BRABUS announces Tesla Roadster customization plans

It's a bit of a shift from its usual business, but it looks like BRABUS isn't about to let the Tesla Roadster escape its reach, and it's now taken the wraps off a completely customized version of the vehicle to give those lucky few owners out there (or would-be owners) a taste of what's possible. Sure to attract the most attention is the company's "space sound generator," which can not only pump out the sound of a traditional V8 engine like some similar systems, but some "futuristic soundscapes" as well, including "Beam" and "Warp" sounds, which we can only hope are just as Jetsony as we imagine them to be. Other custom options include an all new tire / wheel combination that promises to improve handling, a redone exterior with a special matte white paintjob, a set of LED running lights, a whole slew of interior options and, of course, some underbody neon for that added touch of class. No word on a price for any of that, naturally, but those in the area will apparently be able to check it all out first hand at German's Essen Motor Show later this month.

[Andrew @ Nov 13th 2008 5:42PM]

I'd hit it.

[EmoChicksAreHot.....Seriously @ Nov 13th 2008 5:42PM]

I'd hit your sloppy seconds.

[whatishalo? @ Nov 13th 2008 6:11PM]

You just might hit it if they don't have the sound on and you don't hear it coming...

[Valicore @ Nov 13th 2008 6:22PM]

"Honey, make sure you turn on the engine sound!"

[whatishalo? @ Nov 13th 2008 7:10PM]

How about adding Orgazmo Mode. The faster you go the louder "she" moans. The it really would be a Pimp ride.

[Max @ Nov 13th 2008 8:07PM]

so does this mean that if all car's become electric engadget will just become a car blog

[cwj @ Nov 14th 2008 12:48AM]

I'm pretty sure autoblog will continue to keep that covered...it just means battery-related stories will always be double-posted.

[elloh7 @ Nov 13th 2008 5:46PM]

Initial reaction to matte white paint: why? It'll look like poo given time. Better put it in one of those pressurized bubble containers and keep in there. Vehicular paints are glossy for a reason.

Looks good in the shot there, though. Now, if tesla can start delivering cars that aren't essentially beta versions to more than a select few customers, we'll have the potential for something special here.

[no_one @ Nov 13th 2008 5:59PM]

Have to admit, it is GORGEOUS, the blue glow under that black and white creamy blend is really tasty.

I hate Brabus over-done jobs of the past, but hey, they really nailed it this time. We need more competition in this all electric arena, I expect Audi, Porshe, Ferrari joining the pack soon with their EV cars, hopefully.

[jake @ Nov 13th 2008 6:15PM]

They have been out of beta for a while: the cars they are delivering right now all have final the 1.5 drive-train.

This BRABUS version though is pointless IMO, no performance mods, just some lights, a new interior, & a sound generator.

[Roadie @ Nov 13th 2008 6:41PM]

I assume you are impying that cars have glossy coats for paint protection? I would think it would still have a clear coat over the matte finish paint...and they do have matte finish clear coats, they still feel smooth.

[Tom @ Nov 14th 2008 4:19AM]

@no_one:

How in the WORLD is the underglow "tasty". It's gaudier than my Aunt Sally, and ricier than Uncle Ben himself. Brabus took a perfectly pretty car whose performance was out of this world, and dressed it up in drag and is now flinging it at any tasteless bloke who has a metric ass-ton of money to blow. It's one thing to do this to a Honda Civic, but it's another thing altogether to smear crap on a car like this.

Now I know who buys computer cases filled to the brim with blue and red LEDs. I'm guessing you've got one under your desk.

[Jon Acheson @ Nov 14th 2008 10:29AM]

That flat white paint just looks like primer.

[no_one @ Nov 14th 2008 10:31AM]

@Tom
Ordinary blokes like you can't never appreciate the slew of LEDs and glows, thats why I like them.
And how do you know I have a LED glowing PC case? Its cool, so what? At least, you know, you are running some high-tech inside.

[Coolent @ Nov 13th 2008 5:46PM]

Telsla Motors will be the only American motor giant that I'll be sad if they went under.

