TJMJR

The heart of the 1998 BRABUS C 5.8 is a 5.8 liter version of the eight-cylinder three-valve powerplant of the S 500, which has found a new home in the tight confines of the small engine bay of the Mercedes-Benz W202 C-Class C 43 AMG. The engine itself is built by BRABUS in Germany for export only. As the engine was built for export outside of Germany, and as the BRABUS C 5.8 was never a BRABUS “production” vehicle, BRABUS U.S.A. stated this is the only one of its kind with the United States.

To increase its displacement BRABUS uses a custom block, a crankshaft with longer stroke and larger pistons. In addition, the cylinders are fine-machined and fitted with custom camshafts. Reprogrammed engine electronics also contribute to the power output, and finally the top speed governor is deleted. BRABUS states the top speed to be 180 mph +/-.

Specifications:

Body: Mercedes-Benz C-Class W 202; Basis: C43 AMG
Engine: BRABUS 5.8L; Basis: Mercedes M 113 V8
Displacement: 5727 cm³
Bore x Stroke: 99 x 93 mm
Power Output: 400 hp / 294 kW at 5,750 rpm
Max. Torque: 427 foot pounds / 579 Nm at 3,000 - 4,250 rpm
Compression: 10.4 : 1
Powertrain: Five-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive
Brakes: BRABUS high-performance brake system Version 1: Including 2 six-piston-aluminum-fixed calipers front; 2 vented perforated front discs; steelflex brake hoses; brake pads; etc.
Wheels: BRABUS Monoblock IV: Three Piece 18” wheels; color matched to the vehicle
Interior: BRABUS floor mats velour: Black with BRABUS Logo; 3-piece BRABUS Aluminum Pedal Kit.
Exterior: Chrome plated BRABUS C58 logos for boot lid
Replace MB-star with BRABUS logo on bonnet
Set of BRABUS logos for side of the car

Additional Modifications:
KW Variant 2 Coil-over Kit
Wavetrac Helical limited-slip differential
KMAC Front Camber/Caster Kit
KMAC Read Camber/Toe Kit



























TJMJR

kiamcoj

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TJMJR

Kiamcoj,

I pleased to see you like the vehicle! I finally had the opportunity to take the car to a local Cars & Coffee this past Saturday. While I was there, a local gentleman suggested that I enter the BRABUS into the 2009 Northern Ohio Region German Auto Show that was being held the next day and hosted by the Northern Ohio Region Porsche Club of America (NORPCA). Having never shown a vehicle before, and with no time to prepare, I was honestly a bit hesitant. Nevertheless, I entered the vehicle into the Clean Car Class (Street Car Shine & Show) and I’m pleased to say that the BRABUS took third place in its class. First Place went to none other than a Porsche, but I’ll be more prepared next year.

TJMJR

FLYNAVY

Absolutely beautiful....thanks for the pics, I'd been eagerly awaiting them!

svt ricco

i wonder how much faster it is than a regular c43? car needs lowering

PJmak

this car is epic

nikrox

she perrrrty......yeah, you might lower it just a bit.the eibach kit would def do the trick.it seems like the rear is slighty lower than the front, which is unusual because with the Brabus engine being quite heavier than the stock C43 engine, the front should be lower.....come on.fess up.whats in the trunk.haha......shes a beauty nonetheless.enjoy it to the fullest, and then maybe you can pass it on to me to enjoy






_n.

kinghais

DAMNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sick!!!!! !!!!!!!!

sinyo1

thats is sick car... is that the pedal from me? cant imagine 5.8 nice..

TJMJR

Thanks FLYNAVY,

I sincerely apologize for the delay in posting the pics, but you name it (rain, funeral, work, vacation, etc.) and it delayed the opportunity to take pictures.

TJMJR

Svt ricco,

A stock C 43 AMG is 302 HP versus the BRABUS, which is billed at 400 HP, but I like to think of the C43 and C5.8 as complimentary vehicles versus comparables. Simply put, without the C43, there would be no C5.8. There are modified C43’s on this forum that are producing comparable HP, and even more HP than the BRABUS, and assuming they’re delimited, I would assume complimentary top speeds as well.

