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.