For some reason, the folks from Brabus believe that the market badly needs a wider, more powerful Mercedes GL 63 AMG. This is why the German aftermarket specialists released the Brabus B63 – 620 Widestar, a souped-up GL 63 AMG that comes with 611 horsepower (620 PS), a wide body kit and an upgraded interior.

The Brabus Widestar body conversion for the new GL-Class features striking fender flares front and back that add 8 centimeters (3.1 inches) to the width of the behemoth SUV.

The front end of the car looks more aggressive due to Brabus’ signature grille and the large air intakes in the lower part of the bumper. The rear end features a massive diffuser integrated into the fascia and ceramics-coated twin tailpipes on each side, plus a roof spoiler. The package wouldn’t be complete without some large wheels, with Brabus “Platinum Edition” 11Jx23 alloys being available in three designs: Monoblock E evo, F and R. 21- and 22-inch wheels are also offered.

The ride height of the B63 – 620 Widestar is lowered by about 30 mm (1.2 in) as the Airmatic air suspension is specifically calibrated for the tyre/wheel combination.

An upgraded engine doubles the mean looks, with the 5.5-liter V8 Biturbo unit gaining 62 horsepower (63 PS) thanks to new mapping for injection and ignition and a moderate increase in boost pressure. The engine thus delivers 611 hp (620 PS) at 5,750 rpm and 820 Nm (604 lb-ft) of torque constantly available from 2,000 to 5,000 rpm.

The power and torque upgrade is reflected in the SUVs acceleration, with only 4.7 seconds being necessary to cover the sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (0.2 seconds quicker than the GL 63 AMG). Top speed is electronically limited to 280 km/h (174 mph), 30 km/h higher than the GL 63 AMG.

For the interior, Brabus offers stainless-steel scuff plates with backlit BRABUS logo and exclusive all-leather interiors that combine Mastik leather and Alcantara.

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

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