Benz-based Brabus B63-620 ‘Widestar:’ In case you really must have a 611hp, 174mph SUV

By Stephen Edelstein Published June 3, 2013

When one thinks of automotive excess, it’s easy to gravitate toward exotic supercars. However, supercars can only do one thing, go absurdly fast, and that doesn’t seem very excessive – or very practical.

What about a car that is absurdly fast and does lots of other things?

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The Brabus B63-620 Widestar may sound like it’s named after a motorhome, but it’s actually a souped-up version of the already insane Mercedes-Benz GL63 AMG.

Brabus is an independent tuner specializing in Mercedes vehicles, but looking at the stock GL63’s specs, it seems like the engineers in Stuttgart had beat Brabus to the punch.

The stock GL63 AMG has a 5.5-liter twin-turbocharged V8, with 550 horsepower and 560 pound-feet of torque. Does anyone need that much power in their seven-passenger SUV? Probably not.

They probably don’t need to go terribly fast, either, yet the stock GL63 AMG will do 0 to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and reach an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph.

So what could Brabus possibly have done to improve this beast? Simple: give it more power.

Thanks to Brabus’ PowerXtra software, the V8 now produces 611 hp. The 0 to 60 mph time drops to 4.7 seconds, and the electronic limiter is disengaged. Now the B63-620 will romp to 174 mph.

In fact, everything about this SUV from hell is as brash as that engine. “Widestar” definitely describes the Brabus body kit (its maker says it also reduces front end lift) and 23-inch forged alloy wheels. At least unsuspecting 911 drivers will get a fair warning.

The Widestar will also announce its presence with a modified exhaust system. Butterfly valves open at speed to let it roar, and a “Coming Home” mode reduces sound levels while puttering around town. Nice of them.

Brabus isn’t discussing pricing or availability, but expect it to cost significantly more than any other GL-Class SUV. Either way, we’re sure the reasons buyers will come up with to justify the purchase of a 174 mph SUV will be priceless.

Do you want a seven-passenger SUV with 611 hp in your life? Why? Please tell us in the comments.

Stephen Edelstein

Contributing Editor

Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…

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