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Brabus showcases 1,500 horsepower at the Dubai Motor Show with just two cars

If the thought to purchase a nearly-900-horsepower mega-sedan never crossed your mind, that's about to change.

Andrew Krok Reviews Editor / Cars
Cars are Andrew's jam, as is strawberry. After spending years as a regular ol' car fanatic, he started working his way through the echelons of the automotive industry, starting out as social-media director of a small European-focused garage outside of Chicago. From there, he moved to the editorial side, penning several written features in Total 911 Magazine before becoming a full-time auto writer, first for a local Chicago outlet and then for CNET Cars.
Andrew Krok
2 min read
Brabus Rocket 900 Desert Gold Edition
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Brabus Rocket 900 Desert Gold Edition

You don't really need gold-trimmed air vents, but that's not the point.

Brabus

The Dubai International Motor Show is about more than just your garden-variety automaker offerings. With the sheer amount of cash being thrown around that region, there are a great many buyers looking for something with more of a personalized touch. Brabus is there to fill that slot -- the aftermarket company has long made ridiculous versions of standard European luxury cars, and its two latest offerings are no exception.

First up is the Brabus Rocket 900 Desert Gold Edition. The name isn't the only thing that's big. Whereas a standard Mercedes-AMG S65 puts out 621 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, the Rocket 900 spits an astounding 887 hp and 1,106 pound-feet. The Rocket 900 is also rear-wheel-drive-only, because Mercedes-AMG's all-wheel-drive system is incapable of handling all that forward thrust.

Inside, the Rocket 900 is positively opulent. If you love gold, you're going to love this car, because everything from the air vents to the infotainment controller is decked out in the shiny stuff. The seats also feature gold lining and sport a new diamond-stitching pattern. Even the floor mats look thick and soft. If there is any vehicle out there that stands as a testament to mankind's desire for precious metals, you'd be hard-pressed to choose anything but the Rocket 900 Desert Gold Edition.

Brabus rolls out some extremely high-horsepower cars at the Dubai Motor Show (pictures)

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Things are ever so slightly tamer with Brabus' other Dubai debut, the Brabus 700 Coupe. The tuner starts with a bone-stock Mercedes-AMG GLE63 S Coupe, the automaker's answer to the BMW X6 M. Brabus adds 114 horsepower to the mix, pulling a surprising 690 hp and 708 lb-ft from the 5.5-liter, eight-cylinder engine. There are plenty exterior aesthetic enhancements, as well, including wheels and aerodynamic baubles, most of which are carbon fiber.

The 700 Coupe's interior is a bit less subtle than its exterior. There's no gold this time around, but there are a large number of bright blue elements, from steering wheel trim to the square-stitched leather seats. Even the door panels are swathed in that checkboard pattern.

Even better, if that's not enough power for you, Brabus will up the Coupe's output to 838 hp and 1,069 pound-feet. It only drops the 0-62 time by two tenths of a second, but don't forget, you're doing this all in a luxury crossover. And people said the automobile's prime is behind us. Show them one of these cars, taste depending, and they might change their tune.

Brabus 700 Coupe
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Brabus 700 Coupe
Brabus