Mercedes-Benz M-Class 2012 by Brabus

Brabus has arrived at this year's Essen Motor Show with a new tuning program for the latest generation of Mercedes-Benz's M-Class SUV.

Starting with the visual upgrades, the German tuner has developed a comprehensive aero package that includes a front apron, side skirts, a front fender attachment with an illuminated Brabus logo, a rear apron with a diffuser and an available roof spoiler.

Customers can order alloy rims in diameters ranging from 18 to 22 inches with a choice of Continental, Pirelli or Yokohama performance tires up to size 295/30 ZR 22 front and back for all wheels.

For the interior, Brabus offers numerous options such as bi-color stainless-steel scuff plates with backlit BRABUS logo, matte-anodized aluminum pedals, door-lock pins and foot rest, leather or Alcantara seats, and a choice of exotic-wood or carbon-fiber trim sets in all sorts of colors and surfaces.

Under the sheetmetal, the German tuner has worked with Bilstein to develop two suspension options. For models equipped with a conventional steel suspension, there's a choice of sport springs for a ride-height lowering by up to 30 millimeters (1.2 inches), while for M-Class vehicles featuring the AIRMATIC air suspension, the firm's engineers developed a custom control module that lowers the ride height of the SUV by some 30 – 40 millimeters (1.2 – 1.6 inches)

All M-Class models can be fitted with a high-performance braking system that comprises of six-piston fixed aluminum calipers with vented and cross-drilled discs measuring 405 x 34 millimeters (16 x 1.3 inches) up front, and four-piston fixed aluminum calipers and brake discs measuring 380 x 28 mm (15 x 1.1 inches) at the back.

For the time being, power upgrades are limited to the diesel-powered ML 350 BlueTEC, but Brabus said that more engines tunes are in the final stages of development.

The upgrade for the ML 350 BlueTEC includes a software optimization and a sports exhaust system good to lift output from the stock 258HP and 620 Nm (457 lb-ft) to 306HP and 690 Nm (509 lb-ft) respectively. The added power allows the ML 350 BlueTEC to sprint from zero to 100km/h in 6.0 seconds, an improvement of 1.4 seconds over the regular model, while top speed increases to 229km/h (142mph).