Smart Fortwo – Proposals for future US versions

I wonder what our fellow “Camino” lovers at Jalopnik think about this one. We for once, like the idea but we really doubt that a Smart Pick-Up would have any success in the American market. But let’s start from the beginning. Automotorundsport had a nice chitty-chat with American designer, Mark Stehrenberger of MSD, a design research and development group based in Santa Barbara, California that specializes in automotive / transportation and product design.

AMS asked MSD’s opinion on how Smart should evolve its car range in the USA. Stehrenberger believes that despite the fact that the new Fortwo is 200 mm longer than its predecessor, it still remains small for your average American consumer, mainly cause people are “bigger” (..??) and there’s more parking space than in Europe.

So what does Stehrenberger propose? Well for starters, the Fortwo should grow in size and reach 3,7 m in length (from 2,7 m). He also believes that Smart should add 4x4 Crossover and Pick-Up versions of the larger Fortwo. Via: Automotorundsport & MSD

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Chinese Smart Fortwo Copycat gets the boot

EH EH EH – Not so Fast! Looks like Chinese automaker Shandong Huoyun stopped production of their two-person electric car, aka the Smart ForTwo copycat, due to complaints from DaimlerChrysler -wonder why... According to Automotivenews, “doody hit the fan” when a big mouth manager referred to the new vehicle as the Smart car in a magazine interview.

So how on earth did Shandong Huoyun conjure up the same design to make their copycat Smart car. Well, the Chinese say that they used a toy model purchased via the internet! To avoid hurt feeling with the German carmaker and lawsuits galore for that matter, Shandong Huoyun will reconfigure the car shortening it by 7.9 inches and by changing the doors, rear end and cargo capacity. Via: Automotivenews

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2007 Smart Fortwo Video - Get Smart!

Boy, aren't those folks over at DaimlerChrysler in a hurry! A day after the official presentation of the second generation Smart Fortwo and they've already released the first promo video of the car! I took it upon myself to edit the video in an appropriate manner... I hope you enjoy it!

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2007 Smart Fortwo Coupe & Cabrio official pics & info

UPDATE: 2007 Smart Fortwo Video

Following yesterday's premature leak, we've obtained the press kit and the full series photos from Smart's 2007 Fortwo. Available in Coupe & Cabrio versions, the second generation Fortwo adopts the key characteristics of the current model and according to Smart, it can do everything it can do -but a little bit better.

Dimensions: Talking about better, the new Fortwo is a little bit longer than we knew it -a full 19,5 cm to be exact, (2.695 m from 2.500 m). Apart from the need to make the front end longer for safety reasons and in particular, to meet the more stringent EURONCAP pedestrian tests, Smart wanted to increase the boot space which is significantly larger than its predecessor: 220 lt from 150 lt.

Engines: The 2007 Smart Fortwo will be available with three brand new, 3cylinder, 1,0 litre petrol motors producing 61Hp, 71Hp and 84Hp. As with the previous model, the new Fortwo will also be available with a cdi diesel motor producing 45 Hp. All versions are fitted with a semi-automatic 5speed gearbox from Getrag. The maximum speed for all models is limited to 145 km/h, an increase of10 km/h in comparison with the previous Fortwo. In autumn 2007 Smart will also add a more powerful -and let's hope, less dangerous... Brabus edition.

Versions: The Fortwo will be available as a Coupe and a Cabrio in three equipment levels: Pure, Passion and Pulse (the latter are equipped with a panoramic glass roof). In contrast to its size, Fortwo's equipment list (standard & extra) is pretty hefty including a mp3 compatible Sound System, ABS, ESP, side & roof airbags, rain & light sensors etc.

Sales: The second generation Fortwo will start its European adventure next spring. In the US, as it has already been announced, the new Fortwo which will be the first Smart to enter the American market will go on sale in the first quarter of 2008. According to Mercedes latest press release, Smart dealerships are expected to be announced in the second half of 2007.

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2007 Smart Fortwo official pics

The first official pics of the 2007 Smart Fortwo mini car found their way in the net today, a couple of day's before the actual presentation (to be exact, on Thursday 9th of November). The second generation Fortwo will be the first Smart to be offered ever in the American market with sales beginning in the first quarter of 2008. In Europe, sales will begin in spring 2007. While it retains the basic line of its predecessor, the all-new 2007 Fortwo is slightly bigger and it features an upgraded interior. Stay tuned for more pics and the official press release.

