Doorless desert racer features huge power, offers Dakar-winning pace but isn't road legal
Brabus has switched from hypercar-hustling impossibly-powerful super sedans to a new breed of off-road racer called that Brabus 900 Crawler.
Priced from an eye-watering €891,310 ($A1.3m) the famous German Benz tuner has announced it will make just 15 Brabus 900 Crawlers but none will be road legal.
That’s because despite looking loosely based on the current Mercedes-AMG G 63, the actual part-sharing occurring with the 900 Crawler is extremely limited.
Most of the body, for example, is made out of ultra-lightweight carbon-fibre while the ladder-frame chassis is completely bespoke and is closer to a racer than a road-dwelling off-roader.
That explains the lack of both doors and windows that leaves the stripped out interior and full-sized roll-cage exposed. Wide fenders, huge intakes, a bonnet scoop, an LED light bar and a large rear wing, plus side-mounted exhaust pipes all hint at the performance on tap, which is considerable.
Under the bonnet is the same twin-turbocharged 4.5-litre V8 engine that’s already used in 900-series Brabus models. In the 900 Crawler it produces an incredible 662kW and 1250Nm of torque.
Transmitting all its might through a nine-speed automatic transmission that channels power to all four wheels via up to three locking differentials, the high-riding Benz-powered dune buggy launches from rest to 100km/h in just 3.4 seconds – seriously impressive, although the top speed is tyre-limited to 160km/h.
Ensuring it has what it takes if it was ever entered in an all-terrain race, the 900 Crawler boasts a huge 530mm ground clearance, features portal axles, height-adjustable dampers, and big forged 20-inch Monoblock alloy wheels that are wrapped in Maxxis Razr off-road tyres.
Reigning in all its might are massive brakes that include 400mm discs on the front axles and big 370mm rotors on the rear.
Within the blustery cabin there’s four carbon-fibre-shelled race seats that are all wrapped in a special fabric developed by Brabus’ sport boats division.
Ahead of the driver is a fully digital instrument cluster that, presumably has been protected from dust, dirt and water. Instead of a traditional infotainment, there’s a 12-inch GPS navigation system that looks rally ready and is completely waterproof.
Brabus says it will off its 900 Crawler with four carbon-fibre crash helmets that are all linked with two-way communication system for free.
Releasing a video of the 900 Crawler flat out in a desert, the German brand has confirmed its wild Dakar-rally-bred off-roader is available to order now and priced from $1.3 million which means it sits above the equally-unhinged Brabus 800 XLP Superblack in tuner’s wild SUV line-up.
Keyword: Wild 662kW Brabus 900 Crawler dune buggy launches