The Hand-Built 460-HP Mercedes Wagon That Hit 180 MPH In 1997

A Mercedes station wagon built by Brabus in Germany became a rare example of a “long-roof” luxury car aimed at Autobahn speeds. In 1996, a customer delivered a new Mercedes-Benz wagon to the Brabus tuning facility in Bottrop, where it spent a full year being transformed. By December 1997, the project had effectively shed the wagon’s original identity, replacing Mercedes three-point emblems with Brabus badging and re-engineering major systems by hand. The account describes extensive work covering powertrain, suspension, braking, intake, exhaust, and electronics, targeting a 180-mph capability for 1997.