Motul’s lubricants ‘make all the difference’ in new Brabus Rocket 900

Nine hundred horses and a whopping 1,250 newton metres of torque. They are figures that bend the world of physics. However, for Brabus, they are a reality with the new Brabus Rocket 900. A 900hp four-door super-saloon that will launch itself from 0 to 100km/h in only 2.8 seconds.

Motul is the official technology partner for Brabus, supplying the high-tech lubricants for the entire powertrain of this new super car.

Brabus’ chief engineer Jörn Gander spoke to Motul about this spectacular machine and Motul’s involvement in its engine development.

What was the concept behind this new Rocket 900?

We started thinking about a new Rocket in early 2019. The original Rocket was based on the Mercedes CLS, a four-dour coupe. The new AMG GT63S four-door proved to be an ideal basis for a new Rocket as it followed the same concept, so we started studying new options with this car. The previous Rocket involved a complicated V12 conversion and we had been looking to avoid that this time, and work with the original 4.0 litre twin-turbo. We had been in the process of developing a 4.5-liter update of this engine, so it looked like a possible route. The previous Rocket used a virtually unmodified CLS body while this time we felt it was a great opportunity to evolve the rocket concept to the next level from a visual standpoint. When we pitched it to management, Constantin (Buschmann, the company’s CEO) stopped us and said without hesitation, “go for it”.

The engine is definitely the heart of the rocket and gives it most of its unique character. Most impressive is the fact that you increased the displacement by 0.5 litre. A class interpretation of engine tuning…

It’s the Brabus way. It’s something we’ve been doing since the very beginning. When we started looking at upgrading the engines we started with our basic approach. The 4.0 engine is truly a great base to work from. We actually have a very potent power package for this engine that we run in our 800 series engines, which is a turbo upgrade and ECU package. When we pushed this package, we could maybe increase the power even more, but we wanted more power and especially in a more reliable and manageable way, so this meant we had to push different boundaries. In this case, we looked at engine displacement, and you know as the popular saying goes “there’s no replacement for displacement”. So, we modified the block in our own CNC department. After this process, the engine goes to our partner Mahle Motorsport, who creates bespoke fully forged pistons for the car as well giving the engine the same cylinder coating used by Formula One cars. The change in displacement also means we’ll need to modify the oil pan and design a new crankshaft and camshafts for the car. It’s never just about increasing the bore and stroke, it’s a much larger process.

How does the development of a project like this work?

This project is the first time we really used a lot of simulations before we actually built the car. In the past, we built an engine, tested it on the bank, modified it, and repeat this process. This was a very time-consuming process but now we’ve been successfully using simulations before we even put a spanner to a bolt.

When you’re pushing the engine, how important is Motul’s lubricants?

It literally makes all the difference. We’ve got a very strong collaboration with Motul and the technical staff of Motul Germany, and they advise us on different products for all applications. The truth is that the change in lubricant or viscosity has a major impact. It can mean 3 – 4 horsepower more to even a few kilometres more on a high-speed run. One of the latest improvements we applied using a specific Motul product was to our XLP800 adventure. This car uses portal axles because it’s lifted. The cogs inside the axles are straight cut and they make a certain noise, a noise you often hear in racecars, but we prefer not to have it for the XLP. One of the technical experts at Motul advised us a specific gear to use in this axle and just because of this, the noise was gone.

Now you have surpassed the 900HP mark with this engine and the GV12 there is only one question: is the Brabus aiming for the four-digit mark? Is 1,000 BHP on the horizon?

Did you know that our great founder, the late Bodo Buschmann, asked me this question ten years ago? It’s a great challenge to have 1,000bhp, and have it comfortably and reliably, but I’m sure will get there in the not too distant future. However, it might not be with a combustion engine on its own.

Here at Witham Group, we love all things motorsport and handle all the trade sales and distribution of Motul automotive products throughout the UK. From their high performance 300V Motorsport lubricants, to coolant, brake fluids, transmission fluids and a comprehensive range of high quality car cleaning and bodywork products by Lescott, we offer all you need for the best performance of your car whether on or off the track.

As a specialist in synthetic oils, Motul has become the partner of many manufacturers and sports teams for its technological developments in mechanical sports, car and motorcycle racing. Witham works closely with stockists, distributors, direct customers and the racing industry and has a first class delivery and service record.

View the Motul automotive product range in the Witham Online Shop here.