TUNING WITH WARRANTY

The BRABUS Tuning Program for the new Mercedes M-Class will debut at the 2011 Essen Motor Show. Exclusive, individual and ecofriendly strong in compliance with Euro VI emission standards: these three attributes best describe the latest BRABUS tuning program.

From a visual standpoint the SUV receives an upgrade with a sporty yet elegant aerodynamic-enhancement program and custom-tailored Monoblock wheels with diameters of up to 22 inches. The program also includes engine tuning for the ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC that is as powerful as it is ecofriendly. Further on offer are stainless-steel sport exhaust systems for all models and striking interior designs including an all-leather interior in any desired color. The German tuning company backs all components with the one-of-a-kind BRABUS Tuning Warranty of three years, up to 100,000 kilometers.

Designers have developed new sill skirts which combine elegant design with a safety feature: entrance lights integrated into the underside are activated by pulling on a door handle or by pushing the unlock button on the keyless remote. Depending on the type of engine the rear fascia comes with a cutout on the left or with a cutout on either side to provide the perfect backdrop for the dual or quad sport exhaust system. A rear spoiler that attaches to the liftgate will be available in the near future.

The suspension components, developed in cooperation with BILSTEIN, are specifically calibrated to the tire/wheel combination. For vehicles with conventional steel suspension BRABUS offers a choice of sport springs for a ride-height lowering by some 30 millimeters (1.2 inches). For vehicles with AIRMATIC air suspension the suspension engineers have developed a custom control module that lowers the ride height of the SUV by some 30 - 40 millimeters.

For the V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine of the ML 350 BlueTEC 4MATIC the engine specialists have developed the BRABUS ECO PowerXtra D6S performance kit that falls into the same EURO VI emissions class as the production car. The plug-and-play auxiliary control unit is integrated into the CAN bus of the SUV. The mapping was calibrated specifically to the ecofriendly BlueTEC concept that uses AdBlue reactant to purify exhaust gases.

The performance kit bumps peak torque from standard 620Nm to 690Nm, available on a plateau between 1,600 and 2,400rpm. At the same time maximum power output jumps from 258hp to 306hp at just 3,600 rpm. With a sprint time of just 6.0 seconds the SUV takes exactly 1.4 seconds less for the sprint from 0 to 100km/h than the production car. Top speed increases to 229km/h. To control this power BRABUS offers a high-performance brake system normally reserved for purebred sports cars.

Yet another particular specialty are exclusive interior options: bi-color stainless-steel scuff plates with backlit BRABUS logo as well as matte-anodized aluminum pedals, door-lock pins and foot rest are part of the refinement repertoire as well a full leather upholstery of the finest Mastik leather and Alcantara. In addition, there are exotic-wood and carbon-fiber trim sets in any desired color and with a variety of surfaces from open-pored and matte to high-gloss finishes.