If your better half has put the kibosh on your dream of owning one of the ten BRABUS E V12 Black Baron’s, then maybe you’ll have a better chance at talking them around to the more family friendly BRABUS Viano “Lounge Concept” if it ever makes the jump from concept car to commercial reality. Described as an “exclusive office and movie theater on wheels” the concept takes a Mercedes van and packs it to the brim with state-of-the-art entertainment technology, so you’re not likely to hear the kids whine, ‘are we there yet?’
Interior Gadgetry
Two rear passengers can relax in comfort on custom seats upholstered with super soft breathable leather. Like business-class airline seats, they can be reclined to full sleeping position at the push of a button. Between them is a center console, made from leather and bamboo, that houses controls for the rear climate control system and the controller for the COMAND MMI system, from the Mercedes S-Class, that operates the entire multimedia system.A 32-inch electrically deployed LCD screen is integrated into the partition wall behind the front seats to serve as monitor for the computer system with Sony Vaio notebook. A Wireless LAN network allows additional notebooks to connect to the on-board network, which connects to the Internet via UMTS. A Sony Playstation 3 game console plays Blu-ray movies and games on the big screen, which can also display the images from the digital TV tuner. The large screen can also be used in split-screen mode to simultaneously monitor the images from the various external cameras. Audio from the various sources is played through a custom-designed Dolby Surround sound system.
This drool-worthy gadgetry is topped off with an exclusive Vertu Constellation mobile phone that is made from a combination of stainless steel, scratch-proof sapphire glass and the same supple leather that covers the Viano lounge interior. And if this luxury is making you thirsty, feel free to help yourself to a cold drink from the built-in refrigerator or a coffee from the latest generation ‘Nespresso’ coffee maker.
Privacy in the rear is ensured with the electric retractable partition window, controlled with the push of a button, while numerous integrated storage compartments should provide ample room for passenger carry-on items - cash and gold bullion presumably. If that is, indeed, the case then there’s also room for a couple of bodyguards in the electrically-deployed emergency seats opposite the comfort seats.
Exterior style
For those on the outside looking in, BRABUS has added two round fog lamps and two Xenon high beams to the front apron, which reduces lift of the front axle for improved directional stability at high speed, while the rear apron features a custom-tailored cutout for the stainless-steel BRABUS sport exhaust. BRABUS rocker panels with integrated LED entrance lights are also included for safe entering and exiting of the vehicle.Meanwhile, understated fender flares on front and rear axle make room for BRABUS Monoblock light-alloy wheels with diameters of 18 or 19 inches. The most exclusive version features size 8.5Jx19 wheels with size 255/40 R 19 tires. In this size, customers could choose either the fully polished Monoblock S design or the Monoblock Q wheel in a two-tone combination of titanium-colored paint and polished surfaces.
Performance
To further improve active driving safety without sacrificing ride comfort, the BRABUS suspension engineers have developed special sport springs matched to the production shocks. They lower the ride height of the Viano with conventional and air suspension by some 25 millimeters (1.0 inches) on the front axle, and by some 20 millimeters (0.8 inches) in the rear.BRABUS also offers powerful engines for the Viano “Lounge Concept”. The BRABUS ECO PowerXtra D6 (III) power kit increases power output of the V6 common-rail turbodiesel engine of the Viano 3.0 CDI by 38 hp (38 bhp) / 28 kW and torque by 60 Nm (44 lb-ft), enabling the tuned van to sprint from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 8.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 208 km/h (129 mph). If that’s not enough for you, the top-of-the-line Viano 3.5 model BRABUS offers the BRABUS 4.0 displacement engine with 318 hp (314 bhp) / 234 kW and a peak torque of 410 Nm (302 lb-ft) at 4,200 rpm.
Still not enough? Then the special model Viano V8 might be for you. It's powered by a BRABUS 6.1 eight-cylinder displacement engine with 426 hp (418 bhp) / 313 kW at 5,400 rpm and a peak torque of 621 Nm (458 lb-ft) at 4,100 rpm and offers driving fun on the highest level. With a sprint time of 5.9 seconds from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) and an electronically limited top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph), the BRABUS Viano V8 is one of the world’s fastest vans.
It’s probably just as well the BRABUS Viano “Lounge Concept” is just a concept at this stage, because the asking price would most likely make me pass out.
Source: Serious Wheels