The open-top G-Wagon is back — twice. Brabus revealed the €761,500 800 Cabrio in Bottrop on 24 November 2025 with 800 PS, a 500-part retractable soft top and a 4-second sprint to 100 km/h. Eight months later, on 24 July 2026, Mercedes-Benz released the first uncamouflaged images of its own factory Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet, marking the first series-production G-Class convertible since the 2018 G650 Landaulet. Two takes on the same idea, priced almost a decimal place apart.
Two G-Class Cabriolets in One Model Year
Until now, a four-door convertible G-Wagon simply did not exist as a factory product. Brabus filled that vacuum first, developing a bespoke soft-top structure with over 500 CAD-engineered components and torsional rigidity claimed to match the closed G63. Two weeks later Mercedes teased its own version; official uncamouflaged reveal images then appeared in July 2026, and the AMG variant is confirmed for a 2027 model-year launch. Both cars share the same underlying W465 platform, the same M177 4.0L twin-turbo V8, and the same four-door bodywork — but almost nothing else.
Brabus 800 Cabrio: 789 hp, 24-Inch Wheels, 50 Units
The Brabus 800 Cabrio is based on the current W465 Mercedes-AMG G63 and re-engineered from the roof pillars up. The two-piece electric soft top opens or closes in 20 seconds and integrates a first-in-segment carbon-fiber roof bow to keep its shape at speed. A rear roll bar wrapped in carbon and a heated glass rear window sit behind the second row; a shaker test simulating over 100,000 km of load and mandatory rollover safety validation are part of the sign-off protocol.
Under the bonnet, Brabus keeps the M177 4.0-liter V8 but fits its own turbochargers and a re-flashed ECU, yielding 800 PS (789 hp / 588 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) between 3,800 and 4,400 rpm. The nine-speed SPEEDSHIFT TCT and permanent all-wheel drive stay. 0–100 km/h drops to 4.0 seconds and top speed is electronically limited to 240 km/h.
Externally, the Widestar body kit adds 10 cm of overall width, 24-inch forged Monoblock ZM Platinum Edition wheels sit on 295/30 ZR24 front and 355/25 ZR24 rear high-performance rubber, and adjustable sport springs drop ride height by 20–40 mm. Inside, Oxford Sand and Cairos Brown leather covers everything up to the boot lining, with Airscarf headrest heaters, carbon shift paddles and a Brabus Masterpiece badge on the console. Production is capped at 50 units worldwide. Export price in Germany is €761,500 net; retail with 19% VAT lands around €906,000, and a fully specced example crests €1 million.
Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet: The Factory Answer
Mercedes started teasing the return of an open-top G-Class in September 2025 and released the first uncamouflaged images in July 2026. Unlike every previous factory G-Cabriolet, the new car is a four-door built on the long-wheelbase W465 platform, mirroring the packaging Brabus had already committed to. The soft top is a canvas structure that folds and stacks behind the rear seats above the traditional spare-wheel carrier; the third brake light has been relocated into the tire cover, and a large fixed rear roll bar carries the top when it is down.
Official technical data has not yet been released, but the visible quad-exhaust layout, 22-inch AMG wheels and side-exit tailpipes on the July 2026 prototype confirm an AMG variant. Publications from Carscoops, CarBuzz and Focus converge on the current G63 powertrain: the M177 4.0L twin-turbo V8, 577 hp (430 kW / 585 PS) and 627 lb-ft (849 Nm), sending power through the nine-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT to permanent 4MATIC AWD. Expect 0–100 km/h in about 4.5 seconds and a 240 km/h top speed — slightly slower than the closed G63 due to added chassis reinforcement and roof mechanism weight.
Mercedes has confirmed availability across most global markets, including the United States, where the last factory G-Cabrio was the 99-unit G650 Landaulet in 2018. World debut is expected in late 2026, with assembly at Magna Steyr in Graz and customer deliveries scheduled for spring 2027.
