If you spend way too much time looking at expensive luxury cars owned by the rich and famous in magazines or on social media, you would know that Brabus is one of the most trusted names in luxury vehicle tuning. The German firm has gained its reputation by turning Mercedes-AMG, Smart, Porsche, and Rolls-Royce cars and SUVs into luxurious machines with up to four figures of horsepower.
Though Brabus is known for products like the BRABUS 800 SUPERBLACK, a Mercedes-AMG G63 tuned to 900 horsepower, it also dipped its toes into other luxurious lifestyle products like boats and motorhomes. However, the tuning brand’s latest venture solidifies its intention to become a full-circle lifestyle brand, as it explores a new dimension of luxury living.
A Brabus house for your Brabus car on Brabus Island
Automotive branded luxury real estate is not a new thing; Mercedes-Benz is building a skyscraper in Dubai and Aston Martin has “residences” in Miami, as well as fully-furnished units at a building in New York City. However, Brabus’s island in the Al Seef District of Abu Dhabi takes thing up a notch.
The island itself is big, spanning just over 1 million square feet, an area 40% larger than Liberty Island, the island containing the Statue of Liberty near New York City. Brabus Island is located within a few minutes’ drive from Zayed International Airport and the Abu Dhabi city center, and is also less than an hour from Dubai. However, owners can also park their boats in a private marina.
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The centerpiece of Brabus Island is four high-rise towers located in the middle of the island, which contain luxurious apartments. Brabus says these buildings are meant to mirror the firm’s “unmistakable design philosophy,” but it has around 350 well-appointed units, ranging from one to four bedrooms and spanning anywhere from 1,100 to 5,000 square feet. Surrounding this cluster of buildings are 100 bespoke villas, some offering private pools and direct beach access.
The renderings of the Brabus living spaces exude a luxuriously minimalist aesthetic worthy of an Architectural Digest feature, but like Brabus’s cars, owners will be able to customize their quarters. Brabus Island residents can choose to furnish their living quarters with design themes inspired by the interiors of Brabus Masterpiece vehicles, including Black and Bold, White Bliss, and Gray Haven.
Brabus itself says that Brabus Island is for those who want to live the entire Brabus lifestyle—those who want to encompass more than just the “B” badge on the steering wheel, hood, or grille. However, that comes with a price. Brabus Island is made in collaboration with Cosmo, a subsidiary of UAE-based real estate developer Reportage Properties, a developer of high-end luxury developments in the region.
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“Brabus Island is both an incredible milestone and an evolution that makes sense,” Brabus CEO Constantin Buschmann said in a statement. “For nearly five decades, Brabus has built products that move people—emotionally, viscerally, physically. But this is different. Now, for the first time, we’re not just designing vehicles for a lifestyle—we’re designing the lifestyle itself. Brabus Island is an exciting and very significant design opportunity, and Abu Dhabi is exactly the right place for it.”
Construction is set to start in the summer of 2025, and they estimate that the first villas and apartments are expected to be ready in early 2028. However, prices for one of these spots aren’t cheap. Apartments start at 700,000 Euros (about $793,084), while the beach villas surrounding the highrises start at about €6.5 million (~$7.36 million).
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Final Thoughts
I am on the fence about these kinds of automotive-themed real estate developments; however, I understand their appeal. Recently, a new development opened near me in Fort Lee, New Jersey, called Fiat House, which was made in collaboration with Fiat.
According to current Zillow listings, prices do run at a premium compared to other “luxury” condominiums and apartment buildings in the area. Granted, they come with amenities like private offices, a game room, golf simulators, and access to a car-sharing program that lends out Fiat 500s for residents’ convenience. I would be curious to see which other automaker or tuning brand tries their hand at this.