A Mercedes-AMG GLS 63 is already a strange proposition. It’s a huge luxury SUV with three rows of seats, enough equipment to embarrass a limousine and performance that seems completely unnecessary for something this large.
BRABUS has decided it needs more.
The result is the 900 SUPERBLACK, a modified GLS with 900 hp, 1,250 Nm of torque and a claimed top speed of 330 km/h. Yes, 330 km/h. In a GLS.
That figure is arguably more surprising than the horsepower. Making a powerful SUV accelerate quickly is one thing. Persuading a vehicle of this size and shape to travel at supercar speeds is quite another.
BRABUS starts with the AMG’s twin-turbocharged V8, increasing its displacement to 4.4 litres. The extensive engine modifications produce 662 kW, or 900 hp.
The company quotes 3.6 seconds for the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h.
It’s an impressive result, although nobody buying a GLS is likely to complain that the standard AMG takes too long to reach motorway speeds.
The SUPERBLACK also receives substantial exterior changes.
There’s exposed carbon fibre, a more aggressive aerodynamic package and the familiar BRABUS approach to styling: if something can be made more dramatic, it probably will be.
The black finish ties everything together.
Unlike some tuning projects that combine several contrasting colours, this GLS relies on a deliberately monochromatic appearance. It’s hardly discreet, but at least the different components look like they belong to the same vehicle.
Inside, the focus shifts back towards luxury.
BRABUS offers its customary bespoke upholstery and extensive personalisation, allowing customers to specify materials, stitching and decorative details.
That’s important because the GLS isn’t a stripped-out performance car.
Its appeal comes from combining considerable interior space with the sort of equipment and comfort expected from an expensive Mercedes SUV.
And that’s where this conversion becomes interesting.
A 330 km/h top speed has almost no practical value for most owners. Even on unrestricted German autobahns, finding suitable conditions to approach that figure would be difficult.
But the performance isn’t really the whole point.
BRABUS customers are paying for something unusual, individually finished and considerably more exclusive than a standard showroom model.
The 900 SUPERBLACK delivers exactly that. Whether anyone actually needs a 900-hp family SUV is another question entirely.
Then again, nobody has ever accused BRABUS of building cars around what people strictly need.
