Are you in search of a truly exclusive boat? Well look no further than the all-new BRABUS Shadow 900 Limited Edition Black Ops. Now just how limited is it? We recently had the chance to get behind the helm of just one of only 37 models that will be available worldwide this year. Now that’s exclusive! Our friends from Manitowoc Marina in Wisconsin arranged a special sea trial for us in Chicago before returning the boat back to its headquarters in Manitowoc via Lake Michigan, just a short boat cruise north from the Chicago Yacht Club. A limited number of boats being offered is one thing, but another exclusive factor of this super-premium line is this full-service marina and boatyard is actually the only dealer in the entire Great Lakes region that offers the BRABUS line of boats.

BRABUS is a German aftermarket company that makes supercars even more, well, super. It specializes in Mercedes and Maybach cars, and the company delved into the marine world a few years back and partnered with the Finnish builder Axopar. Those familiar with Axopar recognize the boat builder is known for fast, nimble vessels without a lot of frills. This partnership has drawn consumers in to see what happens when you combine Axopar’s no-nonsense style with German auto luxury and the results are stunning, including this Limited Edition BRABUS offering.

Following 40 years of history and heritage laid down by BRABUS, the manufacturer always celebrates the launch of a new Shadow model with a Limited Edition Black Ops series.

All models are exclusively finished in the renowned signature paint scheme Gunmetal Grey, combined with vibrant BRABUS Red exterior seating–a striking combination for a Black Ops Limited Edition.

As we approached the boat tied up at the dock it became even clearer why BRABUS boats are often referred to as luxury models where Scandinavian design meets German engineering. The BRABUS Shadow 900 Black Ops is hand-built with focus on precision and finish. The highly labor-intensive, skillful and painstaking manufacturing process, with no automation process, can take up to six weeks alone to complete.

Advanced design engineering and the use of high-tech, selective materials combine with a superior level of manufacturing. As a result, every owner of a new Shadow will appreciate the exceptional level of individual touch and performance, which is uncommon for a boat in this size-range.

We were greeted at the dock by Rich Larsen, the president of Manitowoc Marina, along with his sales manager, Brad Eckhardt. The marina was recently named Axopar Boat’s “Best New Dealer” at the Axopar Global Dealer Days event held in Palma, Spain. Manitowoc Marina was chosen from other new Axopar dealers across the globe for their commitment to Axopar Boats in the Midwest, USA region. Since being named the fourth Axopar dealer in the United States in February 2020, Manitowoc Marina has significantly expanded the Axopar sales and marketing presence across the region and has documented sales and service of new Axopar models throughout the Midwest.

On this new Shadow 900, discerning owners have the option to create a unique Open, Sun-Top or Cabin boat with awe-inspiring performance and drop-dead gorgeous BRABUS looks that will turn heads wherever it appears.

The manufacturer is devoted to redefining luxury day boating through building and developing an ultra-exclusive, supremely exciting new breed of luxury tenders and day boats. Outstanding performance, power and superior acceleration and drivability, accompanied by instantly recognizable design and strikingly gorgeous looks – are what form the DNA of a BRABUS Shadow boat.

“Ours is a new way of working within the industry,” said Jan-Erik Viitala, founding partner of Axopar Boats / BRABUS Marine. “By utilizing our ‘shared-platform’ thinking, design of the Shadow 900 range is the result of three unique parties, namely, BRABUS, BRABUS Marine and Navia design agency co-contributing and therefore co-designing together.”

The specific boat we were there to see included a wet bar in the stern, but you do have other options including rear-facing seats or an aft cabin if desired. With the wet bar you gain three removable jump seats along with a fresh water sink, drop down fridge and an electric grill top that make this boat ideal for entertaining. But it’s the inside where this boat truly shines.

“As you move into the interior you’re greeted with beautiful, high-end materials,” explained Eckhardt who gave us a detailed tour of the boat. “You have fine grain leather that you would find on the BRABUS automobiles, carried over into the marine space. Additionally, it’s loaded with carbon fiber. Just premium on top of premium.”

The carbon fiber seatbacks tie in perfectly with the carbon fiber custom dash that includes four Simrad touchscreens, two 8-inch and two 12-inch screens that are built into the dash and control the entire boat. In addition to the fridge located in the aft wet bar, there is also one inside the pilot house that is built into the compartment below the helm chairs to keep drinks close by while underway.

At the helm the custom BRABUS steering wheel keeps you in complete control. On the portside are controls for your bow thrusters as well as trim tabs and on the starboard side you have controls for all your media and audio controls. The boat also comes standard with Mercury’s JPO system, which gives you joystick piloting, Skyhook and auto pilot that are all built in.

Captain’s quarters forward of the helm include a memory foam mattress, a media wall with a flat screen television, a sink, as well as a toilet compartment hidden below one of the seat cushions.

“One of the great things about this boat is you have multiple areas of entry,” added Eckhardt. “You can come directly from the helm station; otherwise you have gullwing doors on both sides. With the gullwing doors open it creates an open air atmosphere as well as a wonderful egress into the cabin.”

Gullwing doors are best-known as the doors on the DeLorean time-machine car that was used in the sci-fi film Back To The Future series in the 80s.

The BRABUS Shadow 900 was designed specifically for those who seek to experience high-performance, while combining its hallmark go-anywhere power with steady, comfortable handling without compromise.

Just like the luxurious BRABUS supercars, the BRABUS Shadow 900 was developed with an extraordinary passion for detail and an unwavering desire to redefine the superlative and meet the signature “One-Second-Wow-Factor” that characterizes all BRABUS vehicles.

“An embodiment of timeless elegance and BRABUS Marine’s quintessential rip-roaring power, the Shadow 900 is bound to turn heads in the marina and on open water,” added Viitala. “The premium BRABUS upholstery carbon accents complement the boat’s striking hull and together create the ultimate signature look of this new edition.”

The BRABUS Shadow’s 900 horsepower is produced courtesy of dual Mercury Marine 450R 4.6-litre V8 four-stroke racing engines. With the twin 450hp Mercs you’re looking at a top speed at around 65 mph and at a comfortable cruising speed of 40 mph you’re going to get 1.2 to 1.3 miles per gallon according to the dealer.

As a staff we were extremely impressed by the overall speed, but equally impressive were the handling and drivability. A dashboard with fingertip controls and touchscreen technology improves the handling, while the boat’s Intelligent Steering Module with bow-thruster ensures optimal maneuverability.

While the weather wasn’t ideal on this day for our sea trial, cruising Lake Michigan with Chicago’s scenic skyline off in the distance made for an enjoyable experience. With such an exclusive boat, we couldn’t help but feel a little sense of pride to be enjoying such a beautiful, yet limited model, knowing not everyone is given this same opportunity. The more we explored the BRABUS Shadow 900 Limited Edition Black Ops, the more we found that we liked. For a moment we considered at least asking Larsen and Eckhardt if we could tag along on their journey back to Manitowoc Marina since we weren’t quite ready to part ways with this new model. However, we said our goodbyes knowing this amazing boat was destined to find a new permanent home soon with a new owner who would be able to appreciate this exclusive and limited offering.

For More Information
Axopar Boats
www.axopar.com

BRABUS Marine
www.brabus.com

Manitowoc Marina
425 Maritime Dr.
Manitowoc, WI 54220
920-682-5117
www.manitowoc-marina.com

Mercury Marine
www.mercurymarine.com