Brabus built a 700-hp super-wagon to fill the gap left by one of the greatest performance cars ever discontinued and it costs $247,000

Brabus got its hands on the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid, and the result is visually understated but technically impressive.

The Brabus 700 looks roughly the same as the AMG, but it’s much faster.

Some people argue that the German tuner is probably trying to fill a gap in the market because, at the time of writing, there’s no AMG E 63 – just the less powerful E 53.

But the price is pretty wild.

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By Brabus’ standards, this is pretty subtle

The aftermarket automotive brand isn’t necessarily the most outrageous tuner out there, but it’s far from the most subtle.

Still, by their standards, the 700 is pretty sober.

It looks very similar to the original AMG E 53, and most of the modifications are minor and not particularly loud.

That’s with the exception of the carbon fiber scoops and spoiler lip at the front, the rear diffuser, and the larger 21-inch wheels.

For reference, the standard E 53 has 19-inch (front) and 20-inch (rear) wheels.

The interior is also quite elegant.

There are no crazy color combos, and no in-your-face details.

Every logo and badge is neat, understated, and well-integrated with the rest of the car.

Spec-wise, this is not in the same league as the Mercedes-AMG E 53 Hybrid

As standard, the AMG E 53 Hybrid uses a 3.0-liter inline-six with a turbocharger and an electric motor.

Combined, you get 577 horsepower and 553lb-ft of torque.

It does 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds, and it has a top speed that’s electronically limited to 155mph.

By contrast, the Brabus 700 uses the same engine but produces 700 horsepower and 627lb-ft of torque, and it does 0-62 in 3.6 seconds.

The top speed, without the limiter, is 280km/h – equivalent to 174mph.

But the main difference is the price.

The E 53 starts at around $90,000.

And the 700? $247,000.

Ouch.