The Brabus 900 Rocket Edition was revealed at the 2021 Monaco Yacht Show, claiming the title of the “fastest street-legal SUV in the world” with a top speed of 330 km/h. Brabus will produce only 25 examples of the GLE Coupe-based 900 Rocket Edition, with prices starting at € 381,243 (US$ 447,407), excluding taxes. It was exactly two months ago when Brabus unveiled the 800 SUV Coupe based on the Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S 4MATIC+ Coupe, but it seems now that the tuner had an even faster version on the cards.
Starting with the engine, the twin-turbo V8 has an increased displacement of 4,407cc – up from the stock 3,982cc. The modifications include new turbochargers, larger forged pistons, longer forged piston rods, a billet crankshaft, high-pressure pumps, larger downpipes, and various software updates. The mill produces an impressive 888 hp and a maximum 1,250 Nm of torque, but the latter is limited to 1,050 Nm in order to “protect the driveline”. Power is transmitted to all four wheels thanks to the 4MATIC+ system through a 9-speed automatic gearbox. 0-100 km/h comes in 3.2 seconds, according to Brabus. Combine this with the 205 mph top speed and the new 900 Rocket Edition is -on paper at least- considerably faster than models like the Bentley Bentayga Speed, the Lamborghini Urus, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT, and virtually any other stock performance SUV available in the market.
However, in order to achieve it, you need to spec the car with the 23-inch Brabus Monoblock Y “Platinum Edition” wheels, shod in Continental tires (295/30 ZR23 front and 335/30 ZR23 rear) and not the pictured 24-inch Brabus Monoblock Z “Platinum Edition” which come with exposed-carbon aero-discs. Brabus has also added its own control module in the air suspension system, lowering the car by 25 mm (1 inch). Braking is taken care of from vented and cross-drilled carbon-ceramic brake discs measuring 400 mm (15.7 inches) at the front and 360 mm (14.2 inches) at the rear.
Styling updates are similar to the Brabus 800 SUV Coupe with the body’s exposed carbon-fiber components including a new grille, front splitter, fender extensions, three-piece rear spoiler, diffuser, and additional trim for the inlets/outlets. The stainless sport exhaust system has four titanium/carbon tailpipes with active sound management.
Inside, Brabus has added fine leather upholstery that can be specified in any desired color in combination with Alcantara, noble-wood, and carbon fiber. The display car comes with red accents that are quite striking to say the least, contrasting with the Superior Gray finish. Whoever is interested in acquiring the “world’s fastest street-legal SUV” should hurry up and order one, since Brabus will only offer 25 examples of the 900 Rocket. The starting price of € 381,243 (US$ 447,407) excluding taxes is significantly higher than the US$ 116,000 price tag of the stock Mercedes-AMG GLE 63 S Coupe, but the modifications are quite extensive. For peace of mind, Brabus is offering a 3-year or 100,000-km/62,000-mile warranty.
