Auto Tuner Brabus Announces Aircraft Customization Division
German automotive tuner Brabus has been offering tuned cars for the wealthy and ultra-wealthy since 1977. Some of them are lightning fast, some of them are productive multitaskers and some of them are clean and efficient, but they’re all a little more exclusive than the average factory BMW or Mercedes. In addition to cars, the tuner offers a yacht customization service, and it recently turned its attention to the skies, where it will transform private jets to the desired specifications of paying customers.
Earlier this month, Brabus announced its new Private Aviation branch, which will extend customization services to the world of private jets. The new venture’s work will be focused primarily on jet cabins, where it will offer such upgrades as leather upholstery, Alcantara accents and wood trim. The company also mentions that it can customize the exterior of the plane – so that jet with matte black vinyl wrap, exposed carbon fiber accents and neon lights you’ve been dreaming about can be all yours.
Brabus says that customers can either work closely with it in designing their own plane from the ground up or can choose from several pre-designed packages. When it announced Private Aviation at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, it came prepared with two packages. The “Elegance” package includes a blend of cream-colored leather, Alcantara and fine wood. The “Sportive” package is a sports car-inspired, gray-and-black theme with leather, Alcantara, indirect LED lighting and carbon fiber. Red stitching adds to the fast, high-end supercar feel.
In terms of the exterior, Brabus says that its designers can treat the fuselage like a canvas – within the confines of air regulations (so maybe no neon lights on your pimped-out air ride). It shows several planes with various forms of carbon fiber designs and painted winglets.
Ensuring that it’s more than just pretty window dressing, Brabus also offers an inflight entertainment system inspired by its iBusiness 800. The entertainment system includes docking for multimedia devices like the Apple iPad and can be built to the customer’s needs.
Brabus offers its airplane customization services on both brand new and existing heavy jets. It specifies that it works with Bombardier Global Express, Challenger and Dassault Falcon aircraft lines, but also mentions it can work with larger business liners.
Unlike in the case of its car tuning business, Brabus doesn’t appear to have any plans to up the output of its customers’ jet engines. It looks as though it will be leaving those stock, abandoning any potential claims of “world’s most powerful/fastest/quickest private jet.” – Gizmag
