Brabus GmbH (stylized in uppercase) is a German high-performance automotive aftermarket tuning company founded in 1977 in Bottrop (Ruhr area). Brabus specialises mainly in Mercedes-Benz, Maybach and Smart vehicles. They have also modified other vehicles too, including Porsche.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive |
| Founded | 1977; 47 years ago (1977) |
| Founders | Bodo Buschmann Klaus Brackmann |
| Headquarters | Bottrop, Germany |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Constantin Buschmann (CEO) |
| Products | Automobiles |
| Subsidiaries | Startech (CRD) |
| Website | www |
The company began with Bodo Buschmann wanting to customise his cars. Discovering most existing customisers could not grasp his vision or meet his requirements, he started his own brand. Brabus GmbH was registered in 1977 in West Germany with Buschmann's friend Klaus Brackmann to satisfy German law requiring a company to be established with at least two people. The company name was derived from the first three characters of the founders' surnames (Brackmann, Buschmann). Following the company's foundation, Brackmann sold his company shares to Buschmann for 100 euros.[1]
In 2012, Brabus had started building its third factory in Bottrop.[2]
Brabus's primary focus is to achieve maximum car performance through the increase of horsepower and speed. Customers can either buy cars from Brabus, or send in their cars to be customized and/or overhauled. Customers ordering a car directly involves Brabus purchasing a particular model from Mercedes and then modifying it according to the customer's requests. Brabus is known for providing expensive tuning.
Brabus also offers cosmetic modifications including low profile spoilers, body kits, carbon fiber splitters, and multi-piece alloy wheels. Other upgrades include racing LSDs, open racing exhaust systems, twelve-piston disc brakes, and engine remapping. Customers can also have complete engine overhauls, or have new crate engines from AMG modified for them.
Brabus engines range from small 200 horsepower (150 kW) K4 blocks for SLK roadsters and CLK-Class to the 900 horsepower (670 kW) twin-turbo blocks for the S-Class.[3] The company also provides improvements to the interior from custom upholstery, gauges, shift knobs, pedals, and trim to various electronics such as wider LCD screens for the Maybach.
The company has built special editions of Mercedes-Benz, Maybach, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, and Smart vehicles.
The Brabus K8 performance kit for the SL model (SL55) includes modifications to the supercharger incorporating a custom vibration damper and pulley, high-performance metal catalysts, and an auxiliary circulation pump with an opposing radiator. Power is increased from a standard 476 hp (355 kW) to 550 hp (410 kW) at 6,200 rpm. The maximum torque is 780 N⋅m (580 lb⋅ft) at 3,000 rpm. The roadster is claimed to reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in 4.1 seconds, passes 120 mph (190 km/h) after 13.6 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 186 mph (299 km/h).
Between 2006 and 2007 Brabus produced and sold 50 Smart Fortwo Edition Red cars for the UK market. All of these vehicles were originally produced with a black Tridion safety cell and black plastic panels, the car was then later repainted at Brabus in (EB6 colour code) Intense Red. The car was built with the usual Brabus additions to the exterior, these being Brabus front grill (with fog lights), Brabus front splitter, Brabus side skirts, black plastic Brabus rear exhaust panel, and 16-inch Brabus Monoblock alloy wheels. These vehicles were always rumoured to be Brabus Nightrun Fortwo's that were later reworked.
The interior was bespoke to this limited run of vehicles. The interior is half leather and half alcantara with red stitching. The seats use the smaller, non-sport foams. This is unusual as all other Brabus 450 Fortwo's use wider sports-style seat foams. The door card inserts are alcantara with leather door pockets with the dashboard finished in alcantara with an aluminium Brabus plaque displayed in the centre. None of these vehicles had heated seats or electric wing mirrors. All Brabus Edition Red Fortwo's are equipped with a 3-spoke steering wheel, bespoke floor mats, air conditioning, CD player, Brabus clock and rev counter, Brabus speedo displaying 120 mph, and all of the removable interior plastics (including door handles and steering wheel trim) repainted in Intense Red to match the exterior.
Designed on the base of the Fortwo Brabus, this limited edition example is powered by a 55kW 3-cylinder turbocharged engine although all of the upgraded hardware is from the 60kW motor with a different tune. Brabus upgrades over a standard 698cc Smart Fortwo include a 60kW camshaft, 60kW yellow Bosch injectors, 60kW turbocharger, 60kW turbo to intercooler pipe (TIK), Brabus branded central twin outlet exhaust with chrome tips, aluminium Brabus intake manifold name plaque and the gearbox from a Smart Roadster (different gear ratios compared with a standard Smart Fortwo).
Based on the Range Rover P530 [18]
Based on the Unimog 405.
Announced in September 2021, Brabus and the luxury watchmaker Panerai announced a collaboration along with their first watch, the "Panerai Submersible S Brabus Black Ops Edition".[19] Since then they announced three more colors for this model. Blue Shadow Edition, Experience Edition (Red), and a Verde Military Edition (Military Green).
In a collaboration between Brabus and the motorcycle manufacturer KTM,[20] Brabus is customizing the KTM 1290 Super Duke R EVO under the name Brabus 1300R.
With the launch of the Smart #1 Brabus and Smart worked together to create the Smart #1 Brabus,[21] which represents a sportier variant of the Smart #1.
The 2012 Brabus Rocket 800 is powered by a V12 engine rated at 800 hp and 1,420Nm of torque, which has been limited to 1,100Nm. The Brabus Rocket accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph)in 3.7 seconds, 23.8 seconds to 300 km/h (186 mph) and has a top speed of 370 km/h (230 mph).
We proudly present to you our exciting new brand collaboration with the leading european motorcycling manufacturer KTM.
