Brabus to debut Rangie ute

There have been plenty of similar local conversions, but none quite like this one, which will make its world debut in China on Monday (April 20) at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Meet the STARTECH Pickup concept – a four-door luxury ute based on the Range Rover, powered by a 387kW 5.0-litre supercharged V8 that propels it to 100km/h in a claimed 5.3 seconds.

STARTECH, the Jaguar Land Rover conversion arm of Germany's famed Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus, says the conversion includes at least 100 new aluminium, carbon-fibre and steel components.

Wrapping a luxurious four-seat interior with Alcantara headlining and carbon-fibre highlights is a new bodyshell rear of the reshaped C-pillar, allowing the vehicle to accommodate a small, near-square 1100mm-long, plastic-lined rear tub. With the powered tailgate dropped, the cargo length extends to 1.7 metres.

STARTECH says that's enough to accommodate a few sets of golf clubs or other recreational equipment – such as a cage for falcons used for hunting by Middle Eastern customers.

Fitted with the same panoramic sunroof as the Rangie, the chopped wagon is claimed to have the same torsional rigidity as the luxury SUV on which it's based.

Other key features include a tinted and heated rear windscreen, an air suspension system that lowers the ride height by up to 30mm, 23-inch forged wheels with 305/30 tyres, 80mm wider wheel-arches and a more aggressive front bumper.

It's not the first time Brabus has turned its attention to the light-commercial sector – at last year's Moscow International Motor Show it lifted the covers off a stunning Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, which it had converted into the ultimate in luxury executive transport.

Brabus doesn't list a price for the production version of its Rangie ute, which will be available in any interior and exterior colour you desire, but says it could cost less than the Range Rover itself because of the lower taxes its commercial vehicle status attracts in some markets.