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Recently updated on May 25, 2021 at 06:28 p.m
The automobile manufacturer and general contractor Brabus Automotive supports automobile manufacturers worldwide in the development and manufacture of vehicle derivatives in special and small series through to manufacturing solutions. As part of the Brabus Group, Brabus Automotive has developed a reputation as a premium specialist within the automotive industry, offering products and customizations of the highest OEM quality. “As a general contractor for automobile manufacturers, we generally implement projects according to the turnkey principle. Brabus Automotive then assumes overall responsibility for the entire process of product creation, vehicle development and production, ”explains Christian Draser, CEO of Brabus Automotive. In addition, Brabus Automotive also develops, manufactures and sells vehicles on its own, currently a special protection vehicle from resistance class VR6 Plus based on the new Mercedes-Benz G-Class, with the "Plus" standing for additional protection against wringing at the highest level.
certified - resistance class VR6 Plus
When it comes to project implementation, the specialists from the Bottrop-based company can rely on a comprehensive understanding of vehicles that has grown over decades at system level along the entire product development process, for example in the areas of conception, development, integration, testing, coordination and homologation. In addition, there is a great deal of know-how in manufacturing processes, which guarantees small-scale production at a premium level. Christian Draser: "With the comprehensive range of services, Brabus Automotive supports in particular large-series automobile manufacturers whose organizational structure means that the small series development and production of niche models cannot be economically represented."
Armor components installed without gaps
Brabus Automotive also focused on the highest technical standards when developing the new special protection vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class. The overall ballistic concept was designed from the outset for maximum protection that corresponds to the level of OEM factory armor. In contrast to other subsequently armored vehicles, the components of the protection system are therefore not individually welded into the body structure of the vehicle; instead, the engineers at Brabus Automotive have developed a self-contained, self-supporting protection cell, the so-called shelter cell. It is disassembled and inserted into the body shell and then set up.
One of the structural features of the Shelter Cell is the zero-joint design, another is that - analogous to a vehicle armored by an OEM at the factory - there is no narrowing of the entrance. The armoring components for the shelter cell are assembled without gaps, unavoidable seams, for example on the doors, are made with material overlapping and so-called labyrinths. The structure of the upper windshield frame is also innovative. Christian Draser: “This is the first time in the world that protective elements are used that are manufactured using additive manufacturing processes in a 3D printer. We are definitely the first. "
The shelter cell was validated using the latest processes and methods, such as those used by OEMs. The Brabus Automotive development team combined virtual simulation processes with real tests on test samples. Only after the individual elements of the shelter cell had proven their protective effect was the complete cell tested in the vehicle. Each individual material pairing and screw connection was shot at from several angles and ballistically tested at projectile speeds that far exceed the standard speed of the caliber to be secured. Furthermore, individual assemblies were also subjected to several explosions in preliminary tests in a so-called explosive frame.
Brabus Automotive is thus also going its own, time-consuming ways here, because the effect of the special protection measures on retrofitted vehicles is usually not specifically tested. "In contrast to this, we have the entire vehicle certified by an accredited German fire department both with regard to fire and blasting according to resistance class VR6 Plus," says Christian Draser. The addition “Plus” stands for blast protection, and this is quite on the level of a luxury state limousine.
stronger chassis, improved brakes
Although the additional weight of the entire vehicle is comparatively low due to the armor of around 1000 kilograms, the load capacity of the chassis has to be modified in order to meet the high requirements of Brabus Automotive in terms of driving dynamics and service life. The necessary adjustments include the entire front and rear axle construction of the vehicle. For example, the complete wheel suspension was replaced by a new Brabus development, reinforcements on the frame side in the area of the side members and the spring domes increase the strength of the original vehicle structure. The mandatory verification of the new construction included simulations using FEM (finite element method), component analyzes, stationary endurance runs and driver tests. This process, established at Brabus, enabled the extreme service life requirement to be met in accordance with the OEM specifications even with the heaviest material loads.
To ensure a high level of driving dynamics, Brabus Automotive equips the chassis with reinforced springs, stabilizers and shock absorbers. The active suspension's shock absorbers now have a tube diameter of 60 instead of 50 mm. A modified brake system with 401 mm discs and six-piston calipers at the front and 380 mm discs and four-piston calipers at the rear ensures adequate deceleration even with a maximum load. Wheels with a higher load capacity and a special emergency running system developed by Brabus Automotive round off the chassis-side adjustments of the vehicle.
According to current planning, the small series production of the special protection vehicle based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class at Brabus Automotive should start in the first half of 2020. The vehicle will be marketed under the new Invicto brand (from Latin for “indomitable”), under which Brabus Automotive will in future group all activities in the area of special protection. If we receive timely information on further details, there is of course an update for this report. You will be informed if you simply use ours Feed subscribe to. Have fun watching the pictures and stay true to us!
(Photos: Brabus)
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Brabus INVICTO VR6 Plus G!
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