They say great minds think alike! I intend on following the same path as I have on my daily driver come Spring time. Bilstein Sport Shocks; Eibach Pro-Kit Springs; Front K-Mac Kit; Rear K-mac Kit; 35% Tint. Having had the suspension work done once before on my daily, I suspect it will go much smoother this time around. Running 265’s on the rear of the BRABUS may require some fender rolling , but we’ll address that when the time comes. My intention is to keep the vehicle as close to stock as possible, or at least in a position where it can quickly be returned to bone stock at the drop of a dime.

TJMJR

[QUOTE=kinghais;3727822]DAMNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sick!!!!! !!!!!!!!QUOTE]

It really makes me smile to see that there are others out there that can appreciate the vehicle. I’m happy that I could bring it home to the MBWorld forum where it belongs.

TJMJR

Nikrox,

As promised, you’re on the list, should I ever need to part ways with the BRABUS, or in the event that I feel it needs to go to a home that can enjoy the vehicle more than I am able to and appreciate it as much as I do.

TJMJR

Thanks to sinyo1 for sharing his authentic 3-pedals BRABUS pedals with the BRABUS C5.8 as one of the first modifications. I had all three installed, but only posted one pic for the sake of not being a pic *****. I only wish you would have shipped the original box that was shown in the pictures. PM if you still have it, as I would like to keep it on hand for safe keeping. I hope we can do the pedals justice. Oddly enough, I noted some uneven wear on the accelerator versus the brake pedal! Someone may have some explaining to do.

TJMJR

C43AMG

She's beautiful! I am surprised that Brabus didn't do a front end kit - maybe something similiar to a Reiger style.Either way , she's beautiful, enjoy and thanx for the pics.

TJMJR

Thanks for the compliment and I’m more than happy to share the pics. Again, I’m just happy to see that there are others out there that can appreciate this vehicle as much as I do.

BRABUS did produce a front end kit for the pre-1998 W202’s. After months of searching, I did find one gentleman that had an authentic BRABUS front end kit in storage for safe keeping that could be fitted with moderate modifications, but I couldn’t convince him to part ways with it.

In the end, while I can certainly appreciate the look, I was concerned that the pre-1998 BRABUS front end kit could date the vehicle, as it is actually a 1998. Also, I’ve always been partial to the look of the Rieger. Nevertheless, I came across a front end kit yesterday that was a new design to me and very intriguing. Only time will tell if I decide to make the change.

TJMJR

C43AMG

Any chance on contacting Brabus to see if its still available?I am sure they would accomodate the current owner of this fine rare automobile.

Any pics of this piece ?

Mercedes22

What a great looking C 43, very envious . Where did you find this rarity, how long have you had the car etc etc ? Just one modification i would do, as you have the front wings blanked from the indicator lenses i would have a pair of W210 Blinking Door Mirrors fitted, as i have on my C43, they look great IMO. Enjoy and thank you for the photo's

Sincity

Finally we get to see pics of the car. It is fabulous. I wouldn't change the exterior with the exception of lowering like you said.

nikrox

bosch clear corners and s600 avantagarde grill would help a whole bunch too






_n.

TJMJR

There have been many attempts by others to work with BRABUS on a limited run of W202 front end kits. I believe one group was actually successful by convincing BRABUS to produce ten kits at around $525 apiece with a cash payment upfront. The issue is that I’m not 100% sure that it’s the right look for the car. I agree it makes the most sense given this particular vehicle, but I may be partial to other more widely available designs that can be modified themselves to reach a look I'm comfortable with. Here's an example:

TJMJR

nikrox,

I ordered the Bosch Clear Corners on May 18, two months prior to my purchase, but they remain on backorder. I’ve also spent countless hours searching for the OEM Avantgarde Grill Assembly, but no such luck at this point. I’ll rather continue my search instead of breaking down for an aftermarket piece. It makes it interesting.

