Brabus P 900 Rocket – Another Incredible “One of Ten”
Brabus is known for taking “normal” Teutonic cars and making them… well, more. More styling, more luxury, certainly more power, and more craftsmanship. Everything up to eleven. While all Brabus vehicles are special, some are certainly more special than others, and the Brabus “One of Ten” offerings always represent the pinnacle of what the studio is capable of. Over the years, Brabus has released many of these “One of Ten” vehicles, and as the name would suggest, they only build ten of them. An eye-poppingly high price tag goes with the territory, as do staggering horsepower numbers. Brabus doesn’t have a set theme for their “One of Tens;” there have been vehicles based on G Wagons, the AMG-GT, Mercedes sport sedans, and pickup trucks. This all brings us to the subject of our article today: the new Brabus P 900 Rocket, announced in September 2022.
The German Rocket
You could theoretically call this a G Wagon; it’s based on an extensively modified G 63, but you’d be hard pressed to find a stock Mercedes part on this vehicle after it leaves the Brabus atelier. Prior to the P 900, Brabus graced the world with the XLP, its spiritual predecessor. The work that Brabus puts in to create this pickup from a standard G Class is extreme, to say the least, and we’ve talked more about this in our past coverage dedicated to the XLP specifically – it’s well worth a read. Suffice it to say, the P 900’s G Wagon-meets-pickup-bed aesthetic is extremely unique by any metric.
In addition to being the latest vehicle in the “One of Ten” lineup, the P 900 is also the newest vehicle in the lineup to sport the “Rocket design language,” as Brabus puts it. In a nutshell, this translates to incorporating a variety of extra touches and details into their prolific Widestar body kit. In addition to the wide body styling, the P 900 sports ambiance lighting in the grill, bespoke carbon fiber trim pieces, and, for the first time, a transparent hood designed to show off the monster powerplant (more on that in a bit). Iconic “Rocket Red” accents adorn the exterior and interior of the vehicles Stunning, custom-forged 24” wheels are wrapped by low-profile tires. Brabus calls these wheels the Monoblock Z Aero-Discs, and they stand alone, even next to all of Brabus’ other bespoke wheels. Large vents sit right behind each wheel to help cool the brakes.
The Cockpit
There’s no other way to say it: the interior of the P 900 is absolutely a work of art. Those familiar with past “One of Ten” vehicles will note the numerous similarities that the interior of the P 900 shares with its forefathers, and this is not a bad thing at all. The first thing you’ll likely notice is the beautiful “seashell diamond” perforated upholstery that can be found throughout the cabin: on the seats, doors, and floor mats, to start with. So proud are they of the end result of the interior, that Brabus includes a leather patch on the seats with the name of the upholsterer. Apparently, every single plastic or metal trim piece, switch, or vent in the P 900 has been repainted or replaced with a bespoke Rocket Red piece, which looks stunning next to the stunning black leather. Even seemingly insignificant items like the door locks have been anodized.
The harder you look, the more details you’ll find, and going over every interesting feature that Brabus has incorporated into the cabin here could fill an article or two of its own. An illuminated sill plate lights up the Brabus logo each time you climb into the cabin. The clock in the center dash isn’t an ordinary automotive piece, it’s actually a real Panerai that has been fitted into the P 900. Even the brake and gas pedals sport the bright accent color and the Brabus logo. This is a world-class, masterwork of an interior, and it is completely fitting for such a rare and well-thought-out vehicle.
Under the PowerView Hood
It’s hard to say if Brabus is better known for their exterior styling, or their motor work. Certainly, all of the body work they do is to be marveled at; all of the custom-designed carbon fiber trim and panels are impressive to behold. But perhaps, the true wizardry of Brabus lies under the hood – the very heart of the Rocket, now on display underneath the transparent hood for all to see.
Like the other Brabus mills, this one is based on the massively successful Mercedes 4.0L twin-turbo V8, but like the rest of the vehicle, Brabus’ mechanics left no bolt unturned. For engine geeks, this is real cool stuff. Forged pistons and billet connecting rods have replaced the OEM components, allowing the motor to take more boost from the two modified turbochargers. The crankshaft has also been replaced with a billet-machined and balanced Brabus unit with an extra 100mm (just shy of 4 inches) of stroke built in, which takes the displacement up to 4.5 liters.
All of these extensive modifications bring the motor in the Rocket up to a staggering 900 horsepower and just about 921 pound-feet of torque. Do you see where Brabus gets their naming conventions from? When all of this is combined with a retuned ECU, this translates to an insane 3.7-second 0-60mph time and an electronically-limited top speed of 174 miles per hour.
Brabus also includes extensive exhaust work in order to help the motor breathe (and sound a little better, too). Beginning with the 75mm downpipe, a full exhaust system is provided, including a high-flow catalytic converter system. The P 900 also features the Brabus Sport Exhaust System, which allows for electronic control of the dampers so you can decide just how well you’d like to hear your Rocket motor. The side-exit exhausts are trimmed with carbon, and the Rocket ambiance lighting again makes an appearance here.
For the first time in Brabus’ history, they are showing off the motor with a transparent window in the hood, which they have dubbed the “PowerView.” Standard Mercedes engine covers and trim have been replaced with gorgeous, red woven carbon fiber pieces that are viewable through the window, along with a few polished stainless intake pieces, and perhaps a bit of a turbocharger or two. There’s also the mandatory Brabus badging, as well as a brass plate featuring the signature of the mechanic who built the engine. It’s great that Brabus is now giving their motors the visibility they deserve, and the PowerView hood is sure to bring much enjoyment to everyone when running their eyes over P 900 in person.
Brabus Does It Again
While most people will never get the opportunity to see any one of Brabus’ “One of Tens” in person, they are all remarkable accomplishments and masterworks in all facets of automotive design and construction. While its predecessor, the XLP, has a large focus on off-road performance, the P 900 differs a little bit, in that it is essentially only geared towards being a lean, mean, street machine. Brabus even says so, describing it as a combination of the above and a “track-ready supercar.” While most of these will likely live in garages due to their price (oh, pricing on these starts north of $600,000, if you were wondering) and rarity, these would be great daily drivers for those bold enough to use their car as intended. The Brabus P 900 Rocket is an exceedingly worthy entry in the lineup and a reminder of just what Brabus is capable of at their very best. One for the record books, you might say.
