Another Ridiculous Mercedes

Are you serious, Brabus? (Image courtesy of Topspeed.com)

Have you ever thought, 'This Mercedes GL is just not fast enough for taking the kids to soccer practice?' Well, you are in luck because Brabus, the horsepower-hungry Mercedes tuner, has introduced the GL63 Biturbo. While Mercedes' AMG division has (wisely, perhaps?) not produced a tuned version of the GL, Brabus has picked up the slack and, as usual, in grand fashion.

The the 6.3 liter V8 GL63 Biturbo boasts a 650hp engine, coupled with two turbochargers (because one was clearly not enough). The list of other additions to the standard GL goes on and on, reading like something off a SL63, from the 23 inch rims to the tweaked seven-speed transmission. While it has not officially been released yet, you can order yours now for a mere $518,000--quite reasonable, I think...

Putting aside the absurdity of a tuner producing a 650hp SUV while some automakers struggle to stay afloat, I am still left with little to justify the GL63 Biturbo. Granted, I like absurd engine-to-automobile combinations as much as the next enthusiast (M5 Wagon, anyone?), but I have to draw the line with this Brabus creation--and, perhaps, even before that. Now, I must admit that I question the need for a GL in the first place--they are ugly, heavy, and greatly over-priced for their purpose--and the Brabus additions only further this sentiment. But, I suppose if you have roughly $500k to spend on a SUV, you are not much concerned with costs and practicality...