch wheels, redesigned fender flares and 500 sq-ft of brown leather that coats the entire interior, including the floors. In the tuner's own words, "It's black, fast and expensive. Everything a Brabus should be."

Gallery: SEMA 2008: BRABUS Widestar GLK

Check the galleries below for all the details, and we'd be remiss not to mention that the lovely ladies joining the GLKs are all wearing bathing suits pulled from Mercedes' sponsorship of Fashion Week.

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Brad Wood / Weblogs, Inc.

SEMA 2008: Mercedes reveals its GLK delinquents LIVE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BRABUS turns attention towards Mercedes-Benz GLK

John Neff — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:03:00 EST

Filed under: Tuners, SUV, Mercedes-Benz, Brabus

Click above for high-res gallery of the BRABUS GLK

BRABUS tunes all manner of Mercedes-Benzes, and even branches out by pumping performance into diminutive smart cars that have very little business going fast. Likewise, BRABUS also tunes Mercedes SUVs that usually have no business bragging about their performance, and there's a new Merc ute on the scene that has yet to get the German tuning firm's treatment... until now. BRABUS has just released details on its new Exclusive Program for the Mercedes-Benz GLK that allows owners to tune the new soft-roader to their heart's content. Whether you're driving a diesel-powered GLK or gas-powered variant, BRABUS has a host of engine mods to eke out more power and two new suspensions to firm up the ride. Likewise, there's a new front apron, roof attachment, rocker panels and rear apron, as well as an array of new wheels to choose from. There's also a catalogue's worth of interior accessories, and in all more ways to customize your GLK than we care to enumerate here. The gallery below shows a model decked out with all the goodies, and you can check out the official press release from BRABUS after the jump for more details.

Gallery: BRABUS Mercedes-Benz GLK Exclusive Program

[Source: BRABUS]

Continue reading BRABUS turns attention towards Mercedes-Benz GLK

BRABUS turns attention towards Mercedes-Benz GLK originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 14:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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