Gustav

Enjoy:

http://www.bmwm5.com/articles/german...trip2001-2.htm

The T V-12 was a fast E class, 582 HP

MusFather

Hey that was a really cool websight

the braubus stuff was great

-Thanxs for posting

-Misfather

AmgBoy

Hey thanks for posting that it war really interseting and fun to read!! Those Brabus cars are very impressive but do you think they are a better company than AMG? Your opinions and posts are wanted and welcome!

Cheers

Gustav

Brabus takes it one step further than AMG. Before AMG was better, but when DB bought AMG, Brabus can be more individualized and is now the worlds largest independent tuner.

You can say they taken over AMG earlier position of the best tuner.

I was very impressed with Brabus. Notice the technicians signature on the engine of the Brabus SLK 6,5!

JamE55

Gustav

How are their prices over there compared here in the US?

Gustav

Any more comments?

Guess I must go this spring to check out the new E V-12 :p

JamE55

Pls make sure you take some pics and vids if you can!! Need to see that E V-12 in action!

Ansonnn

Brabus cars are nice interior wise but their performance relative to their increased displacement is unproven. They had this article in Car and Driver for tuner ML's and Brabus refused to participate. Even Lorinser participated with their okay-performance kompressor kit. The same goes for the annual 0-100-0 mph tests in (I think) Car and Driver. Renntech is the only mercedes tuner to participate in that contest. Brabus should, in my opinion, participate to prove that their modications like Renntech's, can be back up with worthy performance numbers - at least for the price that people pay for these mods. That hasn't happened. I spoke to several people who've own brabus modified engines. One guy had an S55 and had it bored and stroked to 5.8 and said it felt significantly slower. Another guy had an SL500 increased to a 6.0 L and admitted he couldn't feel any noticeable difference even if there was any. Their wheel designs are nice, though.

Gustav

Felt significantly slower?

Hmm funny. Brabus is the world largest independent tuner and Ibeleive their claims. You don't survivie in that business for 20 yearsif you make the cars slower...

Ansonnn

Yes, significantly slower. These are claims from disappointed Brabus owners. Believing and experiencing are two entirely different situations. Maybe the reason it's signifiantly slower is that the increased displacement brabus style only allows for an advantage in high speeds so that would be entirely uselss here in the states where there are no autobahns to test all that power.
About 60 percent of their business comes from selling wheels and another 35 percent from body kits and accessories. Engine mods represent less than 5 percent of their revenue. Add to that that their founder, Bodo Buschmann, is a very weathly German to begin with and it's not because of his side business - Brabus. Though, I am not dissing Brabus, I think they're a good tuner but if they want people to respect them as a real tuner, they really need to actively compete in races with their modified vehicles. So far, they have not and is the reason most wealthy people that are car enthusiasts, have a hard time shelling out 3Ok for a displacement increase. Some of the best tuners in the world including Hamann, AC Shnitzer, AMG, etc. may not be as big as Brabus, but they have a strong racing heritage. Brabus with it's deep pockets should participate it's tuned cars in say races.

Mr Janne

A lot of european car magazines drives and test their cars. And it seems most of them always are very impressed. And I was very very impressed by Brabus facalities when I visited them.

I donīt understand why you rate Hamann among the finest tuners in the world...how often do you see them in tests if you think thatīs important? And most tuners make most of their money on wheels and styling, thatīs nothing unique with just Brabus. I donīt think we should mention AMG among Hamann and others, completely different story now a days.

Ansonnn

I said it before and I'll say it again - I am not degrading Brabus. If you're a die hard Brabus fan, don't take it personally. Not everyone is going to praise a tuner 100%. I am a fan of Lorinser but there are some who think the body kit is over kill and that's fine. They're entitled to their own opinions. And eventhough I am a Lorinser fan, I am not too convinced of the worthiness of their engine mods. I like Brabus especially their wheel offerings and interior amenities. But on the otherhand, I am pointing out that some and I emphasize the word 'some' Brabus owners are unhappy with the result and the amount of money they spent. That is not to say there may be other owners out there who are. For sure their facilities may be great but that doesn't have anything to do what we are talking about. Brabus makes great wheels and I would buy them for my next mercedes but as far as engine mods go, I sure wouldn't, at least not for the moment.

Tezta

Brabus once tested their W208 CLK 5.8 in European car Magazine. The specs were that 0-60 was 5.8, while the standard CLK430 was 0-60 in about 6.1 if i am not mistaken. Have to check on that. But anyways i asked Andreas from Brabus NA and he said that brabus' 0-60 time quote was just an arbitrary number and that the important figures came from 40-70 and 80-120mph times. Brabus is no doubt an excellent tuner and the most "trustworthy" independent tuner IMO.