[CraigJ @ Nov 13th 2008 6:11PM]

define "giant"

[Samboini @ Nov 13th 2008 7:08PM]

gi⋅ant
   /ˈdʒaɪənt/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [jahy-uhnt] Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. (in folklore) a being with human form but superhuman size, strength, etc.
2. a person or thing of unusually great size, power, importance, etc.; major figure; legend: a giant in her field; an intellectual giant.
3. (often initial capital letter) Classical Mythology. any of the Gigantes.
4. Mining. monitor (def. 12).
5. Astronomy. giant star.
–adjective
6. unusually large, great, or strong; gigantic; huge.
7. greater or more eminent than others.
Origin:
1250–1300; ME geant < OF < L gigant- (s. of gigās) < Gk Gígās; r. OE gigant < L, as above

[darth_lord @ Nov 13th 2008 8:00PM]

http://www.teslamotors.com/learn_more/faqs.php

" Where is the car made?

Components and subsystems for the car come from a variety of sources all over the world. The Roadster itself, or "Glider" is assembled at Lotus in Hethel, UK. Final assembly for the Tesla Roadster takes place in Menlo Park, California.
"

[idiot @ Nov 13th 2008 8:01PM]

har

[leo @ Nov 14th 2008 5:42PM]

I'd go for the millenium falcon

0 - kessel run in under 12 parsecs

[iEye @ Nov 13th 2008 5:47PM]

Now all those fast and furious home boys can have something to talk about...

So I pull up to this car in a Buick GN, 0-60 in 8 sec.. I get to make AMERICAN MUSCLE NOISE and what does this do? makes sounds of a star trek door opening?

$100,000 just to shave off 2 seconds and you probably cannot do burnouts in this thing...

[elloh7 @ Nov 13th 2008 5:50PM]

Why wouldn't you be able to do a burnout in this? Its a rear driver, and with its electric motors giving near instant and continuous torque, I'd think a burnout would be pretty easy..

The noise maker though, IS silly.

[Andrew @ Nov 13th 2008 5:51PM]

I'm surprised you're not raving over this thing, afterall, it's got a similar color scheme to the iPod! I guess matte isn't your thing.

By the way, it'd shave more than 2 seconds off 8, it's 0-60 in 4 seconds - it might be hard to spin that statistic into something negative.

[Samboini @ Nov 13th 2008 5:53PM]

It probably doesn't support the iPhone either. What you going to do about that, you whinging fuck?

[GeekPI @ Nov 13th 2008 6:00PM]

Buick GN - 0-60 in 8 seconds.
Tesla Roadster - 0-60 in 3.9 seconds.

Buick GN - 16mpg
Tesla Roadster - 120 mpg equivalent

By the time you hit 20mph in the Buick, the Tesla would be 50 feet in front of you. Rev the V-8 all you want, but there's no arguing with the wheel smoking (silent) power of 211 lbs/ft of torque the Tesla has at 0 - 7000 rpm and then continues to 14,000 rpm.

[KAIKAI @ Nov 13th 2008 6:13PM]

iEye

what happend to your iCar ??

[jake @ Nov 13th 2008 6:23PM]

@GeekPI

One more to add:
Buick GN - 1/4 mile 15.7 seconds
Tesla Roadster - 1/4 mile 12.7 seconds
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/10/30/tesla-roadster-goes-to-the-drags-does-a-12-7-second-quarter-mil/

So it'll own his GN in the quarter mile too, basically the only thing it was really good at.

The Tesla has a Lotus designed chassis so no question it'll slaughter his GN in the corners too.

[iEye @ Nov 13th 2008 6:42PM]

All your trolling aside... my point is that buick GN (regal) was made in 1987, this is 2008, you can pick up a GN for under 10k easy

the insurance on this Tesla for a year is more than 10k... That is a lot of $$$ for just a bit more fun....

and my GN is not ever a serious muscle car... just a toy that is parked... now the real noises come from a Chevelle 454...

[Eli @ Nov 13th 2008 6:53PM]

Of course your GN is a toy, iEye. Immature tweens don't own real cars.

[iEye @ Nov 13th 2008 7:01PM]

Yea, you are right... I spent my money on a house instead... what a waste... shoulda got that escalade with 80" gold rims instead...

[Mr. Ford @ Nov 13th 2008 7:06PM]

Do you have external speakers on your iPod so you can play those muscle car sounds while you run around wearing a back pack and a little white helmet. If you really are going to compare this to a GN (kinda cool in a mustache won't connect to the goatee kinda way), then you should be required to wear a helmet.

