Over in the United Kingdom, Hertz has teamed up with Premiere Velocity in order to offer their customers the ability to rent some of the world’s finest exotic supercars. The list of exotics being offered is impressive including Lamborghini‘s LP560-4 Bicolore and Aventador, Porsche‘s Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Ferrari‘s 458 Italia, Range Rover‘s Evoque, Mercedes-Benz‘s Brabus S-Class and SLS AMG Roadster, Rolls-Royce’s Phantom and even McLaren’s MP4.

The full range of cars available is up on Hertz’s website and a 5-percent discount is offered when booking through http://www.hertzsupercars.com. Prices vary, but a C63 AMG for example is £201.25 a day ($314) while an Audi R8 is £362.25 ($565). Hertz wand Premiere will also offer customers with a bespoke meet, greet and delivery system at any agreed location whether it be their home, office, hotel or airport.

The requirements? Enough money, 25-years of age and no more than six points on their driver’s license.

Brabus has announced a Roadster variant of their custom Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG and it looks to be based on the tuning package for the 700 Biturbo SLS AMG Coupe. Its official debut will be at the upcoming Essen Motor Show on November 26th, 2011.

No official specifications were announced, but based on the Biturbo 700, we can safely assume the Brabus SLS AMG Roadster sports 700-hp with 626 lb-ft of torque thanks to the B63 bi-turbo system. Plenty of carbon fiber components adorn the exterior of the vehicle, though we’re sure there’s slight differences between the Roadster and the Coupe’s styling accessories due to aerodynamics.

Along with the turbo upgrade and styling accessories, Brabus also offers interior customization for the SLS AMG Roadster, as they do with various other Mercedes models.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster

[Source: Motorward]

Brabus has unveiled arguably their best project yet, a Mercedes-Benz CL Coupe packing 800-hp thanks to a stroked 6.3L V12 twin-turbo. Based on the CL 600, the tuning geniuses at Brabus modified the factory 5.5L with a custom crankshaft, larger cylinder bore and new forged pistons.

But the engine modifications didn’t stop there. With the newly rebuilt shortblock ready to go, Brabus turned their attention to the top-end of the motor, installing four custom camshafts, new machining for the cylinder heads and then bolted on their twin-turbo system complete with new exhaust manifolds, and four water-to-air intercoolers. Bolt-ons include a carbon fiber ram air intake and stainless steel exhaust with free-flow metal cats.

As if the 800-hp wasn’t impressive enough, the CL 800 Coupe is capable of pushing out over 1,047 lb-ft of torque, but has been electronically limited to 811 lb-ft. To withstand all the extra power, Brabus beefed up the five-speed automatic transmission while also adding a limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40-percent.

0-62 mph comes in at a scant 3.9 seconds while it hits 124-mph in just 10.3 seconds. Top speed has been limited to 217-mph, which is more than enough.

Obviously any project by Brabus includes exterior and interior modifications. A full styling package was added to accent the Brabus Monoblock wheels that are available in 18- to 22-inch sizes. Their lowering module was also installed, lowering the CL almost a full inch. A big brake upgrade round off all the performance modifications.

The interior sports a black and white theme with Brabus logos embroidered and found throughout the decor. No pricing was announced on the project, but we’re assuming it won’t be cheap.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz CL 800 Coupe

Unlike American auto shows where where tuners are segregated off into some basement hall, at the Frankfurt Auto Show they’re invited to join in on the action. Sharing hall space with the likes of Land Rover, Lotus and Jaguar, tuners such as Brabus, Mansory and TechArt. Highlights include the new Brabus 800 ‘Rocket’, the TechArt GTStreet RS based on the new GT2RS and of course there’s always the selection of ridiculously modified Mansory machines. Check out all the modified luxury and exotic models in the gallery below.

GALLERY: Tuner Cars of the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

Click here to see all of AutoGuide’s 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show Coverage

Using the Mercedes-Benz E220 BlueTec, as a foundation; noted German tuning house Brabus has unveiled its latest Hybrid Project, powered by a direct injection diesel engine with Brabus ‘Eco’ technology and dual electric motors housed in the rear wheel hubs.

Making its world debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA); the Brabus Hybrid project was developed by the firm’s ZERO EMISSION business division which, in conjunction with Germany’s Federal Ministry of the Environment, works on alternative drive technologies.

On this new Hybrid, in ‘Eco’ mode, each of the wheel hub mounted electric motors produces 50 kW of continuous power, while in ‘Sport’ mode, output is increased to 80 kW.

With a total (combined) peak power output of 160 km and 1,180 lb-ft of torque, the twin electric motors are designed to supplement the 2.2-liter CDI BlueTec diesel, which is equipped with a Brabus PowerXtra DE (V) performance tuning kit, that includes an auxiliary control unit and revised engine mapping, designed to optimize fuel economy and reduce emissions.

Although power on the BlueTec diesel is up slightly as a result of the Brabus tweaks (220 hp versus 197); the biggest goal was a bump in torque, which now stands at 330 lb-ft (up from 295). This provides better throttle response no matter whether the car is in hybrid or conventional (diesel mode).

Despite the added weight of the electric motors and the car’s Lithium-Ion battery pack, the Brabus Hybrid still boasts fairly spritely performance. According to the company, it’s able to sprint from 60 to 120 km (37 to 74 mph) in 5.6 seconds, decent statistics for a relatively heavy mid-size sedan.

