Chassis No. WDC1631721A113065

Today, virtually every premium manufacturer offers a high-performance SUV at the pinnacle of its range. At the turn of the millennium, however, the concept was still in its infancy. Long before the arrival of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo and before Mercedes-AMG transformed SUVs into mainstream performance machines, Brabus was already pioneering the formula.

The first-generation W163 M-Class provided the ideal foundation for one of the earliest high-performance luxury SUVs. Introduced in 1997, Mercedes-Benz's groundbreaking mid-size sport utility vehicle quickly gained international recognition, not least through its appearance in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. Initially available with 2.3-liter inline-four and a 3.2-liter V6, the range expanded in 1998 with the ML 430, powered by a 4.3-liter V8 and equipped with permanent four-wheel drive and Electronic Stability Control, technology that was highly advanced for the segment at the time.

Recognizing the model's potential, Brabus developed an extensive performance package centered around an enlarged 5.8-liter V8 producing in excess of 400 horsepower. One of these rare examples enhanced by Brabus, this ML 430 was delivered new in April 1999 in Switzerland, finished in Azurite Blue Metallic over a Gray leather interior. Factory equipment includes leather upholstery, a premium radio with Bose sound system, an electric tilt/slide glass sunroof, heated front seats, and a lockable safe.

Documentation on file includes an email from Brabus confirming that the vehicle was upgraded to 5.8-liter specification, with modifications comprising an enlarged V8 engine, a Brabus exhaust system, upgraded suspension, revised front and rear bumpers, illuminated side skirts, and Brabus alloy wheels. Having remained in Switzerland until 2017, the vehicle was later exported to Poland, purchased by a German owner in 2023, and ultimately imported to the United States in 2025.

Showing 372,348 kilometers (231,366 miles) at the time of cataloguing, this rare pioneer of the luxury SUV segment is accompanied by a binder containing its factory booklets, including a stamped service booklet recording early maintenance carried out by Mercedes-Benz of Chur, Switzerland. Also included is the emissions inspection booklet, regularly inspected and stamped in Switzerland through 2015.