Brabus unveils 850-hp grocery getter

It wouldn't be the Essen Motor Show without German tuning house Brabus introducing its own versions of one or two of Mercedes-Benz cars, with borderline-unbelievable power figures. And this year the Bottrop-based outfit didn't disappoint, rolling out the Brabus 850 6.0 Biturbo based on the 2014 E63 AMG station wagon.

For starters, Brabus has increased the V8 engine's displacement from 5,461cc to 5,912cc, installing custom-made forged pistons and a precision balanced billet crankshaft, and replacing the stock turbos with ones of their own design featuring larger compressor units. Brabus has also added a carbon-fiber intake module, which includes a larger air filter box with an enlarged intake cross section. And Brabus has, of course, added its own stainless-steel sport exhaust, with a controlled butterfly valve. This allows the driver to choose between a "sport" mode which unleashes the full roar of the exhaust and a "coming home" mode which quiets the exhaust note. Brabus has also tweaked the electronic engine management system in the 850 6.0.

Brabus
The 850-hp biturbo V8 is the most powerful engine Brabus has fielded to date.

What kinds of power figures has this tuning effort yielded? How about 850 hp and 1,069 lb-ft of torque, up from an already eye-watering 585 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. The torque output, thankfully, is electronically limited to 848 lb-ft, lest someone hurt themselves, or the engine. The 0-62 mph time? 3.1 seconds, achievable in the all-wheel-drive 4Matic version of the wagon. The top speed, perhaps wisely, has been limited to "just" 186 mph unless you go for the high performance tires, which will take you all the way up to 217 mph. Remember when these figures were reserved for hypercars?

With the German horsepower wars still in full swing, you'd be forgiven for not noticing that this is actually the most powerful Brabus engine to date. And this tuning package is available both for the rear-wheel-drive and 4Matic E63 sedans and wagons. Brabus also offers slightly milder packages for the E63 AMG sedan and wagon, ranging from 620 hp to 730 hp, if an unrestricted autobahn is not available in your jurisdiction.

Brabus
The interior has received a few upgrades as well, including redesigned sport seats.

The Brabus 850 6.0 wouldn't be complete without exterior bits of Brabus' own design, including a front spoiler and a diffuser insert, in addition to a choice of 20-inch wheels of various designs. Interior upgrades, including redesigned sport seats, are also available.

We know what you're thinking: What about the fuel economy? Will I be able to make it between two gas stations located on autobahn exits without calling ADAC, Germany's version of AAA? The 850 6.0 returns the equivalent of 14 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on zee autobahn, which is actually pretty good for something that can outrun the vast majority of supercars from the last 15 years while hauling groceries in the back. Brabus hasn't released pricing, as each car's build will be a little different based on components ordered.

By Jay Ramey