I

t’s zero nine hundred at our rendezvous point

of a nondescript pontoon in the depths of Poole

Harbour. The skies are clear but the wind is

building from the east, the tide streaming from the

west. Our mission – which we have chosen to accept – is to take

Brabus Shadow 500 Black Ops hull #00 from this location to an

undisclosed one in Southampton. Actually, it’s not undisclosed,

it’s the River Hamble for the British Motor Yacht Show but it’s

diffi cult not to get caught up in the military jargon when the

boat you’re about to test is called ‘Black Ops’. That said, if you

weren’t aware that the Shadow 500 is the result of a partnership

between German car tuner Brabus and Axopar you could easily

mistake the boat for something with a more sinister purpose.

This Black Ops version is a limited edition restricted to just

28 boats and sports the brooding hand-painted gunmetal grey

paint scheme and vibrant, Brabus-branded red Sunbrella

upholstery. Up close it looks the business and is covered in sharp

detailing, carbon fi bre, brushed stainless steel and various other

accoutrements that justify the boosted price tag over a standard

Axopar 28 on which it is based. Our fully loaded demo boat with

the wet bar package, T-top, upgraded audio and navigation

packages and electric windlass comes in at €234,200 before tax,

but the standard specifi cation is generous. It’s worth noting that

there is a non limited-edition version available with prices

starting from €159,500 excluding VAT, but it doesn’t have the

quayside appeal of the black beast.

READY TO UNLEASH

Speaking of beasts it’s time to fi re up the engines. Oh the engines!

A pair of Mercury ProXS 4.6-litre V8s with 250hp each (hence

the 500 in the name) that rev out to 6,200rpm. After a couple of

bursts from the starter motors they come to life with a rasping

snarl and set to idle with all the impatience of a superbike at a

red traffi c light. It’s these motors that really set the Brabus apart

from the Axopar donor boat and give the Shadow 500 a character

all of its own. More on that later.

I slot into the lavishly upholstered helm seat with its part

carbon fi bre arm rests and drink in what isn’t far from the

perfect dashboard. The dark materials are classy and resistant to

glare with carbon fi bre highlights adding some visual pizzazz.

BOAT TEST

B for Brabus: Brabus

touches are dotted all over

the boat; the standard

multi-function steering

wheel feels classy and

places the thruster and

audio controls beneath

the driver’s thumbs

There is space for a wetbar

or sunpad, but not both

Twin Mercury ProXS 4.6-litre

V8s rev out to 6,200rpm