Smart ForTwo - Similar Looks, But a Brand New Car

After missing the Paris show by the skin of its teeth and taunting us with a sandcastle modeled in its likeness, DaimlerChrysler’s smart has officially unveiled the second-generation fortwo city car. Due to financial difficulties, smart has been under immense pressure to ensure the success of the new car; in fact, the brand is hedging its bets on this model, after canceling the subcompact-sized (Yaris, Fit) forfour, and axing the mid-engined Roadster. Smart therefore took the time to iron out every last detail, as this is the car that will finally be used to launch the brand in the United States, as was announced earlier this week. But enough of that; let’s have a look at the new city car.
It’s going to take a close-up look to tell the new fortwo apart from the old one. With virtually nonexistent overhangs, fenders that double as bumpers, and that bright, highly contrasting Tridion safety cell, the smart looks about the same as it’s always looked. Pull out the measuring tape and you’ll find that the fortwo has grown in all directions; it’s now 2,695 mm (106.1 in) in length and 1,559 mm (61.4 in) in width, mostly to help the vehicle comply with vehicle and pedestrian crash testing regulations. The L-shaped headlamps, double-bubble tail lamps, and door panels are the most visible of the changes. It’s a restyling effort as thorough as any, granted the miniscule proportions.

Under the skin, mind you, the new fortwo is a completely redesigned from the tires up. The chassis rides on a longer wheelbase with wider tracks, and a front suspension system that gives the fortwo extra stability in corners. The extra room between the wheels allowed for a quicker steering rack, making the fortwo easier and more fun to drive.
The interior is cute and funky with a variety of different fabric trims. The dashboard is slightly more conventional in appearance in order to comply with U.S. crash regulations. Standard safety features include ABS, ESP and a full count of airbags.

The brunt of the fortwo engine range is a brand new inline-three gasoline engine developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi. At 1.0 litre in displacement, it’s larger than before, and is available in three different outputs of 61, 71, and 84 horsepower. The CDI diesel model, currently the only version sold in Canada, will return bearing 10 percent more power (45 hp). The fortwo will continue to feature a clutchless five-speed manual gearbox, but the system has been heavily reworked for improved performance and less delay. On certain models the fortwo will be available with a "Stop & Go" system that turns the engine off when the vehicle would otherwise be at idle, much like a hybrid, reportedly improving fuel consumption in the city by 13 percent.
Though it hasn’t been confirmed, we expect gasoline power to make a debut for the fortwo in North America. In its initial press release, smart proudly claims that the new fortwo won’t cost any more than the current model, which is good news for value conscious greenies

Tags: smartcar