WHY anyone would want a ute able to sprint to 100km/h in less than 4.0 seconds and a top speed of close on 300km/h is beyond comprehension.
However, if that’s your desire and you have more than a million bucks in spare cash, the Brabus P900 Rocket Edition might just be your cup of Darjeeling.
You’ll also be certain of some serious exclusivity, since just 10 of these machines will be made.
The German specialist tuner has long been associated with upping power and features of various Mercedes vehicles and has now transformed the Mercedes-AMG G63 SUV into a ute and given it a performance boost that makes it one of the world’s most powerful utes.
Under the bonnet is a 4.4-litre version of Merc-AMG’s twin-turbo V8 engine, fettled to produces 662kW and 1250Nm.
That’s a heck of surge compared to the 430kW and 850Nm of the standard G63.
Brabus says its nine-speed transmission and fulltime all-wheel drive superute can squirt from 0-100km/h in 3.7 seconds (nearly a second faster than a G63) and on to a top speed electronically limited to 280km/h.
To give it the right look, the P900 Rocket Edition has been given a widestar body conversion, which also includes front and rear fender flares with carbon elements.
The vehicle rolls on 24-inch ‘Platinum Edition’ wheels with low-profile rubber.
One of its most unusual features is a glass pane that allows you to view the V8 engine without opening the bonnet.
The P900 runs on Brabus RideControl aluminium coil-over suspension, complete with billet-aluminium front struts, while the rear shock absorbers have integrated heat sinks and the vehicle’s ride height has been lowered by 45mm.
Sheet steel is used for the side-swing tailgate and the robust bed floor. The latter is enhanced with soft teak paneling.
The dual steel bed bar with matt black coating installed behind the cab adds to the look of this superute and allows cargo to be safely tied down.
You’re really going to shove cargo into it?
Brabus says buyers will be able to customise the exterior and interior of their vehicles thanks to its in-house upholstery shop.
Worried about cost?
The export price in Germany is 649,638 euros, or about $970,000 in Oz folding money.
Then you’d have to factor in import duties and our quaint luxury car tax.
But you might be able to convince the taxman that your Brabus is actually a ute, a very fancy one, but still a commercial vehicle, destined for work on a farm.
Good luck with that.
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