While Mercedes is taking its time slowly developing a G-Class convertible, Brabus steals the initiative with a bold, yet eye-wateringly expensive alternative named the 800 Cabrio.
The SUV is based on Mercedes-AMG G 63 underpinnings and feature a unique soft top that the company claims comprises over 500 individual parts. While this sounds a bit over-the-top, the bulky cloth roof is capable of fully folding or unfolding within just 20 seconds – an impressive feat given the sheer size of the thing. Brabus claims that it also stays rigid and doesn’t lose shape even when moving at peak acceleration, which is 240 km/h (149 mph) for this particular build.
On the exterior side of things, the 800 Cabrio is immediately recognizable as a Brabus vehicle thanks to a Widestar body kit and 24-inch Monoblock ZM wheels shod in Hankook Ventus S1 Evo ZX tires. Customers can order any kind of interior overhaul they wish, and the engine under the hood gets massaged to 800 PS (789 hp / 588 kW) along with 1,000 Nm (738 lb-ft) of torque. A nine-speed automatic transmission takes the heavy machine from standstill to 100 km/h (62 mph) in four seconds flat.
And then there’s a special version called the 800 XL Cabrio. It benefits from heavy-duty portal axles, up to 480 mm (18.75 inches) of ground clearance and more conservatively sized 22-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain rubber. This one needs 4.6 seconds for the standard sprint and doesn’t run any faster than 210 km/h (130 mph), but it arguably doesn’t need to, either.
Only 50 examples of each will be made. The city-bound Brabus 800 Cabrio starts in Germany at the equivalent of U.S. $877,350, while its off-road-oriented XL cousin asks for $1,000,000 before any options.
