Brabus gets its hands on Mercedes EQS
Get ready for a brave new Brabus: no extra power, but more range...
You know what you’re going to get with a Brabus Mercedes, because Brabus knows what its customers like. It’s probably going to be black, it’s definitely going to have huge wheels, and for as long as can be remembered it’s likely to have preposterous amounts of power. This is the company that makes 900hp G-Classes, don’t forget.
This ought to mean that its latest effort, based on the Mercedes EQS electric luxury saloon, should have about 2,000hp. But no. Here’s a Mercedes tuned by Brabus with not a single more horsepower than standard. Perhaps the gains will wait for a tuned version of the 658hp EQS 53, which would be pretty barmy (this car is a regular 333hp EQS 450), though it’s still a surprise to find a standard powertrain.
Instead, the Brabus overhaul here focuses on aerodynamic efficiency and range, which sounds awfully virtuous for a company famed for cramming V12s into any engine bay going. That said the company has always been about taking up where Mercedes leaves off; where that was once making mad V8s even madder, it’s now further improving the aero of one of the world’s slipperiest cars.
Thanks to the new front spoiler and lip, side air intakes, wheel arch deflectors, diffuser and spoiler - plus the suspension drop and those stunning 22-inch disc wheels seen in the wind tunnel pics - Brabus claims an improvement in the drag co-efficient of 7.2 per cent. Which sounds pretty significant given the effort expended on the EQS to make it so aerodynamic; presumably it’s not enough to shift the official 0.20 Cd, however, as Brabus would have said. The new look is also said to increase the range by seven per cent ‘on average in the speed range between 100 and 140km/h’. Which again feels very specific, though will be invaluable if it means the difference between making a motorway fast charger and not.
The rest is standard fare, really. This might be an EQS with reduced lift and an improved drag co-efficient, but it’s still a big, black Brabus on huge wheels and a 20mm suspension drop; it’s going to draw glances of some description - or the ‘Brabus 1-Second Wow Effect’, as it’s officially known. There’s a nose lift offered to raise the EQS back up again (and protect the carbon) as well as other wheels for those less concerned about outright efficiency and more worried about kerbs.
Naturally, any combination of interior and exterior colour a buyer might desire is possible (it doesn’t have to be black, honest), up to and including a velour boot mat with Brabus logo and leather edging. Of course. Those with less particular tastes might like to know this EQS is available to buy from Brabus now, priced at €173,889.94 - or £146,897.46. That makes it £30k more than any standard 450, albeit £10k less than any of the 53 models. So, if power really isn’t the be-all and end-all…
I like it.
Surely with not a huge difference in price, and already 450 mile range this has to kill off the S Class in time.
if you're in the market for a massively expensive and excruciating fast depreciating luxury saloon/limo, presumably you're not one of the angry middle aged clan who think EVs are their to take engines away so have an ideological aversion to all things electric.... so why drop 100 grand on an S Class when you could get one of these?* it's not like weight matters much in this segment either...
*not a Brabus one though, course.
I like it.
I like it.
Why do EVs have to look so anonymous? Almost as if mainstream manufacturers are embarrassed to be making them.
KIA EV6, Hyundai Ionic5, even the Mustang-E - all distinctly different looking cars, and no less "different" between brands as their ICE cousins.
Plus be definition they need to more efficient in terms of drag than ICE cars, because the powertrains can't match ICE for total stored energy potential, so they need to go further on the energy they do have. Can reasonably assume EVs have to pay more attention to the windtunnel then, but can still see enough variation out there despite that.
Quite like the look of this, to be fair
This is disappointing from Brabus; I thought they did crazy retrims? This really isn't pushing the envelope, and goes to show we are some way from 'modding' electric engines. Whilst again I like the looks, it's a little tragic it can't be backed up with better performance.
Out of curiosity, would any car that's been lowered be more efficient aerodynamically?
Why do EVs have to look so anonymous? Almost as if mainstream manufacturers are embarrassed to be making them.
KIA EV6, Hyundai Ionic5, even the Mustang-E - all distinctly different looking cars, and no less "different" between brands as their ICE cousins.
Plus be definition they need to more efficient in terms of drag than ICE cars, because the powertrains can't match ICE for total stored energy potential, so they need to go further on the energy they do have. Can reasonably assume EVs have to pay more attention to the windtunnel then, but can still see enough variation out there despite that.
Quite like the look of this, to be fair
.
If I do that journey every working day of the year, I'll get an extra 52x5x14=3640 miles. So roughly £8 a mile.
Lightyear 0
Sono Sion
Aptera
The claims made for them are at times borderline outrageous but the principle of ongoing replenishment via the sun deserves more exposure than the unimaginative failings of a tuning company.
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