Other features on the car run to typical Brabus exterior upgrades,in this case a unique front fascia, aluminum front fenders and rocker panel extensions, along with 19-inch Brabus Monoblock alloy wheels, shod in Continental low-profile tires. There’s also a height adjustable suspension with premium Bilstein shocks and upgraded brakes.

Inside, an upgraded instrument cluster, special drilled foot pedals and Brabus LED illuminated sills are among the unique touches added to the Benz E-Class cabin.

GALLERY: Brabus Hybrid

Details on the new Brabus 800 ‘Rocket’ have been released, just ahead of the car’s official debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show this week.

Based on the current Mercedes-Benz CLS, the ‘Rocket’ apparently boasts a a V-12 under the hood that develops approximately 800 horsepower and a whopping 811 lb-ft of torque (1,100 NM in Euro parlance).

According to German automotive source Motorvision.de, that’s enough to enable this four-door leviathan to do the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) dash in just 3.7 seconds, while a top speed of some 370 km/h (230 mph) is apparently possible.

Of course being a Brabus, besides the outrageous performance, the exterior has naturally been tweaked, an in-your-face front fascia sports massive air intakes on the lower valance; while a forward thrusting grille with a big ‘B’ logo; along with bulging front and rear fenders plus a rear deck spoiler and diffuser complete the ensemble. Massive, yet ultra-light Brabus Monoblock F-Platinum Edition cross spoke rims, fill the wheel wells in true Brabus style.

Inside, cabin upgrades are par for the course, though with official details from Brabus not yet revealed we can’t say exactly what they are. Nevertheless, for a projected MSRP of some € 429,000 (roughly $592,800) for the car; excluding taxes, they ought to be rather special.

Weighing in at around two tons, the 800 ‘Rocket’ promises to be the fastest four-door sedan in the world when it goes on sale. If you want one, you’d better contact Brabus as soon as possible.

Check out full coverage of the Frankfurt Auto Show here

[Source: Autoblog.nl]

The Smart car has sold reasonably well around the world, but it has hardly been the sales success its maker wishes it was. To keep the interest of car buyers, every now and then, it comes up with a special edition model.

At this years Frankfurt Auto Show, Smart will show a model that it has developed with the street fashion brand WeSC. This special “Tailor Made” model is being prepared by Mercedes-tuner Brabus and will feature a special gold paint that is gloss in some areas and matte in others. Special jet black wheels and custom leather interior also sets this fortwo cabrio model apart from the regular smart.

The people at Smart also designed a new set of headphones, which will be sold through WeSC shops and Concept Stores around the world.

This special Smart with a 100-hp turbocharged motor will be on display starting September 13 at the Frankfurt Motor Show alongside the new Forvision concept. Look for live photos from AutoGuide’s coverage here.

GALLERY: Smart WeSC

Watch the video after the jump:

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So many of us has been waiting anxiously for Brabus to show the world their Mercedes CLS Rocket successor, and it looks like one enthusiast took matters into their own hands.

Dan Buzdugan did his own rendering of what he thinks the new Brabus Rocket will look like, giving a Brabus style to the entire project. There’s little to no details surrounding the new Rocket, but we’re positive Brabus will improve on their 2005 rendition that featured 720-hp from its 6.3L twin turbo V12 powerplant. At the time it set all sorts of records for a vehicle in its class, including the top speed of a street-legal sedan at 225.2-mph. It won’t be long until we see its successor and we hope it’s worth every minute of the wait.

[Source: PS-Garage]

With every new Mercedes-Benz refresh on an existing model, one can expect Brabus to not be far behind with a tuning package for it. The tuners at Brabus got to work quickly on the new-generation SLK, releasing both a styling package and power package for various SLK models.

For the SLK 200 BlueEFFICIENCY, Brabus’ ECO PowerXtra B20 CGI performance kit will add 26-hp and 22 lb-ft of torque. For the 250 BlueEFFICIENCY model, the B25 CGI performance kit will add similar gains. An additional 10-hp can be found on the SLK 250 thanks to a larger intercooler and an electronically-controlled sport wastegate valve.

The B25S CGI kit, offered for the SLK 250, will bring horsepower to 240-hp and torque to 273 lb-ft, giving it a 0-62 mph time of 6.2 seconds and a stop speed of 154-mph.

For the outside, Brabus has outfitted the SLK with new front spoiler lips, LED daytime running lights, side sill attachments, a rear diffuser, a trunk lid spoiler, and a center-mounted rear reflector. A stainless steel exhaust system with quad-tips can also be had, giving the car a sportier note. For those looking for interior modifications, Brabus offers high-gloss, polished stainless-steel scuff plates with the Brabus logo alongside aluminum pedals and shifter. Custom requests for upholstery with Brabus Mastik leather and Alcantara are also available.

GALLERY: Brabus Mercedes-Benz SLK

Famed Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus, has continued to expand their Smart ForTwo portfolio, this time with a modified cabrio. Called the Brabus La Bleue, the modified Smart ForTwo will be available only in Italy with a limited production of just 60 units.

On the outside, the special edition vehicle will sport a dark blue metallic paint that is contrasted by Brabus’ Monoblock VII six-twin-spoke wheels in a classy silver finish. The wheel setup is staggered with a 16-inch sizing up front and 17-inch sizing in the rear.

In true Brabus fashion, the interior receives a luxurious treatment of soft beige leather with contrasting blue stitching of Brabus’ logo. The La Bleue comes with Brabus’ tuned Smart ForTwo powerplant, that sports 102-hp.

[Source: Topspeed]

GALLERY: Brabus Smart ForTwo Cabrio La Bleue