Motor Boat & Yachting – September 2019

mockery of anything more complicated than that – it is a joy to
be behind the wheel of. Despite the steps and 460kg of outboards
on the transom it doesn’t go to pot in the turns either, in fact the
grip on offer is remarkable. There is little speed lost in hard turns
and the punch out of the hole from the 500 horses out back is
neck-snapping. It is every inch a driver’s boat yet the comfort
and practicality that is the backbone of the Axopar 28’s design is
still there, practically unchanged. It has the heads tucked beneath
the helm console, admittedly fi tted out to a higher standard
with Brabus tread plates, a glossy counter and leather inserts.

HEAD-TURNING ON THE HAMBLE
Forward there’s the seating area with slot-in table and storage
below and aft either a wetbar or sunpad with cabin below. There
is a version with an open aft section but why you would choose
that I’m not quite sure. Here we come to a conundrum on the
Brabus in that you can have a sunpad and cabin or a wetbar but
not both. For day boating there’s an argument that you want the
wetbar but if you have that there isn’t anywhere to sunbathe as
the rest of the seating is upright and in the shade, and the bow
seating doesn’t convert. If you have the aft sunpad
with cabin below you have some sleeping space
but nowhere to prepare food and diminished
cooling space. It comes down to how you will use
the boat but there is a decision to be made there.
The sea fl attens off further as we enter the shelter
of Southampton Water and we’re cruising at what
feels like a pedestrian 30 knots. The engines, despite
their rorty nature, have an incredible knack of

melting into the background at higher cruising speeds so those in

the cockpit seats can communicate without strain. The Hamble’s

6-knot speed limit puts the harnesses back on the outboards and

we potter up river, turning heads as we go. There are some slick

machines moored on the Hamble but few will have as many

smartphones pointed towards them as the Brabus.

The 500 is not the only model in the Brabus Marine stable,

there is the Shadow 800 based on the Axopar 37. But somehow

the difference between the 500 and the Axopar on which it is

based feels greater than that of the 800 and 37. A lot of that is

down to the magnifi cent engines, which aren’t available on the

standard Axopar 28, and the performance they offer feels like a

genuine upgrade over the standard boat, which is exactly what

Brabus does in the car world.

We tie the boat alongside, ready for its stint at the British

Motor Yacht Show, and as we head down the pontoon I can’t

resist stopping, turning around and taking one more lingering

look at the Black Ops cooling off. Mission accomplished.

CONTACT Brabus Marine London Group

+44 (0)207 355 09 82; http://www.brabusmarine.com

PRACTICAL

TOUCHES

A sturdy handhold and

useful storage area for

the passenger

DASH

The dash is exquisite

and livened up by the

inclusion of carbon

fi bre detailing

TRIM CONTROL

The location of these

controls pushes the

steering wheel off

centre, annoyingly

Few boats will have as many smartphones

pointed towards them as the Brabus

BOAT TEST

TOP LEFT Deep bins on the aft quarters can swallow fenders and lines B O T T O M LEFT The footplate at the helm is another

classy Brabus touch A B O V E The astonishing Mercury V8s are what give the 500 its searing performance and tremendous character