New Brabus Bodo review: V12 supercar is loud, powerful, and unashamedly aggressive
The Bodo is the Brabus's first bespoke supercar, and it's very, very good.
Verdict
With this black, low-flying missile, Brabus has finally elevated itself from specialist tuner to luxurious low-volume manufacturer. It's just a shame that company founder Bodo Buschmann isn't here to see it.
Brabus has been dreaming of this for over 20 years. But while founder Bodo Buschmann was alive, the Ruhr Valley legend was far too busy turning the company into the world's most famous tuner – and mentally, he was tied a bit too closely to Mercedes.
The senior boss passed away in 2018 at the age of 62. Since then, his son has restructured the business with a necessary fresh perspective. Mercedes tuning still accounts for the bulk of its daily business, but Brabus now puts its stamp on boats, motorcycles, motorhomes, and even real estate.
And no, Ruhr junior hasn’t betrayed the brand’s ideals. On the contrary, he finally put the company in a position to fulfil his father's posthumous dream: building his very own sports car. It’s called the Brabus Bodo, and its job is to thrill petrolheads around the globe.
It’s no wonder the Bodo excites. The Bottrop-built Batmobile borrows little more than the chassis and wiring loom from its Aston Martin Vanquish donor car. With its provocatively long bonnet and a stunning rear end finished in a mix of carbon fibre and chrome, it's an old-school supercar, exactly the way the founder would have wanted it: loud, powerful, fast, and unashamedly aggressive.
Under the bonnet lies one of the last turbocharged V12 engines still being fitted in Europe. Squeezing a massive 986bhp from its 5.2-litre displacement, it pins you into your seat with 1,200Nm of torque every time you touch the throttle, making you painfully aware of how relative time and space can be. The 0-62mph sprint takes just 3.0 seconds, and it won't stop pulling until it hits 224mph.
Used - available now
2024 Renault
Austral
27,000 milesAutomaticPetrol1.2L
Cash £20,999
2024 Audi
A3 Saloon
32,483 milesAutomaticPetrol1.5L
Cash £18,790
2023 Volkswagen
Touareg
94,038 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L
Cash £20,990
2020 Renault
Captur
44,917 milesManualPetrol1.3L
Cash £9,199What sounds impressive on paper is even more seductive on the road. Drop into this carbon-and-leather-lined jewel box, hit the starter button and you instantly forget what Mercedes, Porsche, Bentley, or Aston Martin are currently trying to sell you as a so-called GT. The Bodo plays in an entirely different league.
Within a couple of corners, it’s clear the Brabus engineers did far more than just drape the Vanquish chassis in carbon armour. It sits noticeably lower and feels more planted than the Aston, plus the steering is weightier and more direct. It tackles fast bends with incredible poise.
Open up the titanium exhaust valves, and the Bodo howls with all the viciousness a 12-cylinder can muster when you finally let it off the leash. Yet it remains true to the Brabus ethos: a GT that can switch seamlessly between silky cruising and raw violence without losing its composure.
Inside, one colour purposefully dominates: black. It’s dark, but extremely luxurious. Leather and carbon meet the familiar switchgear carried over from Aston Martin. The founder's signature is embroidered into the dashboard – a quiet tribute to the man who made all this possible.
Ultimately, the Bodo is far more than a simple coachbuilding exercise. It is the clearest proof yet that Brabus can build a completely bespoke supercar from the ground up – raw, loud, and blissfully free of software gimmicks.
Above all, it’s a slap in the face to the bosses in Stuttgart. It shows exactly what the Maybach Vision 6 could have been if Mercedes had shown enough bravery after its premiere a decade ago. The team in Bottrop simply got on and built it.
There is clearly no shortage of customers, either. Priced at almost 1.4 million Euros (approximately £1.2m) and strictly limited to 77 units, the majority of the run is already sold out.
Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express? We’ll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too.
| Model: | Brabus Bodo |
| Price: | £1.2 million (est) |
| Powertrain: | 5.2-litre V12 twin-turbo petrol |
| Power/torque: | 986bhp/1,200Nm |
| Transmission: | Eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph/top speed: | 3.0 seconds/224mph |
| Economy/CO2 | 20.6mpg/312g/km |
| Size (L/W/H): | 4,780/2,030/1,300mm |
| On sale: | Now |
