<a href="http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109180">Edmunds.com Inside Line Article</a>
Powerhouse: Brabus Kicks 445 Horses Into the Mercedes-Benz R-Class
Date posted: 02-04-2006
BOTTROP, Germany — German customizer Brabus has injected a major dose of performance into the Mercedes-Benz R-Class wagon, giving the R500 model a 6.1-liter, V8 engine that makes 445 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque.
The production version of the R500 is outfitted with a 5.0-liter V8 that makes 302 hp and 339 lb-ft of torque.
Brabus says the conversion of the eight-cylinder R-Class boosts it from zero to 62 mph in 5.9 seconds and gives the vehicle a top speed of 165 mph. The German tuner has customized the R-Class models with a front spoiler, light alloy wheels up to 22 inches in diameter, auxiliary headlight inserts for the front bumper, and a rear apron with cutouts for the two dual chrome tailpipes of the Brabus sport exhaust.
New Brabus options include a multimedia package for the R-Class that includes a DVD player, a game console, and LCD screens integrated into the back of the headrests. Brabus said it can also convert the R-Class into a fully functional office on wheels with powered tables and a state-of-the-art computer system.
The performance enhancements and luxury options are expected to become available in the United States later this year.
What this means to you: It may be a wagon, but once Brabus gets its hands on the R-Class, it becomes hell on wheels.
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