I continue my excursion into history. I think it's very interesting, I hope you like it too!
The history of BRABUS is a chain of significant events, as a result of which the automotive world received the most eminent tuning company. BRABUS is one of the most frequent guests on the pages of the Guinness Book of Records and the best tuning master of Mercedes.
The history of the company's creation is rather banal. It has been recorded since 1977, from the moment when entrepreneur Bodo Buschman and his partner named Klaus Brakman registered a small business in the German town of Bottrop, located in western Germany. For a while, this company was quite successful in selling Mercedes-Benz cars. But for 1977, for the inhabitants of Germany, buying a car of this brand was not something out of the ordinary, so the enterprise did not shine with particular success. In order to increase sales, Bodo Buschman offered to sell cars with minor improvements. In this undertaking, he was supported by the partner and co-owner of the company, Klaus Brackmann. By the way, the company got its name from the first three letters of the founders of BRA-BUS. After some time, Bodo Bushman bought out his partner's share and became the sole owner of the company.
The business of fine-tuning cars in the Brabus company was delivered with German thoroughness. All work was carried out systematically, before changes in the appearance and interior of the car, sketches were first created, which, after discussion, turned into drawings of attachments and accessories. In order to make changes in the parameters of the chassis, special springs and shock absorbers were created in the workshops. Changes to the engine could be minor, for which they could only replace the camshaft. But most often, specialists assembled a completely different engine, in which many parameters were changed, including the dimensions of pistons and connecting rods. To work on these changes, the most talented designers and engineers were involved, the selection of which the owner of the company treated with great care.
The first tangible success of BRABUS came in 1985, when a Mercedes - Benz W201 came out of the gates of the company, equipped with a V-shaped 5.0 liter engine with 250 horsepower. For his whirlwind temperament with someone's light feed, he received the nickname "four-seater AC Cobra."
The following year, 1986, brought BRABUS the first diploma, indicating an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. This year, the company's engineers developed an aerodynamic body kit, with the help of which the aerodynamic drag coefficient of the Mercedes-Benz W124 decreased to an unprecedented value of 0.26. Until now, this record is absolute, and the result has not yet been surpassed.
In 1987, on the initiative of Bodo Buschmann, a non-profit organization was formed in Germany - VDAT (Association of German Tuning Companies). The purpose of this organization was, first of all, to protect its business from the so-called "pirates" from Southeast Asia, who every day more and more intensified their attacks on tuning companies, releasing outwardly similar, but significantly inferior in quality copies, streamlining relations with government agencies, clients. Mr. Bodo Buschman, who is still chairman of the association to this day, proposed centralized quality control of manufactured products in order to prevent cheap fakes from entering the market. To date, this organization is a kind of professional union of tuning organizations, the largest in this area, which has about 100 members in its ranks.
BRABUS reached its true dawn in the 90s of the last century. These years were marked by a whole series of unique developments. The result of one of the significant works in April 1994, a tuned standard Mercedes V12 engine was presented to the public, which acquired a volume of 6871 cc and a power of 509 hp at 5750 rpm. In the autumn of the same year, the company's specialists created the most powerful engine in Germany with a capacity of 530 horsepower. the standard V12 with a volume of 6.9 liters was taken as the basis. The new motor was offered for installation on cars of the W140 and W129 series.
In 1995, having subjected this engine to further refinement, and installed on the Mercedes-Benz E190, Brabus released the world's fastest four-door sedan. The record of 330 km / h was recorded by representatives of the Guinness Book of Records, as evidenced by diplomas in a car showroom in the city of Bottrop. A little later, two more nominations of the Book of Records were awarded to the “big-eyed station wagon” Mercedes-Benz E211, which accelerated to 350 km / h and the Brabus M V12 jeep, created on the basis of the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, which was recognized as the most powerful in the SUV class, and the record speeds of 260 km/h so far is unsurpassed.
By the mid-90s, the company employs 150 people, whose efforts produced about 500 cars a year. However, the company had a huge potential, it continued to develop actively, and by the end of 1999, after the reconstruction of production facilities, the company already employs 220 people. Car assembly is carried out at 85 posts. In addition to selling finished cars, this company is actively engaged in the sale of components and accessories. Production and warehouse premises occupy an area of 74,000 sq. m and another 36,000 set aside for a test site, where, as part of test programs, new developments are constantly being tested. BRABUS maintains the strictest quality control. All products are ISO 9001 certified. Smart-BRABUS is currently active in Bottrop with BRABUS and offers the full range of services for smart cars.
