BRABUS 800 E V12 Cabriolet

Brabus, the German tuning firm who exclusively modify Mercedes vehicles, have now turned their attention to the E-Class convertible. In the process they’ve created one of the world’s fastest and most powerful convertibles on the market. The car’s name, the BRABUS 800 E V12 Cabriolet, kinda gives away its engine configuration, and also its power output.

The v12 engine was lifted from a Mercedes-Benz S 600, but before placing it in the E-Class cabriolet Brabus’ engineers upgraded many of the internal components. The engine has a new crankshaft which allows for a longer stroke, larger pistons, optimized-flow cylinder heads, and sports camshafts. Due  to the increased stroke and bore, the V12′s displacement has been increased from 5.5 litres to 6.3 litres.

In addition to the engine’s new guts, it has also been treated to special exhaust manifolds with integrated turbos which offer a more efficient turbocharging process, four intercoolers, a new ram-air intake manifold, and a stainless steel high-performance exhaust. Thanks to these comprehensive upgrades, the Brabus 800 E V12 Cabriolet’s engine produces 800 horsepower – an improvement of 290HP over the standard 5.5 litre V12 on which it is based.

The transmission is a 5-speed automatic unit which has been reinforced to cope with the extra grunt. A Brabus high-performance limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40 per cent is also fitted.

Due to these extensive enhancements, the Brabus 800 E V12 Cabriolet can reach 62 mph (100km/h) in 3.7 seconds. The top speed is a truly ridiculous 231 mph (370 km/h).

Brabus have made sure the 800 E V12 Cabriolet advertises its performance credentials for all to see. That means they aren’t shy about letting everyone know this isn’t just a bog-standard E-Class Cabriolet. The changes start at the front, where a wind-tunnel optimised front apron directs cooling air to the car’s radiators and front brakes. The LED driving lights also help the car stand out, as do the gloss-black wheels and matt-black paint over the rear wheel arches.

For improved stability at extremely high speeds, and to further increase cornering speeds, Brabus has widened the body of the E-Class Cabriolet. Newly designed front sport fenders increase the track and allow the installation of ultra-wide 9.5Jx19 wheels mounted with size 265/30 ZR 19 tires.

Special carbon-fiber rear fender flares add 60 millimeters (2.4 inches) to the width of the BRABUS E V12 Cabriolet. They create space for ten-inch wide wheels mounted with high-performance tires up to size 295/30 ZR 19.

Special suspension components were custom-designed for the front and rear axle of the BRABUS E V12 Cabriolet. They provide a much wider range of individual suspension settings. These components are joined by a BRABUS coil-over suspension calibrated to the higher engine weight. The suspension was developed together with Bilstein and features ten selectable settings for bound and rebound front and back. The ride height can also be adjusted by up to 35 millimeters to suit each driver’s personal preferences.

The first example of the Brabus 800 E V12 Cabriolet was unveiled at BRABUS Middle East in Dubai – the company’s own branch in the United Arab Emirates.