Brabus 800 Cabrio vs Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet: Full Specs
| Specification | Brabus 800 Cabrio | Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet |
|---|---|---|
| Base platform | Mercedes-AMG G63 (W465) | Mercedes-AMG G63 (W465) |
| Body | 4-door, Widestar widebody | 4-door, standard body |
| Roof | 2-piece electric soft top, 500+ parts, 20 s | Retractable canvas soft top (rear section), fixed metal roof over front seats |
| Engine | 4.0 L M177 twin-turbo V8, Brabus turbos | 4.0 L M177 twin-turbo V8 (stock) |
| Power | 800 PS / 789 hp / 588 kW @ 6,400 rpm | 585 PS / 577 hp / 430 kW (expected) |
| Torque | 1,000 Nm (737 lb-ft) | 849 Nm (627 lb-ft) (expected) |
| Transmission | 9-speed SPEEDSHIFT TCT auto | 9-speed AMG SPEEDSHIFT MCT auto |
| Drivetrain | Permanent AWD, 3 locking diffs | Permanent 4MATIC AWD, 3 locking diffs |
| 0–100 km/h | 4.0 s | ~4.5 s (est.) |
| Top speed | 240 km/h (149 mph), limited | 240 km/h (149 mph), limited (est.) |
| Wheels | 24-inch Monoblock ZM forged | 22-inch AMG forged |
| Tires | 295/30 ZR24 F / 355/25 ZR24 R | Goodyear Eagle F1 (22-inch) |
| Suspension | Adjustable sport springs, lowered 20–40 mm | AMG Ride Control adaptive (stock G63) |
| Interior | Oxford Sand + Cairos Brown leather, Airscarf | AMG Nappa leather, expected Airscarf |
| Seating | 5 | 5 |
| Fuel consumption (combined) | 14.8 L/100 km | ~13–14 L/100 km (est.) |
| CO₂ emissions | 337 g/km | ~300–320 g/km (est.) |
| Production | 50 units worldwide | Limited special edition, exact number TBC |
| Reveal date | 24 November 2025 | Full reveal expected late 2026 |
| Customer deliveries | Q1–Q2 2026 | Spring 2027 |
| Starting price | €761,500 net (≈ €906,000 with VAT) | €250,000–300,000 (est.) |
Mercedes has not yet confirmed final power, price or 0–100 numbers; figures above are consensus estimates based on the current G63, the W465 platform and reporting from Carscoops, CarBuzz, DubiCars and What Car?.
Price Gap: About €500,000 for the Same Idea
The Brabus 800 Cabrio starts at €761,500 before tax. Even the most conservative estimates for the AMG G63 Cabriolet fall in the €250,000–300,000 range — roughly what a fully loaded closed G63 W465 costs today, plus a special-edition premium. That is a spread of nearly half a million euros for two cars sharing the same engine block, gearbox and platform. The delta buys 200 extra horsepower, a 500-part bespoke soft top, a Widestar widebody, 24-inch forged wheels, and the exclusivity of a 50-unit run.
Off-Road: 800 XL Cabrio vs Standard G63 Cabrio
Brabus offers a second variant, the XL 800 Cabrio, which adds a portal-axle suspension pushing ground clearance to 47.9 cm (18.9 in) and rides on 22-inch Monoblock Z-HD wheels with 325/55 R22 all-terrain tires; 0–100 km/h grows to 4.6 seconds and top speed drops to 210 km/h. Price is €887,600 net, with a total production cap of 50 units. The factory G63 Cabriolet, by contrast, keeps the standard G-Class ground clearance (~24 cm) and full complement of locking differentials, prioritizing all-weather usability over trophy-truck extremes.
Release Date and Availability
The Brabus 800 Cabrio and 800 XL Cabrio are already open for order, built to specification, with the first cars scheduled for delivery in Q1–Q2 2026. Both models will be homologated for European, US and GCC markets. The Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet has not received a firm on-sale date, but Mercedes has confirmed a full reveal in late 2026, Graz production starting in Q1 2027, and US-market availability — making it the first widely available factory G-Class convertible ever offered in North America.
Which Open-Top G-Wagon Wins?
They are not really competitors. The Brabus 800 Cabrio is a Masterpiece-tier coachbuilt object aimed at collectors already ordering Chrono 900s and Rocket Editions; the Mercedes-AMG G63 Cabriolet is the first attempt in a decade at a factory open-top G-Wagon that private buyers can walk into a dealer and order. If exclusivity and outright performance win, the Brabus. If access, warranty, dealer network and North American availability matter, the factory car. Together, they mark the return of the four-door convertible SUV as a category — something the market has been circling since the G650 Landaulet was retired in 2018.