Brabus first off the block with complete upgrade for new Mercedes Benz E-Class

Noted for its sleek, stylish and almost stealthy modifications of Mercedes Benz vehicles, Brabus occupies a special place in the German tuner scene. Apparently that place is very special because the performance workshops is one of the first tuning firms to develop a complete upgrade package for the new 2010 E-Class.

The latest E-Class, which sneaked onto the scene at the Detroit Motor Show, won't be delivered to European customers until May, and the U.S. will have to wait until the third quarter of the year, but Brabus has already had its hands on one long enough to develop a whole range of accessories.

Working with the foundation of the V8-powered E500/550, Brabus has bumped up the displacement of the 5.5L V8 engine to 6.1L, optimized the cylinder heads, fitted new camshafts, and added a high-flow exhaust.

This sees power jump from 388hp (290kW) to 462hp (340kW) and torque rise from 391lb-ft (530Nm) to 453lb-ft (615Nm). In order to transfer this power to the road with as little slip as possible, Brabus offers an anti-slip rear differential with a locking rate of 40%. The end result is a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 4.7 seconds and an uninhibited top speed of 191mph (305km/h).

To emphasize the lines of the new E-Class Brabus, has also developed an aerodynamic-enhancement kit manufactured from fibreglass or optional carbon-fiber. The kit includes new bumpers, front and rear, LED highlights, side skirts, an integrated rear diffuser and custom side vents.

Other touches include 20in alloy wheels, a suspension lowering kit and a special control unit for Mercedes’ air-suspension system. Brabus also offers an uprated brake package, as well as a host of custom accessories for the interior.

With development of the E500/550 package now complete, Brabus intends to turn its attention to creating new ECO PowerXtra performance kits for the various CDI BlueEFFIENCY turbodiesel models.