The Mercedes-Benz G-Class — née Geländewagen, a.k.a the G-Wagen — doesn’t need much in the way of improvements. The all-new model that went on sale in late 2018 and early 2019 is one of the best all-around vehicles on sale today, offering the performance of a muscle car, the comfort of a luxury sedan, and the go-anywhere capabilities of an off-roader. It’s the sort of vehicle other cars aspire to be — and other carmakers aspire to create.
But just because something doesn’t need to be changed doesn’t mean people won’t take a crack at it. The brave folks at Brabus, long experienced in adding capability to Mercedes-Benz models that don’t need any more of it, have decided to take the G-Class to the next level by converting a Mercedes-AMG G63 into a four-door pickup truck…with a quadcopter drone that flies out of its bed.
Of course, Brabus stuffed more power under the hood of the vehicle they’re calling the 800 Adventure XLP, too. The familiar 4.0-liter twin-turbo V8 has been dialed up to make 789 horsepower, same as the Ferrari 812 Superfast; between that and the 737 pound-feet of torque, the tuning shop says this Goliath will sprint from 0 to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 130 miles per hour, should you care about the bonkers straight-line specs of this machine.
But the marquee attraction is the bed situated out back. To accommodate it, the wheelbase was stretched by 20 inches, producing a vehicle that’s nearly two and a half feet longer than a stock G-Class. The walls of the bed are made from carbon composite, while the rear bulkhead that separates it from the cabin is a sheet of steel; the bed itself, however, is floored with teak panels like a yacht.
Of course, you’ll only be able to get a good look at that fancy floor when the bed isn’t holding the Wingcopter drone that docks there like a helicopter on the stern of an Aegis cruiser. The quadcopter’s tilt-rotor design (like a V-22 Osprey) means it’s capable of hitting 150 miles per hour and traveling up to 75 miles on a charge; it can even carry up to 13 pounds of cargo. Brabus says this makes it perfect for search and rescue missions and the like, but let’s face it, the buyers of this rig are more likely to use it to fetch coffee from Starbucks.
In spite of the added length, the off-road capabilities should be even better than those of the stock G-Class, thanks to a revised suspension that includes portal axles like those found on the G550 4×4² that Mercedes (incredibly) sold for a brief time. As a result, it packs a stunning 19.2 inches of ground clearance, enabling it to hop over obstacles that would disembowel a humble Wrangler or Land Cruiser.
The Brabus 800 Adventure XLP is set to make its formal debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, clad in silver matte paint and boasting a burned oak leather interior. If you fall in love with the one seen at the show, you can take it home for a mere €666,386 (about $725,500). If that’s a little too rich for your blood — but just a little — you can order your own for as little as €389,831 (~$424,000).
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