Brabus, a full vehicle manufacturer approved by the German Federal Motor Transport Authority (not just a tuner), has launched a wild hybrid sedan. The Brabus Rocket 1000 "1 of 25" Edition packs 1,000 metric horsepower from a plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V8 engine.
This super sedan is based on the Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance, the most powerful series-production Mercedes available today. (The Mercedes-AMG One hypercar doesn't count because it has a Formula 1 hybrid engine, not a regular production one.)
Massive Torque Like a Heavy-Duty Truck
The most shocking thing about the Brabus Rocket 1000 is the torque. Brabus says it makes 1,820 Nm (1,342 pound-feet) of peak torque — way more than the standard 1,470 Nm (1,084 pound-feet).
The car limits torque to 1,620 Nm (1,195 pound-feet) during full acceleration to protect the drivetrain.
For comparison, the Ford Super Duty truck with a 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel makes up to 1,200 pound-feet of torque. So yes, this Brabus sedan beats most heavy-duty trucks!
Blazing Fast Speeds
The Brabus Rocket 1000 is crazy fast. It can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 2.6 seconds.
Keep your foot down, and it will hit an electronically limited top speed of 316 km/h (196 mph).
- 0 to 200 km/h (124 mph): 9.7 seconds
- 0 to 300 km/h (186 mph): 23.9 seconds
(For reference, the Rimac Nevera electric hypercar does 0–300 km/h in 9.2 seconds, but it uses four electric motors.)
Engine Upgrades: Bigger, Stronger, Faster
Brabus didn't just tune the engine — they rebuilt it!
The AMG 4.0-liter V8 now displaces 4.5 liters thanks to upgrades like:
- Enlarged cylinder bores
- Stronger pistons, rods, and crankshaft
- Multi-layer steel head gaskets
- Bigger 52-mm turbochargers
- 76-mm downpipes
- A full 3.0-inch stainless steel exhaust with less-restrictive catalytic converters and OPFs
(An OPF is a gasoline particulate filter, similar to diesel particulate filters, used to reduce pollution.)
Emissions and Efficiency
Even though it's insanely powerful, Brabus managed to keep emissions fairly reasonable.
The Rocket 1000 produces 218 grams of CO₂ per kilometer (WLTP combined cycle).
The regular Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance produces 180 grams of CO₂ per kilometer.
Wild Exterior Design and High-Quality Interior
On the outside, Brabus gave the GT 4-Door Coupe:
- A widebody kit
- Black five-spoke forged wheels with AERO-DISCS
- Carbon-fiber elements front and back
- A carbon-fiber rear wing
- Quad exhaust pipes
It rides on:
- 275/35 ZR21 tires upfront
- 335/25 ZR22 tires at the rear
The cabin has genuine, ultra-premium materials, showing Brabus' top-notch craftsmanship.
Price and Exclusivity
All of this luxury and performance doesn't come cheap.
Brabus is charging €450,000 (plus 19% VAT) for the Rocket 1000 "1 of 25" Edition.
That's about USD 484,925 today — much more than the standard GT 63 S E Performance, which starts at €208,006.05 in Germany.
