2025 Brabus Rocket GTS Hybrid: A 1,000 HP Monster Born From A Mercedes SL

What is this? Mercedes tuner Brabus released its take on the Mercedes-AMG GT63 S E Performance with something that looks like a cross between a bat out of hell and something your mom would hate. Enter the Rocket GTS with 986 horses and a limited 1195 lb-ft of torque (limited!) that should set any potential buyer back at least a cool million dollars to start. This is probably the car Batman would drive from his night job to his day job.


Of course, Brabus being Brabus, the donor GT coupe has been turned into a shooting brake GT, although one glance at the car you'll quickly realize that it's a "shooting brake" in the loosest sense. A properly done shooting brake usually extends a coupe's proportions in a cohesive manner while adding some extra practicality, or a coupe station wagon, if I may. A good execution of this concept would be the 1999 Z3 M Coupe and 1972 Ferrari 365 GTB 4 Shooting Brake. The Rocket GTS, on the other hand, looks more like a drunk college project—on the outside, anyway.


It is under that ugly duckling shell where the magic happens, however. There's a hybrid powertrain here, you see, tweaked beyond that in the donor GT63 S E Performance. Combining the 6.1 kWh battery pack, 204 hp electric motor, and the larger 4.5-liter V8, the Rocket GTS pushes out nearly 1000 hp and 1,342 lb-ft of torque (up 181 hp and 148 lb-ft over the Mercedes). That torque has been electronically limited to 1,195 lb-ft to protect the AMG-sourced nine-speed transmission, but we're sure somebody will figure out how to unlock it and subsequently blow their car up for Instagram likes.


The sprint to 60 mph is a smidge faster than the Mercedes-AMG, with a claimed 2.7 seconds versus 2.8 seconds. It also takes a mere 9.5 seconds to get to 124 mph, and 23.6 seconds to 186 mph. Dude. Top speed is limited at 196 mph, but we're quite sure this beast is capable of pushing 210+ mph.


While the outside isn't going to win any design awards, the inside is decked out nicely with judicious use of carbon fiber on the center console, door, and steering wheel trim, along with quilted leather on the seats and armrest. 

If you want one of these, Brabus will gladly hand you the keys for approximately $1 million before options. The tuner makes everything to order, so no Rocket GTS is probably going to be identical. If you want to save a whole bunch of cash and go nearly as fast in the straights and on the track, the S E Performance is several hundred thousand dollars cheaper.