The company is especially proud of the project "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing", the essence of which is the production of outwardly indistinguishable from serial cars, under the hood of which a huge herd of very frisky horses can be hidden.
Although BRABUS is the court tuner of the Mercedes factory, after the conversion, the car loses the factory warranty, and BRABUS is forced to give its warranty on tuned cars. However, this is what attracts potential buyers to this company, although the cost of a standard car is about 2-2.5 times lower. 
- great cars that are not available to everyone. But even their acquisition today can no longer be considered anything out of the ordinary. So reasoned business partners Klaus Brakman (Klaus Brackmann) and Bodo Buschman (Bodo Buschmann). In 1977, they created a Mercedes dealership and now they were thinking about what kind of zest to bring to their business. The idea came simple, but great - you just need to do tuning. But not superficial, which means only hanging various “decorations” on the car, and carbon hoods, but much deeper, affecting all the insides of the car. And so the studio was born. Brabus, whose name was formed from the names of the creators - Bra ckmann+ Bus chmann.
The principle is simple - take Mercedes, improves as much as possible. The result is something very luxurious. An already expensive car becomes simply obscenely expensive. The appearance of the car is being finalized, the engine is being brought up (as a result of which some Brabus managed to set world speed records for cars of its class) and the chassis, the interior is being transformed. At the request of the customer, additional accessories and excellent audio systems can be installed. However, clients from those that are poorer can get by with a much more modest set. The principle is simple - the client comes to the office and orders a car. All the details are discussed with him, after which the specialists Brabus buy from Daimler required model Mercedes and fulfill the order, doing everything manually.
Since 1999 Brabus is a subsidiary Daimler AG. And if before that only Mercedes were tuned, then starting from 2002, the division smart-BRABUS GmbH, aimed at working with small cars Smart. And in 2008, an experiment was conducted with a racing Tesla roadster- this is how the Brabus Tesla Roadster was born, which became the first tuned electric car in history. Apparently atelier Brabus and pursued this goal - to create something on which you can hang the label "first!". This tuning was based on a device that can imitate the sounds that sports cars with gasoline engines make. Being an electric vehicle Tesla roadster very quiet, which does not always suit those who want to attract attention. By the way, in addition to the roar of gasoline engines, there are also futuristic sounds included for the delight of the souls of science fiction lovers.
The company is located in the German city of Bottorp (Bottrop, Germany), where once there was a salon selling conventional Mercedes. There are also assembly shops and a test site. The staff of the company is small - only a few hundred people.
Brabus is known even to those who still dream of buying their first Mercedes-Benz. And by the way, the company from the German Bottrop was created relatively recently (compared to ABT, for example): in 1977 it was founded by Klaus Brackmann and Bodo Buschmann, composing the name of the new enterprise from the first three letters of their surnames.
Today Brabus has 2,500 employees in branches around the world, and more than 360 of them work at the company's headquarters in Bottrop. Every year, 17,500 “modified” cars come out from under the “scalpel” of the Brabusians, of which about 10,000 are smart, and the rest wear the three-beam star of Mercedes-Benz. The annual turnover of the Brabus Group is 350 million euros, but keep in mind that the group of companies also includes Startech, which during the Daimler-Chrysler alliance tuned Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, and then switched to Jaguar and Land Rover sedans and crossovers.
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In the photo: Brabus Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG Coupe
The "sphere of interest" of Brabus includes absolutely all components and assemblies that are only in the car and which - at least theoretically - can be made even better. Alcantara alter the interior, already trimmed with expensive Nappa leather; increase the power of the already powerful after the "surgery" in the AMG V12 engine; shove Apple equipment around the cabin of the minibus; to make the Mercedes air suspension work even softer - all this can and can be done at Brabus, decorating the resulting cars with their own logos with a recognizable black B replacing the Stuttgart star. Bodo Bushman, one of the founders of Brabus, calls himself and his colleagues great enthusiasts, not forgetting to add that all his employees are professionals, what to look for, and high-octane gasoline flows in the veins of all Brabus people without exception, and not at all beer or some kind of blood.
Some technical characteristics of cars before and after tuning in Brabus
– Mr. Buschmann, tell us, who is your client? Why does he need tuning at all - he already has a Mercedes-Benz ?!
“Our customers are individualists who need us to build them the cars of their dreams. Our clients love everything unusual and unique; in the best quality and from the best materials in the world. This is what we offer.
– Do you have many clients in Russia?
- Yes very many! I must say that Russia is definitely one of the key markets for Brabus, and it has been a pleasure for us to work in this country for more than 20 years.
