FIRST STEPS
In the dynamic automotive landscape of the mid-1970s, Bodo Buschmann's undeniable love for cars, particularly for Porsche and Mercedes-Benz, ignited a journey from enthusiast to industry pioneer. Recognizing the potential for an entirely new market to be filled and inspired by the vision of turning his life’s greatest passion into a profession, he founded BRABUS in 1977. Using the experience he had gained working at his family’s car dealership business to his advantage, his young company emerged as a trailblazer in bespoke automotive individualization.
1960
A FAMILY BUSINESS
To make ends meet after World War II, Willi Buschmann starts a small business selling coal from a horse wagon. Eventually, he expands his ambitions and begins selling automobiles from all facets of a then developing industry. After a while, he decides to specialize in the sale of Mercedes-Benz vehicles exclusively. As the years go by, Willi Buschmann’s company grows into a local family business. He acquires and sells cars; his wife Rosemarie sells insurance and later opens a quaint local gas station. From a very early age, their son, Bodo, would help out where he could and gain his first hands-on experience in trading and entrepreneurship.
1975
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT
As a young man in the mid-1970s, Bodo Buschmann, driven by an undeniable love for cars, takes a particular liking to the sportiness and unmistakable performance of the two German brands, Porsche and Mercedes-Benz. A true petrolhead at heart, Bodo would stop at nothing to one day turn his passion into a profession.
AUTO BUSCHMANN
Together with his parents, Bodo Buschmann finds work at Auto Buschmann KG., gaining valuable sales experience and learning more about the automotive industry with each passing day. Parallel to his work, he studies law and business administration but would soon abandon his academic plans in order to establish his own business.
1977
THE FOUNDING OF BRABUS
Early on, Bodo Buschmann recognizes the potential for a market to be filled. He believes that more could be done to make Mercedes-Benz even sportier, more powerful and most importantly, more individual and thus more appealing to a broader range of customers. With no other company in the industry offering anything close to what he envisions, he takes it upon himself and founds BRABUS in 1977 alongside his long-time friend and colleague, Klaus Brackmann. The brand name BRABUS is derived from the first three letters of the surnames Brackmann and Buschmann. Klaus Brackmann would leave the company soon after it is officially registered and Bodo Buschmann becomes the sole shareholder of the BRABUS GmbH.
next decade
With his sights and ambitions set high, in the 1980s, Bodo Buschmann officially opened the doors to his business. Not long thereafter, the world’s very first BRABUS vehicles hit the roads through the help of a strong team of experts.