217mph Brabus 800 Roadster revealed
Mercedes SL65 AMG not mad enough for you? The 789bhp, 217mph Brabus 800 Roadster ought to sort that
Brabus will use the 2013 Geneva Motor Show to unveil its most recent creation – the Brabus 800 Roadster. Based on the already pretty powerful Mercedes SL65 AMG, the 800’s 6-litre twin-turbo V12 engine produces 168bhp more than the standard car, taking the total from 621 to 789bhp. Accompanying the monstrous power output is a faintly ridiculous 1047lb ft of torque, which Brabus limits to a slightly more tractable 811lb ft. It’s available from a meagre 2100rpm; to help transmit such easily accessible torque, Brabus also upgrades the tyres of the 800 Roadster, providing a useful and perhaps necessary 305-section rear footprint. This boost in power means that the 800 Roadster completes the sprint from 0-62mph in 3.7sec – 0.2sec faster than the stock SL65, while the top speed climbs from an electronically limited 186mph to (an apparently still limited!) 217mph. As well as the engine modifications, Brabus also offers a carbonfibre body kit for the car, which has been developed in a wind tunnel to ensure maximum effect. It includes a bold front splitter and rear diffuser, the latter housing bespoke exhaust pipes, while there’s a large cooling ‘nostril’ at the front, presumably to keep that heavily modified engine at optimum temperature. Other upgrades include 20in Brabus alloy wheels, a 25mm lower ride height than the standard car, a fully customised interior (this example exhibiting some extraordinary quilted leather – even in the boot) and perhaps most importantly given the copious rear-wheel power, a 40 per cent locking limited-slip differential.
