Autoblog

Click the image above for more hi-res shots of the Brabus Black Arrow in matte and siblings

We had Brabus for breakfast here in Geneva, and it is hereby declared the Breakfast of (Obscenely Wealthy) Champions. The Bullitt Black Sheep Arrow in matte -- what else -- black, sat brooding near its pure white and red siblings, the Brabus SLR Roadster and matching Ultimate 112. And is there really any better way to start the day than with a combined €1,083,000 bowl of 1,482-HP goodness? We didn't think so. Beats a double espresso. Check out the full gallery of live shots below.

Click the image above for a gallery of high-res pics.

Of all the products in Mercedes' stable that could benefit from a thorough tweaking, the McLaren SLR isn't one of them. But Brabus has built its name on taking things to the illogical extreme, and its modification of the new SLR Roadster is no different.

Equipped with a new set of cams, exhaust and a system to cool the fuel, the blown V8 now produces an additional 23 HP that's sent through the stock transmission and down to a clutch-type LSD. 0-to-60 times drop down to 3.6 seconds and the top speed has been increased to 209 mph.

A new carbon fiber front spoiler and rear diffuser, tuned by Brabus in the wind tunnel, reduces lift at speed, while the factory rolling stock has been ditched in favor of 9.5x20-inch wheels in front and 11.5x20-inch hoops in the rear. Inside, the Teutonic tuners offer well-to-do buyers nearly unlimited upholstery designs, along with a flat-bottom steering wheel with integrated paddles to swap cogs on the McMerc's automatic gearbox.

The full rundown on Brabus' tweaks can be viewed in the press release after the jump, and naturally, there's a corresponding gallery below.

Click on the images to view in high-speed and high-resolution

Remember the Maybach Exelero? The ultra-premium marque from Merceceds-Benz built it almost two years ago as a high-speed test vehicle based on its Maybach 57 luxury sedan, but unfortunately never offered production versions to the public. To the rescue comes Brabus, those whacky German tuners who give the go-fast treatment to everything produced by the three-pointed star, from the Smart ForTwo all the way up to this 730-hp limousine.

Like the Exelero, Brabus' monster is based on the Maybach 57 and was built in order to achieve the highest speeds attainable. To get there, Brabus tuned the Maybach's twin-turbo V12 to the same standard as the CLS-based Brabus Rocket speed record car: that means boosting power from 550 hp to 730, thanks to an increase in displacement from 5.5 liters to 6.3, coupled with a new crankshaft, pistons, cylinder heads... the works. The turbos were beefed up, and along with the intercoolers, a custom exhaust was installed and the ECU was reprogrammed.

The result is a top speed of 330.2 km/h (205.2 mph in American speak) achieved at the same Nardo test track in Italy where the Exelero was put through its places. A far cry from the 218.4 mph achieved by the Exelero, but not to shabby in its own right. And here you thought the S versions of the Maybach 57 and 62 were obscene enough....

Check out the images in the gallery below, and the press release after the jump.

[Source: Brabus]

We're back with Autoblog Podcast #77, and it's a Frankfurt-recap extravaganza. We discuss our favorite picks, as well as touching on some of the numerous highlights from the monster-sized show. We got a glimpse of the Jaguar XF in person, and it's better in person, but can it save Jaguar? BMW unveiled the X6, it's own AMC Spirit ripoff, not to be left behind by the Audi Cross Coupe Quattro from Shanghai. We continue on about exotic sheetmetal from Brabus, Schnitzer, Bentley, and Aston Martin, to name a few. On the more mundane tip, the Mazda 6 rocked, the Aveo was ugly, the Journey landed on its face, and could we please, please knock it off with the front quarter panel vents? After Alex's speed-round wrapup, we discuss a solitary piece of non-Frankfurt news, the Jeep J8. Yes, it's awesome, no, you can't buy one. Damn, that's stupid, Chrysler. Onward!

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Click the image above for a gallery of live and press shots of the BRABUS Ultimate 112.

Sure it's €45,900, but what better commuter companion could you have if you want to keep your BRABUS Bullit within the safe confines of your garage? BRABUS smart fortwo cabrio-based Ultimate 112 lives up to its lofty moniker with 112 metric horses (110 HP) sending power to 18-inch rollers, controlled by the standard flappy paddle gearbox. Upping the available grip of the tangerine city schlepper are a set of BRABUS coilovers, with 235/35 R 18 high-performance tires out back and 205s keeping things sticky in front.

All the details can be found in our previous post, and be sure to check out our live images in the gallery below.

Click the pic above for more high-res shots of the BRABUS Bullit.