- Do Russians have any common preferences in the Brabus line, some common feature in preferences?
- Yes, your fellow citizens especially like the G-Class, which we "charge" up to 800 hp! I also like the Brabus 850 based on the S-Class with 850 hp. And of course, in Russia, Brabus iBusiness models based on the V-Class or Sprinter, turned into offices on wheels or mobile concert halls, are popular.
- Understand. I wouldn't say no to any of the things you listed. What car do you have?
“Depends on when and where I'm going. For every day I have a Brabus G-Class or Brabus GL. In the city I prefer our smart, but for business meetings I come to Brabus 850. Well, in the summer I love to ride SLS or SL-classes, of course, in the "processing" of Brabus!
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- Can you single out any one car and call it ideal?
- To choose such a car, it is important to know what you are going to do with this car at a given time. Although I can name my version: Brabus G800 V12 with 800 hp.
– It must be difficult to work in Brabus and move around in a stock car. Surely your employees move exclusively in tuned cars, don't they?
- Good question. I don't think we ever paid attention to it. What is much more important to us is that the people who work here are enthusiastic and consummate professionals in their field. All our employees have gasoline in their blood. They come up with ideas for new products every day. And so we can produce interesting and unique cars for special customers, while maintaining the highest quality.
Do you follow what your competitors are doing? Maybe you can highlight someone special?
– You know, all my attention is focused on my work, which requires the utmost concentration. Unfortunately, I just don't have time to follow, much less admire other players in the market.
- Did Brabus have any desire to work with other brands?
– We actually already work with Mercedes-Benz – the best brand in the world! And this, as I said, takes up all our working time. At the same time, the Brabus group includes Startech, which tunes Range Rover, Jaguar and Land Rover.
- How does Brabus get cars that it subsequently tunes?
– Three possible ways. Either we order directly from Mercedes-Benz, or we buy from local dealers (if the equipment we need is available), or we work with those machines that customers already own.
– Who and where produces the parts with which you tune cars? I'll clarify: do your components have hieroglyphs and "made in china" marks?
– No, all Brabus tuning parts are made in Germany!
– How long does it take to prepare a set of tuning accessories and turn an ordinary Mercedes-Benz into a Brabus?
– It takes from 3 months to 1 year to develop a tuning kit. It takes from 1 day to 3 months to complete a tuned car with our parts.
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In the photo: Brabus Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse Cabrio
– Who sells your parts and provides tuning services in Russia?
– Our official importer in Russia is "Alarm Service Rublyovka" (Moscow). They even have an Internet address Brabus dot Ru. There is also a partner in Ukraine - it is Aertech LLC.
- What is Brabus working on now?
– At the moment, we are working on a program to refine the new S-Class Coupe. At the same time, we are working on a new V12 Biturbo for the S65 version with an incredible 900 hp. and 1500 Nm of torque - we will show the world premiere of this motor in Geneva [we talked with Bodo Buschman just a few days before the start of the International Motor Show in Geneva].
– Mr. Buschmann, you often emphasize the outstanding power of Brabus engines. But when hybrids and electric vehicles replace petrol and diesel engines, and cars are driven without a driver, what will Brabus do then?
“Time will tell if internal combustion engines can completely disappear. As motors become more and more efficient. They can sink into oblivion not in a year or two, but in a few decades. In addition, you should not lose sight of combined systems, such as hybrids.
But development continues on other models. There will be more Brabus in the future - hybrid and all-electric.
The price of the Mercedes Brabus, manufactured by Brabus GmbH, may seem fantastic to many. This is a famous German company located in Bottrop and engaged in independent production, restyling and tuning of the Mercedes-Benz automaker.
The main activity is the tuning of engines and car body parts.
General characteristics of the company
The history of the company dates back to 1977, when two German engineers - Brakman and Bushman, decided to create a company that would improve existing serial car models. The name of the company was taken from the names of the founders. Today, the company is considered the largest tuning studio in the world, and in 1999 it became one of the divisions of the Daimler-Chrysler concern.
The company has only a few major competitors - this is the "native" studio of Mercedes AMG, Karlsson Autotechnik, Lorinser, Renntech and Kleemann. And if you don’t often meet representatives of other studios on the road (except for the famous AMG versions), then Mercedes Benz Brabus can often be found on the roads of large cities.
The main features of tuning Brabus
Each company pays attention to certain details and parts of the car. Some focus solely on visual changes (be it airbrushing, rims, interior trim, overlays, etc.), others focus on aerodynamics, and still others focus on performance.