The entire point of this car is to show that manufacturers can make an eco friendly car that can hang with many top performance cars. Tesla motors shows us that green cars can still be fun.

You would be comparing Steve Jobs to Mother Theresa if he had invented something like this.

[Mr. Ford @ Nov 13th 2008 7:06PM]

@iEye
"Yea, you are right... I spent my money on a house instead... what a waste... shoulda got that escalade with 80" gold rims instead...

Probably should have, no one is impressed when you put those gold wheels on your house[trailer]. You know, if you work hard enough, one day you might be able to afford a house and a car.

Oh yeah, living under a bridge doesn't count as a owning a home.

[TS @ Nov 13th 2008 7:22PM]

I have no idea where the comparisons to a Buick GNX came from, but if I were going to spend $100k on a sports car, I'd pick up a Corvette ZR1.

Previously stated Tesla Performance:
0-60: 3.9 sec.
1/4 mile: 12.7 sec.

Corvette ZR-1
0-60: 3.4 sec.
1/4 mile: 11.3 sec.
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS128246+17-Jun-2008+PRN20080617

And it doesn't need a speaker system to make "real V8 engine sounds".

[Reader @ Nov 13th 2008 7:35PM]

You guys have to admit the idea of a car accelerating to the star trek door opening noise is pretty funny.

[haX0r @ Nov 13th 2008 7:50PM]

iEye = iTard

[Mobius_1 @ Nov 13th 2008 8:02PM]

"All your trolling aside..." (Blurred out, of course)

What a hypocrite

[jhracer3 @ Nov 14th 2008 12:50AM]

Cornell Formula SAE Car:
0-60: 2.8s

Top speed: 160

[Diesel is awesome @ Nov 14th 2008 1:20AM]

@ Mr. Ford
Check this out. It's diesel, isn't slow (tops out near the Corvette and much higher than the Roadster), gets pretty good mileage (relatively) and you don't have to plug it in every night! And, that's with a 6.6L V8.
http://www.gizmag.com/tridents-200mph-100mpg-iceni-biodiesel-sports-car-nears-production/9928/

[Stowe101 @ Nov 14th 2008 3:58AM]

Trust me you can...

[jneutron @ Nov 14th 2008 8:54AM]

I dont know where you guys got your GN stats.

#1) its a turbocharged V6. Not an 8.

#2) The HP, 0-60, and 1/4 mile times are all fudged to reduce insurance costs in the 80's

[Pyotor @ Nov 13th 2008 5:48PM]

Now I can put just enough bells and whistles on my electric car to give myself the same equivalent mpgs of a gas car!

[KAIKAI @ Nov 13th 2008 7:19PM]

the tesla doesnt exactly work with miles per GALLON ....

[Pyotor @ Nov 13th 2008 9:23PM]

I meant this as in mpg equivalent. If you've ever taken a science class, you might understand that you can convert between different forms of energy (kinetic, potential, nuclear, radiant, heat, chemical, etc.) Therefore, I can say that the Tesla Roadster does have an efficiency of miles per gallon in terms of equivalent electricity usage.
And to quote Wikipedia: "The Roadster's efficiency, as of September, 2008, is reported as equivalent to 120 miles per US gallon (51 km/l/140 mpg-imp)"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesla_Roadster

Just some advice: you should actually know what you're talking about before you post something like this.

[o29 @ Nov 13th 2008 5:57PM]

I think I'm in love.

[Samboini @ Nov 13th 2008 7:06PM]

I heart you too.

[Brian @ Nov 13th 2008 5:57PM]

Two Words: Train Horn

Do it!

[HyperHacker @ Jan 11th 2009 2:42PM]

Ford did it years ago. Ever drive a '76 Lincoln? Or at least cut one off?

I agree though, it's fucking awesome and should be an option.

[spadge @ Nov 13th 2008 5:59PM]

This is not a bra, or a bus. I am disappointed.

[BJ is Gooder @ Nov 13th 2008 6:06PM]

Neon lights?
Sound of a traditional V8 engine(they did get the memo about it being electric, right?)?
"Futuristic soundscapes" including "Beam" and "Warp" sounds?

Thanks for ruining it, Brabus. This is the douchiest, tooliest example of douchebaggery I may have ever heard of.

[Mr. Ford @ Nov 13th 2008 7:08PM]

except for every comment that iEye has ever posted.