No, this is not a G-Class! At least not officially. Because what at first glance looks like a gutted and doped G 63 is the Brabus 900 Crawler – the first vehicle of the Bottrop-based Mercedes specialist. The crawler has 900 hp, costs almost 900,000 euros but is not street legal!
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In co-operation with
Even if the full carbon front with the gigantic nostrils on the hood is obviously based on the G-Class, the chassis is completely new. The tubular steel frame was specially developed for the crawler, and a body made of carbon fiber stretches over it, revealing more than it hides. The portal axles (independent wheel suspension at the front, rigid axle at the rear) basically come from the pick-up project 800 Adventure XLP, but have been further developed for the crawler. Adjustable spring struts and shock absorbers ensure a maximum ground clearance of 53 centimeters. According to its own statement, the Crawler is the most off-road vehicle from Brabus and that’s saying something, after all Brabus has also refined the G 63 6×6.
Three quarters desert buggy, one quarter G-Class: The rear lights come from the large series, almost everything else was developed for the crawler.
Over 30 centimeters higher than a G-Class
To get a better feel for the sheer size of the crawler, it’s worth taking a look at the dimensions: at 4.62 meters in length, the off-road vehicle is slightly shorter than a G 63 (4.82 meters with a spare wheel). However, it gets extreme when it comes to width and height: the crawler is 2.11 meters wide (G 63 1.94 meters) and 2.34 meters high (G 63 1.97 meters). This in turn is partly due to the portal axles, which require an elevated mounting position for the transmission and engine.
More is not possible: 900 hp is currently the most powerful version of the V8 biturbo at Brabus.
V8 biturbo with 900 hp and 1250 Nm
And while we’re on the subject of the engine, the Crawler contains the strongest Brabus expansion stage, which we already know from the “normal” G-Class conversions. It is based on the 4.0-liter V8 biturbo, which Brabus has increased to 4.5 liters. Forged pistons, special connecting rods, larger turbochargers, downpipes and more push the performance to an unbelievable 900 hp and 1250 Nm. Out of consideration for the nine-speed automatic transmission, however, the maximum torque has to be electronically limited to 1050 Nm.
We know the steering wheel and widescreen cockpit. Otherwise, the “interior” is very spartan. There’s not even a windshield.
Since the lack of doors and windows (the Crawler also has no windscreen!) and the large-scale use of carbon means that almost 600 kilos can be saved compared to a normal G-Class, the 2065-kilo crawler should move really quickly. The monster should only need 3.4 seconds for the sprint to 100 km/h. Due to the short translation, however, the top speed is already 160 km/h. However, that should be enough for the desert, especially without doors and windows.
Four individual seats: The carbon bucket seats are covered with special Marine Silvertex. A material that Brabus has tested in boat construction.
The crawler has its own intercom so that the occupants can still communicate at full throttle. The front passenger also gets a twelve-inch screen including GPS off-road navigation. There are a total of four individual seats in both the first and second rows, which are covered with Marine Silvertex, a material that Brabus has tested in its boats.
Base price of the crawler: 749,000 euros net
The only question that remains is the price – and it is steep. The crawler costs 749,000 euros net. In Germany, this corresponds to 891,310 euros gross, although it must be said that you can only do something with the crawler in this country, since the off-road device – unsurprisingly – is not street legal. The crawler, which is limited to 15 pieces, may only be moved on a closed track and what could be better than the desert?
