Brabus turns the G63 into a 588kW portal-axle ute monster

Renowned as peddler of excessive horsepower, Brabus will be heading to next month’s Geneva Motor Show with a more adventurous creation: a G-Class ute.

Based on the Mercedes-AMG G63 4x4 wagon, the Brabus 800 Adventure XLP not only features a rear bed, it also sits on an elevated portal axle setup that has been specially designed to suit the current-generation G-Class’ independent front suspension system.

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In order to fit the portals in the double-wishbone front end, Brabus engineers had to design an all-new integral subframe and various axle links, which were milled from billet aluminium. And even though the G63 wagon’s rear live-axle setup is retained, many components such as the axle housing and suspension linkages have been redesigned and replaced in the conversion to a ute.

With the portal axle setup raising the 800 Adventure XLP’s ride height significantly over the standard G63, more than doubling the quoted ground clearance from 240mm to 490mm, Brabus engineers fitted specially-designed height-adjustable coilover suspension and powered side-steps.

As for the ute conversion, Brabus didn’t just chop the roof off, weld the doors and call it a day. Instead engineers kept the passenger cabin intact and developed a special module that is attached to the G-Class’ ladder frame chassis, which stretches the 800 Adventure XLP’s wheelbase by 50cm over the standard wagon.

Parts of the rear bed and bedsides are made from carbon-fibre and finished with teak-like panelling, while the 800 Adventure XLP cabin’s new rear wall is made from sheet steel.

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This being a full-on Brabus re-engineering effort, the 800 Adventure XLP gets the tuning house’s Brabus 800 PowerXtra + treatment, which raises the 430kW/850Nm output of AMG’s 4.0-litre bi-turbo V8 engine to 588kW/1000Nm.

That being said, due to the added weight from the larger body and portal axles, the 800 Adventure XLP accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.8seconds, which is 0.3 seconds slower than the standard G63, and it’s limited to a top speed of just 210km/h.

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Completing the look, the 800 Adventure XLP will come fitted with Brabus’ Widestar widebody kit that widens its body by 116mm over the standard G63, along with a front bar that can be specified to fit a 4500kg winch.

Strangely for a brand whose pricing policy was “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it”, Brabus has revealed the 800 Adventure XLP’s price, with “First Edition” variants starting at €575,630 (A$958,000), nearly four times the starting price of a G63 wagon before taxes in Germany.

Brabus however, says that there will be a lower-tier version known as the 700 Adventure XLP, with a bargain starting price of €389,830 (A$649,000), or just over two and a half times the price of the G63.