The Brabus SBR is set to become the next in a series of niche products from the struggling smart division of Mercedes-Benz.The racing-style spinoff of its forfour model boasts a 210-horsepower engine and a top speed of 137 mph, a far cry from the DaimlerChrysler's original two-seater, which could barely keep up with inner city traffic. The SBR is the latest in a series of projects resulting from a $1.3 billion restructuring of smart. During an early morning preview at the Geneva Motor Show, officials noted that sales slipped to 123,400 cars last year. CEO Ulrich Walker would not reveal specific financial figures for smart, which are not broken out of DC's overall numbers, but he indicated the company's performance last year was "more than previously planned." DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche separately noted that the German automaker continues to study whether or not to launch the smart brand in the U.S., but no decision has been made.
AMG Rolls Out the Big Guns
2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK63 AMG |
AMG, the performance arm of Mercedes-Benz, continued to roll out new, high-powered spin-offs at this year's Geneva show. At the top end of the range is the SL65, a 612-horsepower version of the automaker's SL sports car, featuring a twin-turbo V-12 engine. The CLK63, meanwhile, features AMG's new 6.3-liter V-8, the first engine developed specifically by the tuner brand-within-a-brand. The 481-horsepower convertible will launch from 0-60 in just 4.6 seconds, noted AMG chief Volker Mornhingweg.
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