2008 Brabus Ultimate 112 review

Brabus Ultimate 112 review:

The exterior is custom-painted a flaming mother-of-pearl/orange color, the interior is upholstered in black BRABUS leather and Alcantara with orange seams, and it has lots of power under the hood: BRABUS presents the limited-edition special model BRABUS ULTIMATE 112 at the Frankfurt International Auto Show IAA 2007. The ULTIMATE 112 is based on the smart fortwo and is a true city sports car. And as such it represents a unique combination of extravagant equipment, sporty performance and agile handling.

In addition to the custom paint the BRABUS ULTIMATE 112 sets itself further apart with a muscular body kit that includes a front spoiler, rocker panels and BRABUS WIDESTAR fender flares front and back.

The large wheel houses offer ample space for a tire/wheel combination that is highly unusual for a car of this size: The glossy black BRABUS Monoblock VI double-spoke wheels are mounted on the front axle in size 7Jx18 with size 205/35 R 18 high-performance tires. In the rear 8.5Jx18 wheels with size 235/30 R 18 tires provide plenty of grip to transfer the power of the engine to the road.

Specially calibrated to these ultra-low-profile tires and the wider track is the height-adjustable BRABUS coil-over suspension that combines direct, safe and sporty handling with great ride comfort.

With these modifications the ULTIMATE 112 offers the perfect platform for the powerful BRABUS three-cylinder turbo engine. As the exclusive special model`s name reveals, the engine produces 112 PS (110 hp) / 82.4* kW at 5,750 rpm. Even more important for everyday driving is the for this vehicle class exceptional peak torque of 150 Nm (111 lb-ft), available over a wide rev range from 2,800 to 4,200 rpm.

Shifting in the BRABUS ULTIMATE 112 is done either automatically or with steering-wheel paddles just like in Formula 1 racing. The paddles are mounted to an ergonomically shaped BRABUS sport steering wheel.

With sprint times from 0 – 60 km/h (0–37 mph) in 3.9 seconds and 0 – 100 km/h (0-62 mph) of 9.5 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph) the convertible also sets the performance benchmarks in its class.

This performance is accompanied acoustically by the BRABUS stainless-steel sport exhaust and its dual tailpipes made from cast aluminum.

Exquisite highlights also abound in the interior of the ULTIMATE 112: The especially soft and breathable black BRABUS Mastik leather is stitched with orange seams.

The BRABUS interior concept includes embossed BRABUS emblems as well as instrument panel, instrument bezels, tach, speedometer, clock, turn-signal lever and door handles, all color-coordinated with the exterior. Stainless-steel foot pedals with anti-slip padding together with an aluminum shifter and emergency brake lever add touches of racing atmosphere.

A climate control system, radio and a navigation system are also part of the standard equipment of this open two-seater.

The BRABUS ULTIMATE 112 is being built in a limited-edition series of just 112 cars, each sporting a consecutively numbered placard in the interior. The BRABUS ULTIMATE 112 sells for 45,900 Euros MSRP.