FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: Brabus creates G-Class supercar

There are only a very limited number of people who consider turning almost 2.7 tonnes of square-faced Mercedes-Benz SUV into a sports car.

Brabus and its buyers are among that number, for better or for worse, hence the arrival of the Brabus G V12 900 ‘One of Ten’ at today’s Frankfurt motor show.

Limited to just, err, 10 units, the G V12 900 is now on sale with 662kW (900 horsepower) and an astonishing 1500Nm of torque ready to make the modified Mercedes-Benz G-Class as fast as just about any SUV.

Brabus is touting its designed-with-a-set-square creation as a supercar, 15 years after it worked its evil deeds on the last G-Wagen, too.

Based around the new-generation W463A G 63, the Brabus version ramps up the aggression primarily via a twin-turbo V12.

It says the enormous machine can hit 100km/h in 3.8 seconds, on its way to an electronically limited top speed of 280km/h, and heaven help any bird caught in that slipstream.

For reference, that makes it just 0.1sec slower to 100km/h than the Lamborghini Urus and just as quick as the Maserati Levante Trofeo, Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S.

It’s wider than the standard machine and stronger, too, and all that adds up to 2660kg to push around, turn and, at some point, stop.

The Brabus G V12 900 One of Ten runs a modified version of the nine-speed transmission in the standard machine, which then sends drive to all four wheels on a constantly variable basis.

It rides on 23-inch wheels and tyres, though that can be bumped up to 24 inches for those brave of spine.

Starting at €605,000 in Europe, which equates to $A975,000 in Australia plus taxes (no, that’s not a typo), it uses a modified version of the 390kW V12 from the Mercedes-Benz S 600L limousine.

That is heavily revised at Brabus, including the additions of a billet crankshaft, a longer stroke length, wider cylinder bores, matching forged pistons and balanced, billet connecting rods.

This bumps the engine’s displacement up from 6.0 litres to 6.3, but Brabus doesn’t stop there. It rips off the standard turbochargers and adds larger ones, plus there are new exhaust manifolds, and it all adds up to higher boost pressures.

The exhaust downpipes are 80mm in diameter and joins to a stainless steel exhaust system, with active sound embiggening flaps, with the black-chromed pipes emerging ahead of the rear wheels.

The engine also scores a new intake manifold, with a new air-filter box that includes gold heat reflection shielding to lower the intake air temperature.

The engine mapping has been re-programmed and the boost pressure modified to give it stronger power delivery without ruining the smoothness inherent in V12 motors.

Its 662kW power peak arrives at 5500rpm (which is low, but higher than the standard Benz V12), while its ferocious 1500Nm torque peak hits at 4200rpm. However, it’s limited to 1200Nm to save the transmission from exploding.

The flared fenders all around add 100mm to the width of the body, allowing for the 295/30 R14 front tyres and 355/25 R24 rears that are the biggest it can accommodate.