Brabus 900 XLP “One of Ten” – The Ultimate Pickup for G Class Enthusiasts
Pickup trucks are truly vehicles that you can have any which way you’d like. From clapped out work trucks used to pull your horse trailer, to souped-up performance desert cruisers like the Roush Raptor or the Raptor R, you can have a truck tailored to meet any mission and comfort level you desire. Usually, there would have to be some compromises made; you could get all the luxury bells and whistles, but might have to settle for a more anemic engine. Or, you could a big-horsepower monster, but the interior would still be relatively spartan. Either way, the phrases “pickup truck” and “Mercedez-Benz” don’t often occupy the same sentence. Enter the new, exclusive Brabus 900 XLP “One of Ten.”
You are likely already familiar with some of Brabus’ other creations; these Teutonic wizards have been working their magic and churning out a litany hot-rodded Mercedes-Benzes for 45 years. Some of their most widely-known platforms have been the stalwart G Class, their limited-edition “Rocket 900” AMG GT, and they’ve even given the lowly Smart Fortwo the Brabus treatment as well. They build out just about every passenger vehicle that comes out of the Mercedes factory. The 900 XLP “One of Ten” is another extremely limited offering, and as the name suggests, only ten will ever be made. While it might look roughly similar to a contemporary G 63 AMG on the outside, that’s about as far as the similarities go. Brabus has thrown every thing they can at the XLP, and the end result just might be the most impressive (and capable) pickup of all time.
Extensive Modifications Inside and Out
As stated, the Brabus 900 XLP is loosely based on a production Mercedes-Benz G 63 AMG. You might notice one glaring difference, however; there’s a pickup bed. Once you notice that, you’ll notice another difference. And then another. And then another… In fact… it’s really tough to say what hasn’t been touched or modified in some way. Overall, the XLP is over 27” longer than a standard G Wagon to accommodate the bed. Much like the older Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet, this also means that the wheelbase has been stretched by over 20”. To call the 900 XLP imposing is an understatement.
Brabus’ “Widestar” body styling adds a tremendous amount of presence and toughness to the looks of the vehicle, with all of the carbon fiber you’d expect dripping off of every vent and panel. Offroad-inspired bumpers front and rear provide extra clearance, and they’ve even included a winch! A full-length bespoke roof rack (complete with auxiliary LED lights), portal axles, and 22” forged Monoblock wheels truly lend this the style and capability that you’d expect from a world-class vehicle, both on and off the pavement.
Of course, there’s plenty of other other one-off touches you won’t find on any other G Class or truck. The custom carbon-fiber adorned exhaust tips exit from the sides of the vehicle, Dodge Viper-style. These, and numerous other suspension components (along with the wheels) are also painted, anodized, or powder coated to contrast the paint color and provide a nice pop of color under the chassis. There’s also no shortage of Brabus badging and logos thoughtfully placed throughout the bodywork.
The Rocket 900
You may recall some famous songs about the storied Oldsmobile Rocket 88 engine, a fast and very desirable motor in cars for decades in the mid-20th century. While there are no similarities other than in name here, the Brabus Rocket 900 that’s under the hood of the XLP is a literally-named legend in it’s own right. Brabus souped up a 4.5L Mercedes V8 motor with twin turbos, culminating in an insane 900 horsepower output with an electronically-limited 775 pound-feet of torque. That’s right – almost as much power as a Bugatti Veyron, in a four-door truck with a bed that weights four tons.
All of this power is good enough to make it one of the fastest pickups in history, with a top speed of 130mph – again, limited by electronics. And although the XLP weighs an ungodly amount (with a fully-loaded weight of over eight thousand pounds), it’s still good for a 0-60mph time of just 4.4 seconds. The reason for the electronic limiters is the all-terrain tires, so it’s fair to assume there’s still a substantial amount of performance to be unlocked should one ever desire to throw a set of street tires on their 900 XLP.
A Special Interior for a Special Vehicle
As you’d imagine, Brabus has spared absolutely no expense on creating a custom, luxury interior for the ten special XLPs. In fact, the 900 XLP arguably has the best interior of any of the special, ultra-exclusive G Wagon spin-offs we’ve seen to date. Every square inch has been reworked and improved, and the most notable detail is the “seashell diamond quilting” pattern applied to the new leather on the seats, foot wells, and doors. It’s beautiful and a very uncommon pattern. Instead of opting for contrast stitching (a trendy option these days), matching black piping and stitching creates a rich, sumptuous appearance inside the cockpit.
According to Brabus, “over 206 individual cockpit elements including trim panels, handles, switches, speaker covers” have been given their Rocket Red treatment. Practically speaking, this means that essentially every metal or plastic piece inside the cabin is a rich, chrome red, which matches the suspension components as well as the new external trim. The colorway carries over to the gauges as well. In addition to simply color-matching existing Mercedes parts, there are also plenty of exclusive, aluminum Brabus parts as well, including a set of paddle shifters, locking hardware, and gas and brake pedals.
One of Ten
Brabus vehicles are already known for their exclusivity, and with only ten of these XLP pickups hitting the market, these are sure to go quickly and remain coveted, much like the the G 650 Landaulet. With a starting price of around $658,625, the XLPs are for a certain kind of customer; one who can only have the most exclusive of the highest-quality vehicles money can buy. It’s very clear that Brabus didn’t just phone it in with this offering in their “One of Ten” series, and that every aspect of this most insane pickup received a great amount of thought and consideration. There are no compromises made with the Brabus 900 XLP, and in this day and age, that tells you everything you’d need to know..
