Right off the bat, we should clarify this isn’t a Z3. As a matter of fact, it’s not even a BMW. German tuner Brabus resurrected the “Clown Shoe” formula with a car sold by archrival Mercedes-Benz. It’s an AMG SL roadster turned into a two-door shooting brake. Does it sound familiar? That’s because the stunning 2023 Concept Touring Coupe was a Z4 M40i with a fixed metal roof.
Although the shape might remind you of the E36/8 or the recent concept car, this is an entirely different animal. Barbus’ take on a Clown Shoe is based on the SL63 with a heavy dose of steroids. The twin-turbo V8 and electric motor pump out a colossal 986 horsepower. The reputable tuner bumped the engine’s displacement from 4.0 to 4.4 liters. It also electronically capped torque at a massive 1,820 Nm (1,342 lb-ft).
We find the car’s shape desirable but the general design is a bit too busy for our tastes. There’s a lot going on with the body and we’re not big fans of the wheels either. Nevertheless, it’s an interesting experiment from Brabus. Turning a soft-top convertible into a two-door wagon takes a lot of effort and imagination. It’s an antidote to an SUV-obsessed world and we’re glad it exists.
Still a 2+2 seater like the SL63, the AMG Clown Shoe by Brabus also happens to be absurdly quick. It’ll do 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.6 seconds. It reaches 124 mph (200 km/h) from a standstill in 9.5 seconds, while hitting 186 mph (300 km/h) takes 23.6 seconds. Flat out, ideally on a track or an unrestricted section of the Autobahn, it’ll do 197 mph (317 km/h).
Unlike BMW, Brabus is actually making this unofficial Clown Shoe in limited numbers for an undisclosed price tag. We’ll remind you that the Concept Touring Coupe would’ve cost somewhere in the region of $250,000 had it been built. Reports mentioned a planned production run of 50 units, but unfortunately, it never came to fruition. Instead, wealthy customers bought the M8 Convertible-based Skytop for at least €500,000 a pop.
Source: Brabus
