BRABUS Unveils The 1,000-HP BODO Cabriolet, One Of The Fastest Convertibles Ever Built
BRABUS debuted the BODO Cabriolet at The Quail by The Peninsula on August 14, 2026, during Monterey Car Week — and it arrives as one of the most technically ambitious open-top cars ever built. Sharing a strictly limited production run of just 77 vehicles worldwide with the BODO Gran Turismo Coupe, the cabriolet packs a hand-built 5.2-liter V12 biturbo producing 1,000 hp and 885 lb-ft of torque, hits 60 mph in 3.0 seconds flat, and tops out at an electronically limited 223 mph.
Behind the numbers is a story that spans nearly two decades. BRABUS CEO Constantin Buschmann says he and his late father, company founder Bodo Buschmann, first discussed a project like this roughly twenty years ago — a large, attitude-forward Gran Turismo that could carry the BRABUS DNA while standing apart from anything the brand had done before. It took eight years of active development to get there. The cabriolet, Constantin says, was designed “in every detail as he would have driven it.” Base price is €1,077,000.
A Coachbuilt Carbon-Fiber Body With Active Aerodynamics
Every panel on the BODO Cabriolet is formed from carbon fiber using the pre-preg process — BRABUS operates its own composites facility in Bottrop, Germany, where components are cured under pressure in an autoclave. The result is a body that measures 506.2 cm (199.3 in.) long, 202.7 cm (79.8 in.) wide, and just 130.5 cm (51.3 in.) tall, with a dry weight of 1,774 kg (3,911 lb) and a near-perfect 50.2/49.8 front-to-rear weight distribution.
Aerodynamics are active rather than passive. An electrically extendable carbon-fiber rear spoiler deploys in stages as speed builds, adding downforce progressively. Above 87 mph under hard braking, it pivots fully vertical to function as an air brake. At the front, an integrated carbon spoiler generates downforce at the front axle, while RAM-AIR ducts on either side feed the V12 with fresh air. The electrically operated folding soft top opens or closes in under 15 seconds at a button press in the cockpit.
The V12 Biturbo: 1,000 HP, 885 lb-ft, Five Driving Modes
Mounted in a front-mid-engine configuration, the 5.2-liter hand-built V12 features four-valve cylinder heads and a bespoke forced-induction system with two purpose-developed turbochargers, a high-efficiency intercooler, and RAM-AIR-fed intake plumbing. Peak output is 735 kW / 1,000 hp at 6,400 rpm; maximum torque of 1,200 Nm (885 lb-ft) arrives between 2,900 and 5,000 rpm. Drive goes exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic with torque converter — carbon-fiber paddle shifters allow manual intervention — and an electronically controlled differential with up to 100 percent locking capability.
Five driving modes shape the experience: Wet, GT, Sport, Sport+, and Individual. Sport+ sharpens throttle response, raises shift points, firms the dampers, and opens the exhaust valves for a more prominent V12 note. Individual mode lets the driver configure each parameter separately. The chassis itself is built around a double-wishbone front axle and multi-link rear, with electronically controlled adaptive aluminum struts developed in collaboration with KW. Both axles carry a lift system that raises the car roughly 25 mm at low speeds for parking-garage clearance, then automatically drops back to ride height above 28 mph. Carbon-ceramic brakes handle stopping duty: 410 x 38 mm six-piston units up front, 360 x 38 mm four-piston units at the rear.
Two Launch Specs, Bespoke Pirelli Rubber, And A Blockchain Passport
BRABUS is presenting the cabriolet in two debut configurations. “Piano Black” pairs a gloss-black exterior with a matching black soft top, saddle-brown leather, matte “Dark Shadow” trim, and exposed carbon fiber throughout the cabin — a combination Constantin Buschmann describes as directly inspired by his father’s personal taste. “Silk Stone” takes a monochromatic approach: the exterior color carries through to the leather, trim, and carbon-fiber elements inside, while the soft top features a specially developed two-tone black and gray Jacquard fabric with an inverted “77” motif woven into the structure — a nod to 1977, the year Bodo Buschmann founded BRABUS.
Rolling stock is 22-inch BRABUS Monoblock Z-GT “Platinum Edition” forged wheels — 20 concave spokes, high-gloss Shadow finish, center-lock-style hub covers — wrapped in Pirelli P Zero PZ5 tires developed exclusively for this car. Sizes run 285/35 ZR 22 front and 335/30 ZR 22 rear, each sidewall stamped with an exclusive “BB” marking. Every car is built individually to buyer specification. Completing the ownership package is a blockchain-based Digital Product Passport, embedded in a dedicated BRABUS Spec Plate in the luggage compartment and developed with the Aura Blockchain Consortium, providing verified documentation of authenticity, ownership, and full vehicle specification.
With 77 total units split across coupe and cabriolet, allocation will be tight. For buyers who qualify, the BODO Cabriolet represents something genuinely rare: a fully coachbuilt, open-top supercar built to individual order, carrying a founder’s name and nearly two decades of intent behind it.
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