Spring is coming (at least for some of us!), so what can be better than driving in the warm breeze with hair in the wind? And how there’s a crisis in the world, fuel economy is one big problem. Smart has the solution for us: the limited edition Fortwo Edition Limited Three. It will be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale in Europe at a price of €15,470 as a coupe and €18,510 as a cabrio.
The Fortwo Edition Limited Three comes with melon green metallic paintwork and extensive equipment: 15 inch alloy wheels in a sporty six-spoke design fitted with tyres measuring 175/55 R15 at the front and 195/50 R15 at the rear are a further eye-catching feature. The exterior look is rounded off by aluminium-effect "limited three" logos in the mirror triangle.
The special series of the new smart fortwo also places a focus on "green" when it comes to the environment thanks to micro hybrid drive (mhd) technology as standard with an intelligent and user-friendly automatic start/stop system. The control electronics shut down the 71 hp engine as soon as the driver brakes and the vehicle’s speed falls below 8 km/h - for example when approaching traffic lights. The engine starts again in the fraction of a second when the driver releases the brake pedal.
Press release after the jump.
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French designer Hermes must have exhausted itself working on the Bugatti Veyron, because it seem like the company wanted to tackle something small for its next project. What better place to go than the smallest car on the market, the Smart ForTwo.
The Hermes Smart ForTwo was created to celebrate the decade anniversary of the micro car. It comes with new interior, entirely covered in leather and canvas, while several pockets are made in Hermès’ style as well as umbrella which clips to the back of the seats. The special edition Hermès Smart ForTwo is available in a number of exterior colors, ten interior leather colors and in both hard top and convertible variants.
So the car may not be faster, but a least you look cooler as you back up traffic.
Brabus, the German tuners specializing in Mercedes vehicles announced that its new customized Smart ForTwo will make its official debut in February 2009 (orders start tomorrow—Oct 23). The customization features a new set of "Monoblock VI" alloy wheels and a new suspension kit which lowers it with up to 15 millimeters.
But don’t get you’re hopes up just yet. According to Autoblog, the best part of the European version of the Brabus Smart ForTwo, the engine, will not be making the trip across the pond. In Europe, Brabus takes the standard three-cylinder Smart engine and turbocharges it to 98 hp. Of course, it sounds like a small amount of power, but it’s a 27 hp improvement for the 1700 lb. car. In that car the 0 to 60 time drops to less than 10 seconds. While that’s not particularly impressive, it will mean that the European minicars can still kick our butts in a drag race.
Daimler launched the car2go mobility concept that provides future-oriented answer to increasing traffic volume in urban areas. First real-life tests will be made on 24 October in Germany, Ulm.
A fleet of smart fortwo vehicles will be made available within the city, functioning for all citizens as a vehicle pool that can be accessed at any time. Following a one-off registration process, the smarts can be hired spontaneously in passing, or pre-booked and used for as long as desired. The concept aims to ensure that a reliable vehicle is available at any time, just a few minutes walk away.
The customer gets in and can drive off right away. Once the trip is completed, the driver simply parks the rental smart somewhere within the city limits. Billing for the Ulm project is just as straightforward and flexible as the entire operation of car2go – to the nearest minute, for just 19 cents per minute.
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One year ago, Lorinser unveiled the new customization program for the second generation of the Smart ForTwo. Well, today the waiting is over because Lorinser is bringing the series version of the ForTwo on the streets. The new body kit of the vehicle consists in a front lip spoiler and a rear bumper with integrated air diffuser as well as a new 4-pipe exhaust system.
Under the hood, the three-cylinder petrol engine was boosted to an impressive 101 hp making the sprint from 0 to 60 mph possible in less than 10 seconds while the top speed has been limited to 100 mph. Also a new set of 17 inch wheels were added for better stability fitted with 225/35R17 tires.
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