Yahoo Autos The Brabus 900 Crawler Is a 900-HP Dune Buggy for the Unhinged
We expect a certain level of madness from longtime Mercedes tuner Brabus, but this is on an entirely different plane of lunacy. The Brabus Crawler 900 is a 900-horsepower dune buggy based very loosely on a G-Wagen. I say loosely because it has its own custom tube-frame chassis with portal axles and 40-inch tires, and all-carbon-fiber bodywork. And did I mention that it makes 900 horsepower?
The engine is a tuned version of AMG's familiar twin-turbo V-8, bumped from 4.0 to 4.4 liters and fitted with custom Brabus internals and new turbochargers. At 4553 pounds, the Crawler is substantially lighter than a G63, and Brabus says it'll run from 0-62 mph in an astounding 3.4 seconds. Top speed is limited t0 99 mph, however, because of the off-road tires. That seems reasonable.... which you can't say about anything else here.
Brabus appears to be using the G-Wagen's familiar permanent all-wheel drive with its three locking differentials, and a 9-speed Mercedes gearbox. Though retrimmed, the steering wheel and some other interior components are clearly from the G-Wagen, too. But there's not much else. Instead, you get four carbon-fiber bucket seats trimmed with quilted leather in the otherwise spartan interior.
The chassis consists of components designed in-house by Brabus, though the Crawler maintains the G-Wagen's independent front-, solid rear-axle layout. Portal axles and 40-inch tires give the Crawler an impressive 20.9 inches of ground clearance. For reference, the new GMC Hummer, with air suspension in its highest setting, offers 15.9 inches of ground clearance. Essentially, it should be unstoppable.
It's unfortunate, but perhaps unsurprising, that the Crawler is not street legal. Still, its home is in the desert, so that shouldn't be an issue. Brabus will make just 15 examples of the Crawler through 2024, with an asking price of €749,000 ($791,000 at today's exchange rate). It'll make a G63 6x6 seem common.
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