14:14 07-12-2025

Brabus Rocket GTS: 1,000-hp supercar wins AutoBild Sports Car of the Year

The Brabus Rocket GTS keeps drawing praise—this time not just online. The tuner announced that AutoBild named the model Sports Car of the Year. For a machine already buzzing for its looks and performance, the recognition simply locks in its status.

Built from the Mercedes-AMG SL 63 S E Performance, the Rocket GTS has been pushed so far it reads like a standalone supercar. Brabus increased the V8’s displacement to 4.5 liters and reworked the turbochargers and internal components. The result is 1,000 hp and 1,620 Nm, a figure that initially had to be dialed back to keep the nine-speed automatic transmission alive. The sprint to 97 km/h takes just 2.6 seconds—quicker than the Ferrari Enzo and right on the pace of the new Lamborghini Temerario.

A carbon-fiber aero package, signature wheels, and Continental tires turn the Rocket GTS into a controllable missile rather than a showpiece. Visually, it channels a shooting brake from the future: a long, low silhouette, assertive lighting, vast air intakes, and a body made entirely of carbon. Pricing starts at one million dollars, placing it firmly in the realm of the most well-heeled collectors.

The Brabus Rocket GTS shows how tuning can break past the ordinary. It isn’t merely a faster Mercedes; it comes across as a genuine supercar slayer—and the award feels earned by the car’s character.