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Brabus K8 Review

May 2005
Filed under: BRABUS Car News | BRABUS Headlines
Even more power for the Mercedes E 55: BRABUS lends the top-of- the-line E-Class model even more power. With BRABUS K8 performance tuning power output jumps to 530 hp / 390 kW while peak torque increases to 775 Nm. With an acceleratio time of just 4.3 seconds for 0 – 100 km/h and an electronically limited top speed of 320 km/h the E 55 sedan and wagon achieve performance on the level of purebred sports cars.

The BRABUS K8 performance kit for the supercharged V8 engine with 5.5-liters displacement comprises high-performance metal catalysts as well as modifications to the supercharger drive with the help of a custom vibration damper and new pulley for improved looping of the belt drive.
Power yield of the modified supercharged engine – like the five-speed automatic transmission and the custom BRABUS rear self-locking differential lubricated exclusively with ARAL high- performance lubricants – is extraordinary: Instead of standard 476 hp / 350 kW the engine delivers 530 hp / 390 kW at 6,400 rpm. Even more impressive is the peak torque of 775 Nm at just 3,000 rpm.

Upon customer request BRABUS also offers a rear axle shortened by 6 percent for the E 55. With its integrated self-locking differential it improves traction and driving dynamics.

After the BRABUS power treatment the E55 zooms to 100 km/h from rest in just 4.3 seconds, passes the 200 km/h mark after exactly 13.6 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 320 km/h.

For further optimization of directional stability at high speeds the BRABUS designers developed a carbon lip for the front spoiler which is attached to the production bumper of the E 55. Its aerodynamic counterpart in the rear of the sedan is the custom-developed BRABUS spoiler lip for the trunk lid, which reduces lift on the rear axle at high speeds.

The BRABUS side sills form an especially efficient aerodynamic transition between the
wheelhouses and come with an additional interesting and useful feature: Pushing a button on the keyless-entry remote or pulling on the inside door handles activates four LED lights integrated into the underside of each sill. These lights illuminate the ground next to the car and help avoiding unfortunate missteps into holes or puddles lurking in the dark.

The extreme top speed of the BRABUS-tuned E 55 necessitates modifications to tires, suspension and brakes. The electronically limited top speed of 320 km/h becomes possible by mounting Michelin Pilot Sport 2 high-performance tires with 19-inch diameters. The tires in sizes 255/35 ZR 19 in front and 285/30 ZR 19 on the rear axle are mounted on multi-piece BRABUS Monoblock VI light-alloy wheels in size 8.5Jx19 on the front axle and in size 9.5Jx19 in the rear.

The large wheels offer space for the installation of the BRABUS high-performance brake system with its 12-piston fixed calipers and vented and cross-drilled mega-sized discs measuring 375 x 36 mm on the front axle. The rear axle features vented and cross-drilled 355 x 28 mm discs with six- piston fixed calipers. The efficiency of the BRABUS brake system was documented in a test conducted by the German car magazine 'sport auto': From 200 km/h the E 55 with BRABUS high- performance brakes came to rest after precisely 135.7 meters – exactly 18.7 meters sooner than with production brakes.

To further increase the impressive driving dynamics of the E 55 BRABUS developed a special control module for the semi-active air suspension. It lowers the ride height by some 20 millimeters. BRABUS sport sway bars reduce body roll and improve turn-in.

The range of exclusive BRABUS interior accessories includes genuine-carbon sill plates with illuminated BRABUS logo, ergonomically shaped sport steering wheels and a speedometer with 360 km/h-scale.

For upgrading the COMAND system BRABUS offers the integration of a DVD changer and an Internet platform which is operated with the controls of the COMAND system. An optional DVB-T television tuner allows TV reception in areas exclusively served by digital broadcasts.

Upon request the company-own upholstery shop creates especially exclusive BRABUS interiors crafted from a combination of especially soft yet durable BRABUS Mastik and Alcantara leathers.

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