The V12 engine still lives in the Mercedes-Maybach S680. Its V12 engine makes 621 horsepower, which wasn’t enough for Brabus. The aftermarket specialist has launched the Mercedes-Maybach Brabus 850, radically upgrading the engine.
Under the hood, Brabus cranked everything up. It increased the twin-turbocharged engine’s displacement from 6.0 to 6.3 liters with a larger bore. The engine has forged pistons, a custom billet crankshaft, and new connecting rods.
Larger turbochargers also help the Mercedes-Maybach make more power, increasing the V12 engine’s output to 850 horsepower and 1,033 pound-feet of torque, but Brabus dials down the twist to 811 lb-ft to protect the car’s nine-speed automatic gearbox and the all-wheel-drive system.
It has two special air filter housings that gulp air via two newly designed air ducts through the radiator grille. New maps improve the vehicle’s injection, ignition, and boost control functions. Brabus claims the four-seat luxury sedan can sprint to 62 miles per hour in 4.1 seconds. It can reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
Brabus also enhanced the car’s appearance with a carbon-fiber aerodynamic package with a high-gloss or matte finish. It has a new front lip spoiler, side air intake surrounds, and an exposed-carbon rear diffuser with cutouts for the tailpipes from the new exhaust system. The tuner fitted the car with stainless high-performance pipes with actively controlled butterfly valves that adjust the sound level.
Sitting at all four corners are black, 10-spoke, 22-inch Monoblock Z Platinum Edition wheels. They measure 9.5 inches wide at the front and 10 inches at the back. They sit tucked under the Maybach’s fenders thanks to the tuner’s SportXtra control module for the air suspension, which lowers the car’s ride height by up to 0.8 inches.
Brabus’ love of carbon carries over to the car’s cabin. The material accents the steering wheel, dashboard, center console, and door panels. Even the pedals have pads made from the stuff. The aftermarket specialist finished this example with a dark gray leather and Dinamica microfiber interior. However, the company offers its customers a wide array of colors, materials, and finishes in its custom builds.
This example retails for 470,000 euros ($515,016 at today’s exchange rate). The 2023 Mercedes-Maybach S680 starts at $229,000.
