There must be something going around because it seems as though a lot of tuners have been showing an increased interest in small cars lately. And while the Fiat 500 is the most loved model, it seems that the Smart Fortwo has also started to catch tuners attentions. Romeo Ferraris, whom you might remember from their tuning package for the Corvette Z06, is offering a kit for the Fortwo that improves both the car’s appearance and performance.
Thanks to the addition of a new sport air filter and a re-mapped ECU, the three-cylinder 1-liter engine’s output has been increased by 23 hp and 32 Nm of torque for a total of 98 hp, while the 800 cc engine version gets an additional 21 hp and 20 Nm of torque
Next to the engine upgrades, the package also includes new 17 inch, black alloy wheels, different carbon inserts, leather and Alcantara for the interior, an updated dashboard, seats, and an instrument panel.
We can’t say this package thrills us or even excites us in any way, but it’s not a bad gig for a vehicle that was lacking to begin with.
Usually when it comes about tuning a model, in general you expect to see significant power upgrades and exterior and interior updates. But Lorinser will bring at the upcoming Essen Motor Show an Easybrid package based on the Smart Fortwo that adds a retrofit electric hub motor with 30 kW (41 HP) additional effective output.
Easybrid® supports the existing fuel- or diesel engines of the individual cars and renders an additional power of approximately 30 kW (about 41hp) for improved acceleration- and final speed outputs. At the same time, the consumption- and CO2-levels drop. As electric engines are very powerful and their maximum torque is reached after only one revolution, it is also possible to move these cars solely on an electric basis.
With this retrofit solution, Lorinser does not only cover all advantages of modern hybrid acceleration, but also allows the driver to choose his operational mode. Apart from the combination of both engines, he can also opt for either the sole electronic or sole combustion engine. The driver can therefore decide if he wishes to use fuel or electricity or a combination of both.
Press release after the jump.
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Smart has unveiled at the Paris Auto Show a special car2go edition, featuring brand new telematics hardware, a new control unit with touchscreen, and a solar roof developed especially for the smart.
The solar roof delivers a total power of 100 Watt that is used to supply power to the telematics, and also to continually charge the car’s battery. This allows the alternator to be decoupled whilst driving and fuel consumption to be reduced by up to 10%.
"The car2go edition is fitted with a completely new hardware generation that makes the fully-automated rental process even more convenient and secure. The telematics, which are the most efficient car sharing telematics in the world, have been optimized for the requirements of car2go, and were developed in cooperation with the Ulm-based Daimler TSS GmbH among other companies. The new-generation technology is completely integrated into the vehicle both visually and technically, At its heart is a new control unit with a large touch-sensitive screen. The car key, which was previously kept in the glove compartment, is now securely stowed here. There are also convenient slots for up to four chip cards (e.g. for refuelling or for entry to car parks)."
Press release after the jump.
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The Paris Motor Show is only a few days away and we’re already beginning to see a lot of special edition vehicles that are going to be introduced at the auto event.
Not to be outdone by its competitors, Smart is bringing their very own special edition ForTwo, one that, apparently, is hemmed in reusable cardboard. Say what?!
No, this isn’t some half-baked joke that we just thought of this morning; it’s actually the real deal. The cardboard ForTwo is the brainchild of artist Sarah Illenberger, Smart, and CD Cartondruck AG, all of whom brainstormed about the idea of putting reusable cardboard on the car’s exterior and interior. We’re not entirely sure how this works given that cardboard, no matter how “high-quality” it seems to be, don’t exactly inspire confidence when you’re out on the road. Nonetheless, we give these guys some credit for their creativity, imagination, and, well, that’s pretty much it.
If you’re having a difficult time wrapping your head around the justification of the car, then you’re not alone. At the very least, we’ll probably get some explanation from these guys at the Paris Motor Show where the car is expected to be on display in all its cardboard glory.
Press Release after the jump.
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Smart has reached 10 years of sales in the UK, and to commemorate this important milestone, the Daimler-owned brand is releasing an exclusive edition of its ForTwo model.
Dubbed as the “gb-10” edition, this model will only have 100 units produced in a number of different variants, including gasoline engine coupes (50 units), gasoline cabriolets (10 units), diesel coupes (30 units), and diesel cabriolets (10 units).
Each model, regardless of fuel and style versions, will come with a silver metallic paint finish with a red design prominently featured on the vehicle’s tridion safety cell. In addition to that, all 100 cars will also come with LED daytime running lights, a third brake light courtesy of Brabus, and 15-inch alloy wheels.
As far as the interior of this special-edition ForTwo is concerned, each of the 100 units will come with Rosso red heated leather seats that have the name “gb-10” embroidered on the headrests. The red leather seats are then complemented by a black alcantara-finished dashboard with the instrument surrounds accented a silver finish.
Despite being classified as a special edition, the “gb-10” edition Smart ForTwo comes at a base price of just £10,695 (around $16,671).
