Over 40 years of creating the fastest, most insane Mercedes vehicles. Brabus isn't just another "tuner." One glance at the showroom indicates why they are one of the largest, most well-respected shops in the business.

Picture a Build-A-Bear workshop, but swap the bears and stuffing for Mercedes cars and every customization you could possibly imagine - that's Brabus.

The story of Brabus is one that is familiar across many car manufacturers and tuning companies. It is one about a man who wanted more from the vehicle market and customers who demand the same.

Let's take a closer look at Brabus.

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Beginning of Brabus

Bodo Buschmann was a young law student and recently purchased himself a Porsche 911. His father owned a Mercedes dealership and wasn’t fond of his son's Porsche being parked in front of the showroom, claiming it was bad for business. Being a good son, Bodo sold his Porsche and bought a Mercedes S-Class.

Bobo Brabus Mercedes 500 SE
via MercedesBlog.com

However, Bodo wasn't satisfied with the lack of power in his W116 S-Class, so he went looking for a tuning shop to upgrade his luxury Merc. None to be found that fit his standards. He wanted both Mercedes-luxury and Porsche-like performance, so he did it himself. Shortly after, customers at his father’s father’s dealership were asking about Bodo’s custom S-Class and where to get their own. Thus sparked the idea to start a company of his own.

Brabus - Work for Passion

In those times, German law required two people to be on record when starting a business. So Bodo partnered with a college friend Klaus Brackmann, combined their surnames, and started Brabus in 1977. Klaus didn’t have much of an interest in creating cars and sold his share of the business back to Bodo only 100 euros shortly after.

Bodo attached the new tuning shop to his father’s existing Mercedes dealer. Brabus initially began adding luxury and performance features to the W126 S-class, with custom niceties such as a screen and multimedia system to the backseat. Other Merc owners found themselves wanting the same modifications done to their smaller Mercedes. This worked in favor of Bodo’s company as they continued to expand.

Bodo switched his focus over to the smaller W201 platform in 1984. The Mercedes 190E was fitted with the S-class V8 and tuned it up to 276 bhp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The sedan was blistering quick for the time, even putting up times faster than Mercedes’ own premier Cosworth 190E 2.3-16.

Brabus w201 190e
via MercedesBlog.com

Later that year, Bodo Buschmann scored a major order that would skyrocket his company's success. Rental company, “Sixt” requested 200 copies of his Brabus tuned Mercedes 190 E. The deal gave him nationwide attention, particularly in the Middle East, where the Brabus name was becoming increasingly popular.

In 1985, Brabus began tinkering with the W124 E-class platform. It made 444 hp and set a world-record drag coefficient of 0.26.

The next year Bodo had to move his company to Kirchhellener Straße, right off the Autobahn. Here they were able to expand their services to tune vehicles from other manufacturers while keeping up with the increasing demands from China and the Middle East.

More Brabus Vehicles

bugatti eb110 ss brabus
via Road & Track

By 1994, Brabus had gained the attention of high-performance manufacturer Bugatti, being their official tuner until they were purchased by Volkswagen in 1998. They worked together to create the incredibly rare 1993 Bugatti EB110 SS that went 216 mph and launched from 0-60 in just over 3 seconds.

A Brabus division also worked with Infiniti to dress up the Infiniti FX50 S.

Brabus Ultimate E Facelift front
Via Brabus

Tuning smart cars has become an interesting segment of the Brabus business. They currently offer the "Brabus Ultimate E Facelift” for the Smart Fortwo models. The power of the electric motor is increased to 92 hp, has a top speed of 81 mph, and gets to 60 mph in 10.9 seconds. The little “pocket rocket” is fitted with a a custom widebody kit, 18” wheels, and a redesigned front fascia.

On the list of some of the most impressive Brabus-tuned Mercedes is a Unimog U500 that made over 900 lb-ft of torque, a Mercedes-McLaren SLR that made 660 bhp, the G63 G700 6x6 that made 704bhp, and the current Brabus Rocket 900 that is based on the AMG GT63s and makes (you guessed it) 900 hp. They are also into custom boats under the name Brabus Marine.

Brabus 900 Rocket Mercedes-AMG GT63
via Motor1.com

RELATED: Here's A Detailed Look Back At The Mercedes-Benz 190e 2.3-16

Higher, Further, Faster - The Evolution of Brabus

What really put Brabus on the map was its dedication to creating record-breaking vehicles. They have secured titles as the fastest SUV, the fastest station wagon, the fast 4-door coupe, and the fastest ultra-luxury sedan in the world.

Brabus w124 Mercedes sedan
via carscoops.com

The biggest breakthrough came in 1992 when Brabus engineers got their hands on the V12 engines. It all started with a W124 Mercedes 500E and a 6.9L V12 that made 501 horsepower. They had increased it to 7.3L and 574 horses that galloped to a record-setting 205 mph within four years. This Brabus E V12 7.3S is what ultimately put Brabus on the map.

In 1999, Daimler Corporation purchased rival tuner AMG, which left Brabus as the only tuner remaining with the freedom to cater to the ludicrous demands of their Benz customers. Not only that, it gave them access to even more insane base engines from the AMG-line, including one of their most popular- the AMG G63.

The last year of the millennium also brought growth to the Brabus headquarters. Expanding to 112,000 square meters of pure tuner’s heaven.

The Brabus Experience

Buying a Brabus isn’t a typical tuner experience. There are Brabus locations in over 100 different countries, making it the largest independent automotive tuner in the world. So buying your custom vehicle typically starts with them, not a Mercedes dealership.

On the outside, Brabus lot looks like a typical dealership but filled with some of the rarest examples of modern Mercedes, Smart Cars, and other in-progress vehicles. Defenders have become a common sight in the factory as well. It consists of five factories that are dedicated to each part of the vehicle. The inside is even more impressive, showing off their finished products, thousands of hours spent on custom-built automotive gems.

Brabus headquarters inside
via Brabus Marine

After the customer has selected their vehicle, they get the choice of literally any customizations for the interior and exterior their exuberant minds can dream up. Brabus offers bulletproof armor, engine and ECU swaps, paints and wraps of every sort, carbon-fiber galore, each and every material can be covered in the finest leathers, all hand-sewn with any stitch or color. As Mr. Buschmann once put it, “ Our customers like what is special and unique in the best quality from the best materials in the world – and we can offer that. ”

Brabus Classic

In 2011, Brabus opened a separate department, Brabus Classic. It is a stark difference from their tuner’s other work, but their reputation of top-quality skill and attention to detail makes them one of the most qualified in the business. Brabus Classic is focused on full-restoration, maintenance, and care of both vintage and modern Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Every vehicle is done to the exact quality and specification as it would’ve come from the Mercedes factory. The showroom is filled with every classic Mercedes an enthusiast could imagine, even a beautifully restored 300 SL Gullwing. Customers who use Brabus Classic to restore their own models are known to actually use their cars, embracing the factory-like quality.

Every Brabus that leaves the factory comes with the company’s “Six-Stars of Brabus quality” and a 3 year, 62,000-mile warranty.

2020 Mercedes-AMG G63 Brabus 6x6
via MotorAuthority.com

Bodo Buschmann passed in April of 2018, but his legacy is being carried on by his son, Constantine. Brabus still follows the founder’s slogan of “never work for money, work for passion.”

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