Nother CarGuy

The Geneva Motor Show always holds plenty of fresh metal – not only from the world’s automakers, but from tuners as well. Like Brabus, for example, which has a whole raft of customized and enhanced vehicles in store for this year’s show. Chief among them are two new versions of the Brabus 800, both based on the Mercedes-AMG S63 4Matic+: one coupe, and one sedan. Both pack Affalterbach’s latest 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8. But instead of 603 horsepower, Brabus has massaged the engine to deliver 789 – 800 by metric standards, or 588 kW. Torque has also been increased to 1,000 Nm (or 737 lb-ft). Channeled to all four wheels through a nine-speed automatic transmission and AMG-tuned 4Matic+ all-wheel drive, that’s said to be enough to send either version to 62 miles per hour (100 km/h) in just 3.1 seconds before topping out at an electrically limited 186 mph (300 km/h). Of course Brabus didn’t just tinker with the engine and leave it at that. It also fitted a full aero ki...

Mercedes‘ EQ subrand will be in full force in Geneva with Smart joining the family with two electric versions of the ForTwo and ForFour. Offered in the Nightsky Edition, the battery-powered EQ ForTwo Coupe and Cabrio are the first to go on sale this spring, from €28,255 ($34,800) and €31,515 ($38,816), respectively, in Germany, tax included. They will be followed by the EQ ForFour Nightsky Edition in the third quarter of the year, whose pricing will be announced close to its launch. Both of them feature a fast-charging function. All Smart vehicles with electric drive come with a 4.6 kW on-board charger as standard. This provides for fast recharging of a drained battery – in less than 3.5 hours at a wallbox or in under six hours at a domestic wall socket (10-80 percent in each case) However, before arriving in showrooms, the two cars will be brought to the Geneva Motor Show, where the Daimler-owned brand will highlight some of their strong points. Get ready t...

Want a new Aston Martin DB11? You’ll have to choose between the eight- and twelve-cylinder models. But Brabus, with its famously unquenchable thirst for power, just might have made your decision easier. Harnessing its expertise with Mercedes engines, Brabus and its Startech division have boosted the output from the AMG-sourced 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 to an impressive 610 horsepower (448 kW) and 590 lb-ft (800 Nm) of torque. That’s not just more than the 503 hp (375 kW) and 498 lb-ft (675 Nm) in the standard V8, but considerably more than the 600 hp (447 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) boasted by the V12 model. With that much power and twist channeled to the rear wheels though an eight-speed automatic transmission, the German tuner says its take on the exquisite British GT – dubbed SP610 – will rocket from 0 to 62 miles per hour (100 km/h) in just 3.8 seconds and top out at a very Brabus-like 193 mph (310 km/h). Along with the Brabus-tuned engine, Startech is offering ...

According to Brabus, the Ultimate E Concept is an exclusive city sports car and it's got plenty of power to back up that claim. As far as the Smart ForTwo goes, this concept unveiled at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show is pretty darn impressive. It's got a transverse electric motor, juiced by a lithium-ion battery pack, with a capacity of 22 kWh and a maximum range of 160 km (100 miles). In terms of performance, we're looking at 204 PS (201 HP) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft) of torque, allowing it to get from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.5 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph). "Electric city sports cars must primarily be fun. This includes breathtaking and virtually silent acceleration paired with a sufficient range," said Brabus CEO, Prof. h.c. Bodo Buschmann. Currently in its road-testing phase, the Brabus Ultimate E Concept was developed in collaboration with Kreisel Electric. In total, the car weighs just 1,085 kg (2,392 lbs...

Short, perhaps, of the G63 6x6, it's hard to imagine the Mercedes-Benz G500 4x4² getting much more hardcore. But Brabus is out to do exactly that with its new 550 Adventure. Marking its debut at the Geneva Motor Show, the truck you see here is an even more extreme take on the jacked-up version of the G-Wagen than the one Brabus displayed in Frankfurt half a year ago. The difference with the Brabus 550 Adventure 4x4² principally comes down to the enhanced engine. Instead of 416 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque, the 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 now kicks out 542 horsepower and 590 lb-ft. The expert Merc tuner says that's enough to rocket the big beast to 62 in just 6.7 seconds and push that barn door up to 130 miles per hour – no small feat considering the G500 4x4² weighs a good three tons. Taking the holistic approach to tuning as it typically does, Brabus also fitted underbody protection, a winch, hood scoop, extra lighting, an electronically adjustable suspension, and more. ...

The  new Smart Brabus models  are here for those who believe what a quirky car needed was more turbo boost. Debuting all at once at this week’s Beijing Motor Show, the Smart ForTwo, ForFour and Cabriolet versions of the Brabus series follow in the footsteps of their predecessors with sharp bodykits, big(ish) wheels and a great big helping of turbocharging to a little three-cylinder engine. The power this time  comes from an 898-cc engine  with 107hp (109PS) and 170 Nm of torque, modest improvements over the old car but gains of around 20 percent over the standard 0.9-liter turbo car. Smart says the Brabus ForTwo can get up to 100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and up to at least 180 km/h top speed. But to further cement the Smart Brabus’ sporting credentials, there is a snarlier exhaust note, a more aggressive steering setup and a revised six-speed dual-clutch transmission the incorporates a “Race Start” system for, “optimal rpm and clutch slip for maximum acceleration from ...