TJMJR

sinyo1

bosch you got it yet? man so far no luck for me...... thats what i want also.. for my c43 end up I imported from my country.... hope i got it soon...

for brabus body kit I ask one of guy local here use to work with brabus newport beach.. possible they have old stock about 2 or 3 set..... contact with brabus at germany 1st... if you want purchase it.. than they will assign it to brabus USA.... for sure they will happy to support u to get u front and rear brabus bumper.... because u got one of special car they have...

dont go other brand...... if not just stay with that AMG kits.. is nice....

hope this help...

thanks
steve

stallion8797

That is a sick car!

With that much displacement there is deffinately room for some serious HP gain. I'm thinking crank pulley, AMS headers, ported manifold, maybe some head work, and a nice dual exhaust. That thing will eat C55s for breakfast!

TJMJR

Thanks stallion,

Evosport mentioned the crank pulley when it was in their shop. It’s also funny you mention the dual exhaust, because I found myself thinking about the same thing this afternoon. I’ve recently spoken to a gentleman with a 5.5L conversion that is in the process of working out the specifics of a dual exhaust for his own car. He’s a Mercedes Service Manager who once owned his own shop. His approach is to delete the CD Changer compartment in the boot to allow for the necessary space needed to fit a dual exhaust. He has the fabricators on hand to make it happen, but I haven’t checked in to see if he was ever able to complete the mod.

My honest opinion at this point is that the HP may be too much for me personally , so I’m not immediately concerned with adding anything at this time. That being said I’ve really only driven the car a handful of times and my opinion may change. It seems to me that based on the other posts in this forum the search for additional HP can become quite addictive. It’s possible that I could succumb to the same disease.

TJMJR

TJMJR

Steve,

I’m still waiting for the clear corners to arrive. I was actually speaking with BRABUS in Germany today, but I never did ask if they have any parts in stock. I was adamant with BRABUS in Irvine that I was willing to buy whatever they had available, which I did. The only BRABUS item I passed on was the full custom leather interior. I simply could not part with the AMG two-tone. It’s a favorite of all who have seen the car. I suppose a BRABUS embossed B in the two-tone leather headrest could be considered a tasteful modification that compliments both companies.

TJMJR

sinyo1

how much is cost u here for that bosch...?
how many miles your car? is look super clean...

nikrox

have you tried performance products?thats where i got my clear corners from

the oem grill assembly is part# B6-688-0127
the dealership here said they could order it from germany, and its about $330

i agree with sinyo1, you should go with Brabus or keep the C43 kit.however, im not sure if the brabus kit will fit the updated models.youd prob need to modify it somehow

and as far as the exhaust goes, i know for a fact that Brabus made an exhaust for the 202 models.now its the process of finding one.theres gotta be atleast one somewhere in the world

i like the idea of the B in the headrests - front and rear






_n.

TJMJR

OEM Bosch will cost $130.00 from Bekkers, but I’m told they offer better fitment and quality than some of the other available corners available.

The engine and transmission have 95K miles on them.

I ordered the Bosch clear corners through Bekkers directly. I did take a look at the ones available through Performance Products, but it’s unclear if they are Bosch, and they’re $30 more.

The BRABUS front and rear bumpers were only available for the pre-1998 models, so adding them to a 1998 could date the vehicle as it was not an available option at the time. The BRABUS bumper itself can be added by using a pre-1998 bumper bracket, which can be purchased for roughly $200 or less. I tend to agree with you both, that BRABUS or stock is the best bet.

You are correct regarding the BRABUS exhaust for the W202, but my understanding is that it was produced for the 4 & 6 cylinder models and not the V8 C 43. My understanding, so PLEASE correct me if I’m wrong, is that the exhaust for the C43 was collaborative effort between AMG and Eisenmann Exhaust. If this is the case, it would explain why there are limited options for aftermarket exhaust that would fit the C43. It’s tough to outdo perfection.

I do live nearby the Corsa Performance Exhaust manufacturing facility. They do some work on BMW’s, etc. and would be more than willing and more than qualified to fit a dual exhaust on the vehicle, while also having the technology, knowledge and experience to manufacture and tune the exhaust to optimize the vehicles performance. My guess is that there are others that may be better qualified for the job, but not in the immediate area. The option is there, but I’m hesitant to start chopping a one off vehicle.

TJMJR