Brabus Forgot A Key Element Of Its Craziest G-Class Off-Roader Yet

A G63 with portal axles to give it monstrous ground clearance, along with much more horsepower than standard, and a carbon fiber body kit.A G63 with portal axles to give it monstrous ground clearance, along with much more horsepower than standard, and a carbon fiber body kit.

A standard G 63 delivers just under 10 inches of ground clearance. The absurd factory 4x4 Squared model gets portal axles of its own that take it up to 13.8 inches of space between the ground and the bottom of the SUV. Brabus jacked the XL 800 up to 18.5 inches of ground clearance.

This monster of an off-roader's capability starts with Brabus-designed billet aluminum portal axles. Portals add a set of gears in the hub, so the shaft that turns the wheel sits several inches below the axle shaft coming from the differential. It raises ground clearance in a better way because the entire driveline is now higher off the ground. The gears also normally add even more torque multiplication, making rock crawling even easier.

Then the company replaced the entire front suspension. A completely new independent front suspension adds articulation for better off-road performance. The rear axle has a beefed-up housing, and the suspension links are stronger than Mercedes factory parts. While owners might never take this expensive super-SUV off-road, they certainly should be able to with confidence.

Two new turbochargers that make more boost, along with new engine management tuning, help boost horsepower for the 800 XL. A standard G63 makes 577 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque, the Brabus XL 800 makes 788 hp and 737 lb-ft of torque, pushing the 4.0-liter V8 to the max.

All the extra power means the XL 800 can do 0-62 mph in 4.6 seconds. Despite the promise of the giant rear wing, the big SUV tops out at 130 mph, due to the off-road tires.

Even the tailpipes have carbon fiber on this one. Along with red lights to really make the side-pipes pop. There are different levels of sound for the active exhaust, with quiet Coming Home mode and the screw the neighbors Sport position to let it sing.

Brabus adds its own grille and hood, as well as a wind deflector above the front glass. All, of course, are carbon fiber. A Carbon Package adds even more of the composite material, including behind the arches, on the rub strips, and the mirror covers. There are some convenience features for this big SUV. The rear doors open wider thanks to the company's own hinges. It also has power-operated side steps.

Brabus reworks the interior of its special SUVs. They get more carbon fiber trim and illuminated scuff plates. They also add the company's own special leather to most of the cabin's surfaces, with special quilting.

There's just one thing missing from this off-roader, at least if you plan on actually using it. There's no spare. Brabus has removed the signature rear door spare tire, probably because of size and weight, and replaced it with a cover plate. Along with the extra-tall ride height, it makes the G look stubby in length. Like you're actually looking at a Jimny-based copy.

Brabus wants €630,000 for the one in the photo, which is about $715,000. You can build your own to almost any specification imaginable, though the price will change along with your demands.