New Brabus XL 800 Cabrio is an open-air off-roader at a jaw-dropping price
Based on the current Mercedes-AMG G 63, bonkers 800bhp Brabus gets ‘Masterpiece’ interior and rear soft-top
Just when you thought the world couldn’t get any more crazy, Brabus pulls the covers off its new 800 Cabrio and XL 800 Cabrio. Based on the current-generation Mercedes-AMG G 63, the two models will be limited to 50 units apiece, and have tailor-made ‘Brabus Masterpiece’ luxury interiors.
Hacked open at the C-pillar, both versions feature a retractable soft-top roof, said to comprise “more than 500 specially developed components”. The top opens and closes electrically in 20 seconds to offer what Brabus calls “a unique open-air experience”.
An integrated carbon-fibre roof bow apparently “ensures a stable roof contour and optimised sound deadening”. At the rear, a steel roll bar “plays an equally crucial role”, according to its maker.
Each model features a wide-body conversion and bespoke 24-inch wheels. The standard 800 Cabrio is “primarily designed for on-road driving” and, as such, gets high-performance tyres and a lower ride height, plus exposed carbon elements on the bodywork. In contrast, with portal axles and 18.9 inches of ground clearance, the XL 800 Cabrio is “mainly designed for phenomenal off-road capabilities”.
Powering both cars is an uprated, 789bhp 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 derived from the one found in the existing AMG G 63. Maximum torque stands at 1,000Nm, allowing the 800 Cabrio to sprint from 0-62mph in four seconds flat and keep accelerating up to 150mph. The XL version, with its all-terrain tyres, completes the same dash in 4.6 seconds – presumably regardless of whether that’s on or off-road.
Inside, each model gets a “luxurious ambience in an extravagant colour scheme”, according to the maker, apparently trimmed in “the finest leather”. The headrests feature neck-level heating, so that passengers can “fully enjoy the open-air ride even in cold temperatures”.
The black Brabus 800 Cabrio in these pictures is priced at 761,500 euros (export price in Germany excluding 19 per cent VAT), which is equivalent to around £670,000 before tax. The brown XL 800 Cabrio costs 887,600 euros (again excluding VAT) – or around £780,000. That makes it at least £485,000 more than the current Mercedes-AMG G 63, which is available from around £185,000 through the Auto Express Buy A Car service.
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