Cars ran so deeply through Bodo Buschmann’s veins that he couldn’t even wait until he’d finished studying to found Brabus, a company dedicated to the refinement of Mercedes-Benzes. And in the seven years since, he’s not only become renowned for his high-quality, audacious-looking, and technologically impressive creations, but he’s also helped to make vehicle tuning an acceptable (and respectable) industry. The success is a testament to his hard work, ambition, and ability to select the very best people from their respective fields to surround himself. ‘Never work for money — work for passion’ was his motto, and it shows. As luck would have it, the 1980s has spawned a new aesthetic craze — that for excess. And if you want automotive excess, join the back of the queue for a Brabus-tuned Mercedes.

We were saddened to hear that Bodo Buschmann, the founder and CEO of Brabus, has passed away at the age of 62.

Photo: Brabus