Descrição
The Brabus Q3C is based on the 300Ce 124 series Mercedes Benz. In typical Brabus fashion, the engine was performance modified and enlarged to 3. 6l with 24 valves. A cast Red Brabus tappet cover immediately suggests that this is one very special engine. Brabus wanted nothing to do with the 300CE’s automatic gearbox and installed a close ratio Getrag 5 Speed dogleg manual gearbox. Suspension and brakes were all upgraded together with revised bodywork and Brabus magnesium wheels. Only 3 Brabus Q3C’s were ever built making this potentially one of the rarest Brabus cars ever. Our vendor purchased this car on the 30th September 2011 from UK dealer James Paul in West Sussex and imported it into South Africa.
From MotorSport magazine May 1989: "Much more dramatic changes are made to the 3-litre six in the medium saloon to produce the Q3. Forged pistons and a long-stroke crank machined from solid take it out to 3. 6 litres, out of which a new cam and improved breathing extract 245 bhp and 257 lb ft of torque. This can push the plush five-seater to around 156 mph with wonderful flexibility; there is barely any need to drop out of top on the autobahn no matter how conditions change. Smooth acceleration oozes from under the bonnet, while even easing through town traffic the Q3 needs no special care. It only shows itself nonstandard by a mild throb when it gets into its stride and by a slightly uneven tick-over after a top-speed run on an empty autobahn.
Surprisingly, no mods are made to gearbox or clutch. Brabus has tested the standard items using an experimental 400 bhp twin-turbo conversion and maintains that they are up to the job. Perhaps Mercedes’ ratios are not ideal for the sporting nature of the conversion, but the extra capacity helps to smooth this out.
Best of all is the feel of the chassis: the nose-heavy attitude is gone, replaced by an eagerness to respond which stops short of nervousness. Understeer is controlled to a level which promises no surprises from the car even when provoked in a corner, and the cornering limits are very high, despite the Brabus philosophy which keeps the cars on tyres of a sensible width — 205 or 225, though on wide rims of 7 or 8in to help brace the sidewall."
