Brabus creates mental 890Nm Hybrid S-Class

Brabus has turned its tuning sword to plug-in hybrid models, starting with the 890Nm Mercedes-Benz S500 PHEV.

Dubbed the Brabus PowerXtra B50 Hybrid, the super-sized limo has had its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine tweaked to deliver an extra 38kW of power and 70Nm of torque, taking the totals to 283kW/550Nm.

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Brabus says, “special mapping for injection and ignition as well as a moderate increase in boost pressure” is all that’s required to achieve the gains.

Add in an (unchanged) electric motor delivering 85kW/340Nm and you have a monstrous 368kW/890Nm total, just 10Nm shy of the 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 Benz S500.

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Forget about economy (no official mention) as the 0-100km/h sprint is slashed from 5.2 seconds to 4.9sec, though a top speed of 250km/h remains as that is the capability of the Benz hybrid system.

A more aggressive Brabus front bumper is attached, along with aero-enhancing bits made of carbonfibre, 19-to-21-inch wheels and a special quad sports exhaust just to ensure any remnants of a green tinge is singed.

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Although Brabus B50 is stamped across the stately rear, the hi-po tuning company is cute enough to retain the ‘hybrid’ badge – though nobody will be mistaking this bad boy for a new variant of stretched Prius.

For all the tweaks, Brabus offers a three-year/100,000km warranty – real peace of mind as you power down the freeway, though perhaps not past as many service stations as you would in the regular S500 PHEV that claims to sip just 2.8L/100km.

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