Brabus is no stranger when it comes to modifying and tuning production cars but its latest creation goes the extra mile by being its first coachbuilt offering. Called the Bodo, it takes the form of a 2+2 GT coupe that carries a base price of one million euros (about RM4.6 million).
Some might giggle at the name but those who know the history of the German company will be aware that ‘Bodo’ refers to Bodo Buschmann, the founder of Brabus, who passed away in April 2018. Fun fact: the company’s name is derived from the first three letters of the surnames of Buschmann and Klaus Brackmann, the latter being the company’s co-founder.
The Bodo starts out life as an Aston Martin Vanquish before Brabus replaces the body with an entirely new one made out of carbon-fibre, keeping only the roof. The wow factor starts with wide shoulders that lead into a rear boat tail, which is accompanied by a distinctive taillight signature, an integrated diffuser, a deployable two-stage spoiler and dual stacked tailpipes.
Equally as arresting is the big grille with its vertical bars at the front, which are joined by large air intakes below and angular headlamps that provide a proper “villain” look. A set of 21-inch Brabus Monoblock Z-GT ‘Shadow Edition’ wheels add to the sinister persona and provide the alluring stance.
Behind the wheels are carbon-ceramic brake discs paired with six-piston callipers, while the Continental SportContact 7 Force tyres are also developed specifically for this car. These measure 275/35 at the front and a massive 325/30 at the rear.
Inside, elements of the Vanquish are plain to see, with the exception of the air vents that have been replaced with ones that resemble what you’ll find in Mercedes-Benz cars. The interior gets the company’s quilted seats and plenty of carbon-fibre components, all set in a dark theme that looks appropriate.
As this is a Brabus, the powertrain also gets breathed upon to provide more power. Where the standard Vanquish had a 5.2 litre turbocharged V12 that makes 835 PS and 1,000 Nm of torque, the Bodo is rated at 1,000 PS and 1,200 Nm, the latter available from just 2,900 rpm up to 5,000 rpm. To achieve the added grunt, there are new turbos, tweaked cylinder heads, an upgraded fuel management system as well as a new exhaust.
An eight-speed torque converter automatic transmission and electronically control differential send drive to the rear wheels, enabling the Bodo to get from 0-100 km/h in just three seconds and on to a top speed of 360 km/h. Only 77 units of the Bodo will be produced for the world, with the figure being a tribute to Brabus’ founding year of 1977.
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