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Smart Fortwo Photos: False alarm

In the past few hours I've seen a series of allegedly official, 2007 Smart Fortwo photos (originating from Autonews.fr ) going around in car-forums. Although they look like they could be the real thing, unfortunately they're not official but photoshops which were first published on Automotorundsport a few days ago along with the next generation Mercedes C-Class. As for the official photos of the 2007 Smart Fortwo, no need to worry as they will be on air sooner than you think -maybe even on, let's say, the 8th of November? Stay tuned...

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2007 Smart Fortwo to be unveiled this year but not at Paris

Smart came out with a rather odd press release informing us that although it's new 2007 Smart Fortwo will be unveiled this year, it's world premier will not take place at this week's Paris Motor Show, but, "at a location outside of the trade fair circuit". And we thought that the Romans we crazy...

To make things even more odd, the Mercedes-Benz owned carmaker came out with two sketches of the forthcoming model. Like we haven't already seen it as most you remember, a dozen or so pictures of the car leaked on the net last week -click here to see the gallery: 2007 Smart Fortwo Official Pics.

PRESS RELEASE - Even more smart fortwo : The new smart fortwo, which will be launched in the spring of 2007, is not on show in Paris. The world premiere will take place this year, at a location outside of the trade fair circuit. However, a first indication of its appearance has already been given: a sand sculpture of the new model could be seen during the German beach volleyball championships at the beginning of September at Timmendorfer Strand.

Over and above this we can reveal this much: the new smart fortwo will be a true smart fortwo as well. It will adopt the key characteristics of the current model. You could say that the fortwo can do everything that the current fortwo can do - but a little better. via: Motorpasion

Technorati: Smart+Fortwo, Mercedes-Benz, DaimlerChrysler, 2007, autos, auto+news, car+news, automobile, cars, automotive, vehicles

2007 Smart Fortwo Official pictures !

UPDATE: Check out the official exterior pics here: 2007 Smart Fortwo

Just a couple of weeks after Smart teased us with a 2007 Fortwo made of sand, smartforum came out with a series of official pictures ! Although we can't actually see a whole exterior picture -the sand model makes up for that, we get to see a dozen of details like the shape of the front and rear end lights and most importantly, the interior.


But even if that's not enough for you, according to a previous Smart press release, the 2007 Fortwo that will also be available for the first time in the US , will be unveiled this autumn. That means, that most probibly we'll see it unveiled at the Paris International Motor Show with sales commencing worldwide from next spring.


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Smart forfun2 Monster Truck with a 5,8 litre diesel engine!

"Little monster town" just got a new resident in the form of the Smart forfun2: definitely, one of the most impressive Smarts you'll ever set eyes on -as long as you don't try to stare down...but up. Actually, this is Smart's second attempt at creating a monster truck, or to be more precise, it's the creation of Mercedes-Benz Hellas (Greece) and Stefan Attart (46 year old Greek Champion in 4x4 Rally Races).

Stefan had presented the first Smart monster truck, the forfour-based forfun at the Athens International Motor Show in November 2005. But while the forfun was made by the Greek division of Mercedes-Benz and Stefan Attart who fitted a forfour body on the platform of the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport (rally version), this time, Mercedes-Benz central, gave a helping hand to the Greeks.

Once the platform for the smart forfun2 had been decided, in January of this year Stefan Attart started working on the first designs. The engine and transmission were adopted from the Unimog. The OM 352, a six-cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of 5,675 cc, delivers 84 Hp, which more than enough for this little monster. The dimensions also turn heads: tyres on 26 inch rims with a diameter of 140 cm. Not to mention ground clearance of 650mm and a total height of 3.7 metres !

Video: Smart Fortwo Diablo vs Ferrari F430

As you may have already guessed, this is not just about a drag race between an ordinary Smart and a lusty Ferrari F430. This Smart is smarter than you think as its owner has thrown out it's original 3cylinder 0,8 liter engine and fitted it with a 180Hp Suzuki GSX-R 1000 motor.

The result? The tuned Smart Fortwo honors its Lamborghini derived nickname reaching the 1/4 mile (0-400m) mark in a whopping 13,29 sec. The "humiliated" Ferrari owner managed a mere 13,4 sec. via Autoblog.com

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Smart offers us a…sandy preview of its 2007 Smart Fortwo

Without doubt, Smart has done alot of things wrong all of these years but no one can blame them for not being creative as this sand made 2007 Fortwo clearly shows. Through this cute "gimmick", Smart offers us a first, undisguised glimpse of its successor to the current smart fortwo. The hand made Fortwo has the signature of Pavel Zasanyok, a three-time sand sculpture world champion from Russia and it was previewed during the German beach volleyball championships in Timmendorf this weekend.

As for the real life 2007 Fortwo that will be available for the first time in the US, according to Smart, it will be unveiled this autumn (99% at the Paris International Motor Show) with sales commencing worldwide from next spring.

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