Whenever one thinks about a Porsche, it is almost always with admiration. There aren’t many people who get to experience one and even fewer, if any, that can fault one. After all, they come from one of the most reputed auto manufacturers responsible for some of the greatest cars ever made. The point is, you don’t really need anything more from any particular Porsche… or do you? Well, Brabus wants you to reconsider with a solid reason– a reason they call Brabus 820.

What they have done with the donor car is pretty spectacular and yet the name is rather simple. Brabus because Brabus and 820 because it makes that many horses. Before we talk about this Brabusized piece of automotive excellence, let us talk about the donor car– a Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet (992). It is a pretty stunning car in its own right but in this Brabusized avatar, it simply blows you away. It does so figuratively with the 820 horses and literally, because it is open-top!

I drove the Brabus 820 in Germany and thank heavens that I got to check it out a bit on the Autobahn as well. In a few words, if you ever feel sleepy, just floor the pedal and it is like a concentrated shot of caffeine through an IV! The all-wheel drive transmission ensures that none of the power and torque are wasted in wheelspins. What you have is an undiluted dose of intoxicating acceleration and an orchestra of an exhaust note to accompany it. Phew. I jumped the gun a little there. So let’s take it back a little.

I will start with the looks. The Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet is a very nice-looking car. The design flows from the front to back and it is very coherent. Overall, it is very pleasing to look at. So the modifications from Brabus could not come at the expense of that sense of symmetry. And it didn’t. They have done a phenomenal job at making it look like a Brabus without messing with the original design too much. The only thing that stands out is the spoiler and even that is not overbearing.

Despite that, there is enough to differentiate the Brabus 820 from a regular 991 Cabriolet. It is achieved with carbon fibre… lots of it. There are exposed carbon elements in the front fascia insert, front spoiler and side flaps. The wing, as mentioned earlier, along with the rear diffuser offer a distinct look to the Brabusized 911 Turbo S. I especially liked the Inconel exhaust system that not only sounds ungodly but looks really cool as well. Finally, the wheels. These are some of the best-looking wheels I have ever laid eyes on. 22” front and 21” rear Brabus Monoblock Z Platinum Edition wheels finished in Black. That is nirvana right there.

The interior is just as stunning. It is handcrafted, of course. A black leather interior with the special Brabus crest pattern quilting and the red inserts in it– it does not get a lot better than this stylistically. Carbon fibre makes an appearance here as well with inserts in the centre console complete with aluminium elements such as the pedals along with the paddle shifters. The Brabus 820 reeks of luxury and exclusivity.

Let us talk performance now. The 3.8L flat-six engine from the 911 Turbo S Cabriolet has been reworked to make almost 200 horsepower more. In addition to the 820 horses, the engine makes 950 Nm of torque that transmits power through an 8-speed double-clutch transmission that shifts either automatically or manually. As a result, it dispatches 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and can go up to 340 km/h!

In addition to the engine, fully adjustable springs are new to the Brabus 820 which allows you to alter the ride height by up to 25mm. This helps lower the CoG and achieve the numbers that it does. In terms of engine performance, the Brabus 820 feels like no Porsche I have ever driven. It just adds to every aspect of the engine’s output. From the feel to the actual performance, the Brabus 820 is a beast in every sense of the word. A good reason why you won’t find any Porsche branding on it is because, well, it is Brabus.

You can tell how stellar the camera system on the Xiaomi flagship is because a fair few of these stunning photos were captured with the stellar Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

In terms of responsiveness and handling too, the Brabus 820 is mighty impressive. The all-wheel-drive system does help in enhancing traction but despite the open-top nature and power going to all the wheels, the Brabus 820 never feels sluggish. To be honest though, this isn’t a car I would like to set racetracks on fire in. It can do that, but it is meant to be more than that. It is meant to be an experience that is encompassing, a blend of opulent luxury and brutal performance.

Being a modified car, there are usual concerns but with Brabus, there are none. It comes with a proper warranty and it is properly road-legal. You go to their website, you customize it your way, and they make it for you. A completely legal Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet on steroids… or maybe not. They have done enough to make it a different entity– so yeah, you get yourself a Brabus 820.