The perfect car from Brabus
The Mercedes Benz lineup includes more real SUVs than lightweight models. Such jeeps surprise their owners with high cross-country ability in any conditions and on any roads. It is these cars that are the favorites of the Brabus tuning car company.
Mercedes Benz Brabus is a combination of all the above tasks of a tuning studio - the end result is an almost perfect car (if possible, given the highest factory specifications of Mercedes).
Note that the studio is not engaged in a radical alteration of cars - when examining and comparing the usual Mercedes and Mercedes Benz Brabus, the layman is unlikely to notice significant differences - a replaced nameplate, new body kits, possibly carefully designed optics and characteristic Brabus wheels for Mercedes. Once in the car, the same layman will be able to see new differences - a carefully designed interior, taking into account the wishes of the customer, as ergonomic and comfortable as possible. And the same person will be able to see the greatest difference when the Mercedes Brabus car shows maximum power and performance compared to other competitors.
The entire range of SUVs and crossovers from Mercedes is presented in this article. Do you want to know about the features of the Mercedes Gelandewagen? Read.
Performance, dynamics and speed
The atelier specializes in achieving the highest levels of performance, dynamics and speed in cars by modifying the torque and engine design of cars to achieve this. The end result is a super-powerful car.
Mercedes G Brabus can serve as evidence of this - on average, the G-Classe has sufficient power, but Mercedes Brabus tuning increases power to 600-670 hp.
Note that along with changes in the engine, a deep reworking of the suspension, transmission and the entire chassis is being carried out - the company has been setting world records for power among crossovers and SUVs since 1996, and this means that the image of the best must be constantly maintained.
Given all of the above, Mercedes Brabus prices are above average. So, a slightly tuned serial Mercedes, regardless of class, acquires 100% of the cost. As an example, we can consider the famous G-Classe - the average cost of such a Brabus will start at 200 thousand dollars. Of course, you can also take the 2013 Mercedes Brabus - the difference is insignificant, and the price will differ significantly from the initial one.
BRABUS was founded in 1977 in Bottrop, Germany, at a time when tuning fashion was at its peak in the 70s and 80s. The founders of the company are Bodo Buschmann and his student friend Klaus Brackmann. The name BRABUS consists of the names of the founders: BRAckmann and BUSchmann.
The initial goal of the new company was to expand the business of Bodo Buschmann's father, who was a Mercedes dealer. Bushman decided to expand his father's business and started tuning stock cars. Brackmann later left the company and took up legal work in Oberhausen (Germany). BRABUS is best known for its tuning solutions for production Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
Over time, BRABUS attracted the attention of many in the industry and tuning enthusiasts, as the company specialized in exclusive cars. For example, the Brabus E V12 model based on the Mercedes-Benz W 210 set the world speed record for production limousines at 330 km/h. Then this record was improved by the same Mercedes model to 350.2 km/h. To achieve this result, Mercedes was equipped with a 6.3-liter V12-Biturbo engine with 640 horsepower and 1024 rpm of torque. An improved version of the V12-Biturbo engine from 2005 already got 730 horsepower and 1320 rpm of torque, which was electronically limited at 1100 rpm so as not to overload the tires and gearbox.
This engine was used in the creation of the Brabus Rocket car based on the Mercedes CLS, as well as in the modern C-Class model called the Brabus Bullit. According to the manufacturer, it is capable of reaching a top speed of 360 km/h. A more modern version of the engine from 2009 has already received 750 horsepower. It is installed on modern Mercedes SL and GLK models, as well as Maybach 57S and 62S.
The latest version of the V12-Biturbo engine (as of mid-2014) already has 850 horsepower and torque is limited to 1150 rpm. At the stand, the engine torque can reach 1450 rpm.
The BRABUS company is also known for its car interior trim made of mastic leather, the cost of which can reach a budget car.
BRABUS vs. AMG
For a long time, BRABUS was considered a competitor to AMG, until AMG bought DaimlerChrysler. Since 1994, BRABUS has become the official tuner of Bugatti. In the late 1990s, the production area of the enterprise was significantly increased. The company employs up to 350 people. In 2007 BRABUS became the world's largest tuning company. In the hometown of Bottrop, an alley was named after BRABUS, where the head office is located.
Today BRABUS is officially a car manufacturer. Its activities cover all Smart, Mercedes-Benz and Maybach models. BRABUS vehicles stand out from the competition with their high power output. Also, great importance is given to interior decoration and the materials from which it is made.
Another subsidiary of BRABUS is Startech, which specializes in American-made cars: Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. Also, the German company is engaged in tuning some models of KIA.
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