The term "sleeper" isn't quite accurate when referring to the BRABUS Bullit. It has presence, with an air of understated brutality. The aero mods speak volumes about its predilection for sinister speed, and the V12 emblems flanking the sides only tell half the story. Housed within the engine bay is BRABUS' own SV12 Biturbo mill, producing 720 HP and an electronically governed 811 lb.-ft. of torque (974 lb.-ft. of twist would be available if it wouldn't tear apart the rear diff and liquify the tires). On your way up to the 224 MPH top speed, you'll pass 62 MPH in just under four seconds, and if you want all the details, you can read through our initial post here and check out our high-res pics in the gallery below.

Click image for high-res gallery

On tap for introduction in Frankfurt is the BRABUS ULTIMATE 112, based on the open-air smart fortwo. Sporting 112 metric horsepower (PS) from the turbo-3 underhood, and limited to 112 units total, you don't exactly need a detective's shield to figure out where the car's naming scheme comes from. All 112 rides are finished in the metallic/pearlescent orange you see above and are trimmed out in full-dress BRABUS Widestar bodywork and the always good-looking Monoblock VI wheels. Inside, orange trim adorns the seats and instrument panel. Want one? Well, you need to live in Europe. Assuming you've got that covered, simply fork over €45,900 (!) and you're in. Exactly what you're in after dropping 45K Euros on a smart is a separate discussion. A mental institution, perhaps?

[Source: BRABUS]

Click image for hi-res gallery

The STARTECH Starster is a Dodge Avenger-based concept prepared by BRABUS' Chrysler-tuning division for the Frankfurt Motor Show. In some respects, STARTECH's herculean effort succeeds. In others, not so much. We like the shaved door handles, as the convergence of shapes and curves at he rear door now looks muscular instead of simply cluttered. The big black wheels in the flared fenders are pretty mean-looking, too. On the flip side, the LED crosshairs in the Mustang-looking headlights are just weird, and that replacement front grille looks pretty lame, particularly the blacked-out elements in the middle. That taillamp/trim insert across the rear? More "cheesy aftermarket" than "respected tuner" if you ask us. Lastly, the whole orange-trim thing is just about played out. The tuner segment needs to fall in love with a new color.

The functional hood scoop (how novel!) feeds a 335-horsepower 2.4L turbo connected to a 5-speed manual. The 0-62 sprint takes 5.6 seconds, and this Avenger keeps going all the way up to 165 mph. The ultra-garish, full-leather interior (complete with quilted floormats) is an assault on the senses (and one's taste), yet it's still an improvement over the horribly bland, overly plastic stock interior. We can't wait to hear what Autoblog's Frankfurt posse thinks of this one when they see it in person.

Until then, you can read STARTECH's full press release after the jump.

[Source: STARTECH]

Click image for high-res gallery

Last month, BRABUS teased everyone with a photo of a covered vehicle they said would be the ultimate "wolf in sheep's clothing." Today, they officially announced what that vehicle is. Say hello to the BRABUS Bullit, a Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan that is the beneficiary of the utterly monstrous BRABUS SV12 S Biturbo engine transplant. Put plainly, that makes this rather understated-looking (for BRABUS, at least) sedan one of the fastest cars in the world, period.

Power from the twin-turbocharged V12 is a staggering 720 horses and an even more mind-numbing 974 lb-ft of torque. For the sake of tractability, BRABUS electronically limits the peak available torque at "only" 811 lb-ft. Still, you'd better have a substantial tire budget set aside, as you'll (literally) be burning through it very quickly. A heavily-modified 5-speed automatic with a BRABUS locking rear differential sends power rearward. Two different final drive ratios are offered, as well -- 2.65:1 or 2.24:1. Naturally, the exhaust, suspension and brakes are all modified as well.

Performance numbers are blistering: 0-62 in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 224 mph. If have €348,000 handy (and you live in Europe), you can consider yourself to be in the market for one. For complete details and specs on the Bullit, just follow the jump.

[Source: BRABUS]

For would-be criminals, the police supercar is a bit of a paradox. Unless you have some serious get-away hardware, there is no freaking chance that you're going to outrun, say, a Lamborghini Gallardo "fuzz edition." On the Yang side, an officer would have to have some serious fortitude to cut you off or bump or your back end, and it's not likley he or she will haul you off to the slammer in a two-seater.

The folks over at Deputy Dog have compiled a list of their nine favorite emergency service vehicles, and we think they've done a bang up job. The Italians and Germans dominate this list, and with good reason. The two countries stamp some of the hottest metal on the world market, and it only makes sense that their police departments have a shot in hell of catching suspects with like power. One of our favorite models is the Porsche Cayenne ambulance. If you required emergency medical attention, wouldn't you want to get to the hospital as fast as possible. Check out the entire list of top emergency service vehicles by clicking the Read link. Just one question though, why the Top 9 instead of 10?

Thanks for the tip, deputydog!

[Source: deputydog]