0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds and a 260km/h top speed is expected from a Porsche or Ferrari. But thanks to 582 bhp / 428 kW from its 7.3 litre V12 engine, the BRABUS M V12 is the worlds first off-roader with supercar performance. In June 1998, the editors of the Guinness Book of Records appointed this car to be the fastest street legal Off Road car of the world.

There is no substitute for cubic inches. Except more cubic inches. Right from the beginning, that old maxim has been the watchword at BRABUS. Over the years, BRABUS has become most adept at shoehorning larger and more powerful engines into staple Mercedes-Benz cars in the quest for greater speed. It all started in the mid-1980s with the 5.0 litre V8 in the then new baby Mercedes 190E. Two years ago, the ultimate expression of this concept saw the light of day as the E V12. Shoehorning the 582 bhp 7.3 litre V12 into the new E-Class also produced the Fastest Four- Door Sedan In The World according to the Guinness Book of Records. Within months, the BRABUS T V12 joined it with the accolade of Fastest Station Wagon In The World.

Keeping up the momentum, BRABUS have now found a new home for this enormously powerful engine. Slotted into the new Mercedes-Benz M-Class, it completely rewrites the rules on 4WD off-road vehicles. By their very nature, off-roaders are large and heavy and need lots of torque to perform well. In this respect, the BRABUS 7.3 litre V12 and the M-Class are a match made in heaven.

582 bhp / 428 kW at 6,000 rpm is impressive, but the stump-pulling torque of 772 Nm at 4,000rpm is simply astonishing. Delivered to the road via a modified five-speed electronic transmission and suitably beefed up 4WD drivetrain, this powerhouse of an engine enables the BRABUS M V12 to vanquish many so-called fast cars both on the autobahn and away from the traffic lights.

The big 7.3 litre 'S' specification V12 motor is a feat of precision engineering. Based on the Mercedes-Benz 6.0 litre V12, it is completely stripped to its component parts and re- engineered. The enlarged capacity of 7,255cc comes by way of a new steel billet long throw crankshaft mated to larger lightweight forged pistons by custom connecting rods. The cylinder-heads are gas-flowed and the engines' torque rich characteristics are enhanced by a pair of new high-lift camshafts. Suitable fuelling and ignition curves ensure that power and torque are optimised, and they help this enormous engine meet all current EC emission standards. In fact, the 7.3S motor is so efficient, in normal driving conditions, the fuel consumption is similar to the standard engine. Finally, a BRABUS four-pipe sports exhaust with high-flow metal catalysts helps the engine to breath properly and produces a distinctive deep and sporty sound.

So fast is the BRABUS M V12, that it has to be electronically limited to 260 km/h, close to the rated maximum speed for the specially made Yokohama Off-Road AVS V801 tyres. 285/50R18 on 10J x 18-inch BRABUS Monoblock IV alloy wheels all round, these are the only tyres approved for the BRABUS M V12.

This level of performance is matched by commensurately good handling and braking. To this end, the M V12 receives a sports suspension kit with uprated springs and dampers. Adjustable ride height allows the car to be lowered by up to 50mm. Special competition-bred BRABUS brakes with huge vented and slotted discs are clamped by six-pot calipers in front and four-pot calipers at the rear.

The look of the M-Class further benefits from the range of BRABUS accessories. High grade steel and flexible synthetic materials are used in the manufacture of the bolt-on accessories. A polished stainless-steel nudge bar protects the front of the car from minor parking shunts, and this is integrated into a flexible PU-RIM part which houses a pair of driving or fog lamps. Many 4WDs are never taken into the mud, but just in case the BRABUS M V12 should be pressed into service off-road, the lower part of the new front skirts is protected by a steel bar. Underneath, a steel undertray protects the mechanicals from protruding bits of the landscape.

The new BRABUS stepboards with integrated lights, which are activated via the central lock remote control, make getting in and out of the car easier.

Finally, at the rear, another steel, PU-RIM components protects the car from parking damage.

The spacious interior is upholstered in the finest hand-stitched BRABUS Bio-Mastik leather. As an option, a customer can also specify extras like a high-powered stereo or the neat TV/video system with LCD monitors in the front seat passengers sunvisor and the back of the front-seat headrests. Finishing touches are the BRABUS airbag sports steering wheel and the chromed sill entry plates.

The basic BRABUS M V12 costs DM 428,000.