Brabus is the first company to turn the
current Mercedes G-Class into a pickup truck but not just any pickup truck as
you might have expected. This is the new Brabus 800 Adventure XLP, which is
basically an extended G63 with a bed behind it, tuned to produce 800
PS.
The German aftermarket company went to
great lengths in order to re-engineer the chassis of the latest G-Class in
order to fit a bed but they were able to do so without affecting the torsional
rigidity of the donor car. Even the cabin remains as spacious as the normal
Mercedes-AMG G63.
The Brabus 800 Adventure XLP is now longer
by 68.9 cm, with an overall length of 5.31m, with an
extra 50 cm added to the wheelbase alone. Brabus basically
developed a special module that replaces the mounting points of the rear
suspension for the ladder-frame chassis of the G-Class.
Components like the bedsides are made out
of carbon fiber while steel has been used in areas like the bespoke rear wall
of the cabin, the bed floor and the fully functional taillgate. The front
independent suspension features a new subframe along with various axle links
that are CNC-machined while the rear retains its beam axle setup.
However, Brabus added a portal axle setup
of its own design, resulting in a ground clearance of 49 cm. Many
of the suspension parts were newly designed and milled from billet aluminum,
including a reinforced axle housing and all suspension links. The new Brabus
800 Adventure XLP rides on a model-specific variant of the company’s Ride
Control titanium-coated coilover suspension, with tailored damper rates.
AMG’s 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 engine was
upgraded with two Brabus turbochargers with larger compressors, new mapping,
and more to produce 789 HP (800 PS) at 6,600 rpm and 1,000 Nm of
torque from 3,600 rpm. Brabus claims that the 800 Adventure XLP is capable of a
0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds before hitting an electronically limited top
speed of 210 km/h due to its all-terrain tires.
The pictured show car, which will be on
display at the Geneva Motor Show, will also feature an optionally available
module on its bed to allow a drone to take off and land. Geneva’s Brabus 800
Adventure XLP will be accompanied by a Wingcopter, a drone designed to carry
aid supplies and special equipment to remote regions, that can reach speeds of
up to 240 km/h and cover distances of up to 120 km.
Prices for the new Brabus 800 Adventure
XLP start from 389,831 euros (US$ 424,130), with the
company also to offer a special ‘First Edition’ variant that starts from
575,630 euros (US$ 626,276). And if you must know, the display car is priced at
666,836 euros (US$ 725,507), including the Wingcopter. These are export prices and
don’t include taxes like VAT.
