V12 G-Wgen BRABUS

Ain't nothin' but a G thang: BRABUS to show twin-turbo V12 Gelandewagen in Geneva

Welcome to the year of the G-Wagen. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, the mainstay of Mercedes' sport-ute line-up has reason to celebrate, and friends to celebrate with. Mercedes itself has released a pair of special-edition Geländewagens to mark the occasion. Floridian Benz tuning house RENNtech is toying with a special G of its own. And now BRABUS is preparing to storm the Geneva Motor Show with its own modified G-Class, and the stats are mind-boggling.

We'll start with the good stuff: BRABUS has dropped in the twin-turbo V12 from the Mercedes S600, but bored out from a prodigious 5.5 liters to a gargantuan 6.3. With the help of a new crankshaft, cylinder heads, custom exhaust, optimized intercooler and bigger turbos, the Brabus G V12 S Biturbo pumps out a whopping 700 horsepower and even more jaw-dropping 973 lb-ft of torque from just 2,100 rpm. Driving through a retuned five-speed automatic and all-wheel-drive, all that power and twist is enough to propel the beast to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 4.3 seconds. And though the top end is electronically limited to 150 mph, BRABUS says its monster, despite having the aerodynamic profile of a Panzer with a parachute, could hit 163. Custom aero kit, lighting, wheels and electronics round out the package for a sticker price that may be the most mind-boggling number of all: 379,000 Euros, or about $483,000 in American greenbacks. You're on your own at the fuel pumps, though.