Brabus And An Extreme Case Of The Benz by Jonathan Moore

There are Mercedes-Benz and Mercedes-Benz. Basic or luxurious, economical or sporting. Less cheap and more expensive. Then there’s a Mercedes-Benz by Brabus. From a distance a Brabus could look similar to the untrained eye. There’s usually not much to go on. A little lower perhaps. Sharper. Meaner? Two visceral
things give them away. Sound and speed. The former will be the unholy howl of the brutal engine buried within, the latter will be the speed at which the Brabus disappears from view, confirming its identity. You might feel like giving a regular hot C or AMG a run for its money. If you see the Brabus badge, don’t bother. Seriously. Humiliation is never pretty.My interaction with Brabus has been limited over the years, which is probably quite a typical experience. I’ve seen a small tent at the Goodwood Festival Of Speed, away from the overblown excesses of the main manufacturer boulevard. A modest stand at the Essen Motor Show – a tuning show remember. Maybe the odd Brabus Smart on the road.They’re surely not that big then. They make, what, a couple of tuning kits for Mercs? Impressive stuff, sure, but some bodykits and engine upgrades… Some nice wheels. What’s the big deal?Any Brabus you care to choose is the big deal. That’s the thing: they have everything to shout about, but that would be… unnecessary. It would show a lack of class. Brabus shows classic German reserve, they don’t waste time or energy on anything superfluous. They’re not looking to set records around the Nordschleife or appear on TV. They tend to keep themselves to themselves. They let their products do the talking, to a discerning clientele.