Bottrop, Germany - As if to celebrate the imminent demise of the ill-fated Mercedes-Benz X-Class, Brabus created an all-conquering bakkie called the 800 Adventure XLP and as we’ve come to expect from the German tuner, there’s a lot more going on here than just a body conversion.
Let’s start under the bonnet. The standard Mercedes-AMG G63 is good for 430kW and 850Nm, but Brabus has managed to crank it up to 588kW at 6600rpm and 1000Nm from 3600rpm. Although it is 0.3 seconds slower off the mark than the standard version, likely owing to increased weight and rolling resistance, the Brabus 800 Adventure XLP still gets from 0-100km/h in 4.8 seconds.
To extract the extra urge, engineers installed two brand new Brabus turbochargers as well as a new mapping for the injection, boost pressure control and ignition. The cherry on top is a Brabus high-performance exhaust system that promises “acoustic fascination”.
The Adventure XLP also gets a thoroughly overhauled and raised suspension system with portal axles. The suspension is height-adjustable via the Dynamic Select control switch in the cabin. The vehicle rolls on 22-inch Brabus Monoblock HD wheels, wearing Pirelli Scorpion ATR all-terrain tyres.
Of course, the biggest design challenge was converting the G63 SUV into a double cab bakkie, and that entailed extending the wheelbase by 500mm in order to accommodate the load bin behind the rear passenger compartment without compromising interior space. Post-conversion, the Brabus bakkie measures 5.31 metres in length, and the vehicle is also 116mm wider than the standard G63 thanks to a Widestar widebody kit that includes carbon fender flares.
The show car that Brabus plans to display at the Geneva Motor Show next week has another party trick in the form of a take-off and landing module for a Wingcopter drone. This flying device can reach speeds of up to 240km/h, and can transport rescue equipment or aid supplies autonomously over a distance of 120km.
Inside, the Brabus 800 Adventure XLP is kitted with the “finest leather, whose burned oak color creates a contrast with the optional Rocket silver matte paintwork”. The seats also feature shell-shaped quilting and customers can have practically any part of the interior in virtually any colour.
