German tuner Brabus is known for taking Mercedes-Benz cars to new extremes, but can you really improve on the Mercedes-AMG S65 convertible and its 621-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V12 engine?
Yes, you can. Brabus turned the S65 into the aptly named Rocket 900, which the company claims is the world’s fastest and most powerful convertible. That should make Brabus’ latest creation the enemy of toupee wearers everywhere.
The V12 now produces 888hp, while torque is up from the original 738 pound-feet to 885 lb-ft. Brabus claims the engine can actually muster a ludicrous 1,106 lb-ft, but it installed an electronic muzzle in the name of reliability. To achieve that increase in power, Brabus increased displacement to 6.3 liters, added larger turbochargers, and changed the exhaust manifolds, cooling system, and control software.
Power goes to the rear wheels through a modified version of the seven-speed automatic transmission from the stock S65; Brabus reinforced it to handle the extra power. The Rocket 900 Cabrio also features a custom limited-slip differential for better traction, and an active exhaust system that switches between a neighbor-friendly quiet mode, and a loud mode that unleashes the V12’s full fury.
Brabus claims the Rocket 900 Cabrio will do 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds, beating the stock S65 convertible by 0.2 second. The top speed of 217 mph not only blows away the stock version’s electronically enforced 155-mph limit (186 mph with an optional package), but equals the top speed of the Ferrari LeFerrari Aperta convertible. Brabus may have fudged its “world’s fastest claim” just a bit, as the Rocket 900 doesn’t appear to be faster than the Ferrari.
Given the performance on tap, visual modifications are relatively subtle. The Rocket 900 Cabrio wears a tasteful body kit, and sits 0.6 inch closer to the ground than the standard S65. The only real bling in evidence is the set of 21-inch wheels (22-inch rims are optional). Brabus also tweaked the interior, mostly by adding trim pieces bearing its name and logo. The speedometer now goes up to 250 mph.
The Brabus Rocket 900 Cabrio debuts later this month at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Mercedes is expected to unveil an updated version of the S65 convertible at the same show, with the same changes that debuted on the 2018 S-Class sedan earlier this year.
