This New 1,000-HP V12 Convertible Makes The Aston Martin Vanquish Look Tame
Most convertibles trade some performance for sunshine, fresh air, and the opportunity to arrive with a hairstyle resembling a frightened alpaca. Brabus has taken a slightly different approach. Its latest machine combines an open cabin with a twin-turbocharged V12, rear-wheel drive, and a top speed normally reserved for hypercars.
Known as the Brabus Bodo Cabriolet, this carbon-bodied monster is the roofless counterpart to the Bodo Gran Turismo Coupe. It is also a tribute to Brabus founder Bodo Buschmann, who had a serious weakness for fast open-top cars. His son Constantin has now turned that passion into one of the fastest convertibles ever built, and the numbers are every bit as outrageous as the car’s bodywork.
The Brabus Bodo Cabriolet Is A Vanquish Gone Wild
Underneath the completely redesigned body sits the platform and powertrain from the Aston Martin Vanquish. However, Brabus has replaced the Aston’s elegant British suit with enough exposed carbon fiber and aerodynamic aggression to make Batman check his bank balance. Every exterior panel is manufactured from pre-preg carbon fiber inside Brabus’ own composites facility. The Bodo measures 199.3 inches long, 79.8 inches wide, and only 51.3 inches tall, creating the proportions of a luxury speedboat that somehow escaped onto dry land.
The electrically operated fabric roof can open or close in less than 15 seconds. One launch vehicle wears Piano Black paint with a matching black roof, while the Silk Stone version receives a woven black-and-gray Jacquard top covered in subtle inverted “77” logos. That number honors 1977, the year Bodo Buschmann founded Brabus.
Active aerodynamics keep the Cabriolet stable when the driver begins exploring the terrifying end of its speedometer. A carbon-fiber rear spoiler deploys in stages and flips vertically under hard braking above 87 mph, effectively becoming an air brake. Huge intakes feed air to the engine, radiators, and brakes, while a carbon front spoiler produces additional downforce.
This Twin-Turbo V12 Summons 1,000 HP
The 5.2-liter twin-turbocharged V12 produces 1,000 hp and 885 lb-ft of torque. Brabus developed two new turbochargers, an upgraded intercooling system, a RAM-AIR intake, and a four-pipe exhaust system with titanium outlets made using 3D printing. All that fury is sent exclusively to the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. There is no all-wheel-drive system helping the front tires rescue the driver from poor decisions. An electronically controlled rear differential can provide up to 100 percent locking, while specially developed 22-inch Pirelli P Zero tires attempt to convince 885 lb-ft of torque to behave itself.
Brabus claims the Cabriolet can hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, reach 124 mph in 8.5 seconds, and blast from rest to 186 mph in 23.9 seconds. Keep the accelerator buried and it will eventually reach its electronically limited 223-mph top speed. At that velocity, opening your mouth would probably turn your cheeks into active aerodynamic devices. Five driving modes range from Wet to Sport+, with each adjusting the engine, transmission, suspension, steering, and exhaust. Sport+ sharpens everything and opens the exhaust valves, allowing the V12 to scream directly into the uncovered cabin. Carbon-ceramic brakes handle stopping duties, while a suspension lift raises the entire car by one inch for speed bumps and steep ramps.
A $1.24 Million Convertible Limited To 77 Cars
The Bodo Cabriolet starts at $1.24 million (in Europe) and Brabus will manufacture only 77 examples, each configured around the wonderfully expensive demands of its owner. The cabin mixes leather, exposed carbon fiber, metal trim, and Brabus Shell quilting across all four seats. That same quilting spreads across the floor, rear deck, luggage compartment, floor mats, and even the trunk liner because apparently leaving one surface undecorated would have caused an emergency meeting in Bottrop.
Every car also includes matching leather-trimmed keys, a color-coordinated Weekender bag, and a blockchain-based digital passport verifying its specification and ownership history. Buyers even receive two small rear seats, although anyone placed back there may develop strong opinions about 223-mph wind noise.
The Bodo Cabriolet makes its public debut at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. It may share some mechanical DNA with an Aston Martin, but this is far more than a Vanquish wearing a louder body kit. Brabus has built a 1,000-hp, rear-wheel-drive V12 missile with no roof, very little restraint, and enough performance to turn an innocent Sunday drive into an appointment with the horizon.
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