Latest news with #Fortwo
NZ Autocar
5 days ago
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
Smart #2 suggests a Fortwo reprisal
Is the Fortwo city car about to be resurrected by smart? If it can find the right mix of affordability and premium feel then the chances are good, according to AutoExpress. A smart concept Fortwo from a few years back. Smart's European CEO, Dirk Adelmann, promised us earlier this year it has the potential to 'define the A-segment'. And smart's head of design, Kai Sieber, was even more emphatic, calling it the core of smart's brand. He added that the company has a 'very clear intention to bring it back into the range.' The company isn't looking to make a cheap town car though. UK CEO Jason Allbutt said it would 'help almost bring the brand together'. It would for sure be electric as well, though no details are available on that front. And it would mean a new platform, possibly borrowed from owner Geely. It has a small city car on sale already. Cost will be important but so will a premium feel. 'We still want to make sure we've got a premium product, and of course, one that has got a good range for a small electric car.' It needs to be 'affordable enough to generate volume, but not move too far away from our heritage or what we stand for' Allbutt explained. Currently, the smallest offering in its range is the nearly 4.3-metre #1 small SUV, while Smart #5 mid-size SUV that's launching soon is more than 4.7 metres long. Regarding a return to a city car, he said 'Customers see Smart as a trusted brand, in terms of quality, premium and innovation. So I think they definitely see that part, and then they can see that replicated in the cars that we're providing today. A Smart #2 will likely retain the tiny footprint and spacious interior of its predecessor, but won't be lumbered by retro design, according to Adelmann. Anyhow, he added, 'Smart doesn't do retro – we are looking at what's next,' he said. Expect a new city car styling direction from the company. But the frameless doors are not negotiable. And there will be wheels right out in the corners. He added: 'Interior space, functionality and versatility are essential', as are turning circle and ease of parking. Expect a full width lightbar up front and back, and a near vertical window and a tall roofline to boost interior space. An older Fortwo concept car. The two-seat layout will feature good head and legroom. Expect a twin-screen layout like in the other smart models. There may even be a Forfour revival as well, to go up against ID.1. It will likely take the #4 badge. This is what Fortwo looked like in 2016. Meantime, asked about progress with #2, and Adelmann says 'We're working on it', dubbed Project 2. Odd numbers are for SUVs, and even numbers for 'other products'.
Miami Herald
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
Could Smart Build Another Miata Rival? This Time, It's Electric
When Smart introduced the ForTwo before the world panicked over the Y2K bug, the company realized that it had a platform for a fun sports car. A few years later, the Smart Roadster was born, based on the Fortwo platform but stretched to accommodate the sleek styling. It was meant to revive the love for open-top sports cars in the Old Continent, before bowing out in 2005 after over 43,000 units rolled off its French factory. A Smart Roadster revival would be nice, and apparently, it's entirely possible given that the brand is already preparing a successor to the ForTwo. There's one big catch, though – the Roadster will be entirely different, thanks to Smart's EV-only strategy. In an interview with Auto Express, Smart UK CEO Jason Allbutt was asked if there's a possibility of a new Smart Roadster given the Fortwo's upcoming turn. Albutt recognized the "particularly good fun" that the convertible brought to the table before, and the UK's love of coupes and top-downs. "For a country that has more rain than probably any other European market, we are lovers of coupés and roadsters. So yes, I could see a possibility for such a car in the UK," said Albutt. However, Albutt emphasized that a Roadster revival isn't being planned yet, with the company currently focusing on the Smart #5 SUV and the Smart #6 hatchback. Both vehicles are electric, which follows the brand's strategy. That said, if – and that's a huge IF – Smart proceeds with the revival of the Roadster, it will likely be battery-powered. It also needs to be lightweight and compact to match the original's driving dynamics, while also incorporating the instantaneous pull that EVs are known for. With an electric Mazda MX-5 potentially sitting alongside an ICE-powered Miata – a car like the Smart Roadster would be a worthy rival. However, Albutt also expressed his reservations about an electric roadster. Apart from the sensory open-air feeling, he cited that buyers of roadsters typically open their tops to hear the sound of the engine. Of course, this isn't possible with an electric powertrain, though speed won't be a problem given where electric powertrains are these days. "Maybe there's a new audience that would be looking at [an electric roadster] in a different way. I'm not quite sure yet as to who the buyers of that car really are. It's too early to tell right now, but we'll see." Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
