After four years out on the streets, the Smart ForTwo deserves a new generation model. To their credit, Daimler is preparing to accommodate with the debut of their new ForVision Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The new concept vehicle is intended to show two things: the new design direction that Smart is undertaking and new technologies that the company is readying for their future models. The latter was made possible by Smart’s collaboration with BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, in the development of several advanced technologies that will be used on the concept and any other future models that could follow suit.
For this particular model - the second Smart concept to come out this year after the ForSpeed - the whole idea was to build a platform for future vehicles. Among the new materials that were built into the car with the idea of future production use include revolutionary plastic wheels and carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin for the doors and the passenger compartment. The latter allows the car to reduce up to 50% of its weight compared to steel and 30% when compared to aluminum. The ForVision Concept also carries a solar roof that provides an alternative source of energy for the concept’s electric drivetrain.
Since the ForVision Concept is still, well, a concept, expect the production version to be a little more attuned to the times. That’s not to say that it won’t carry all of the features of the concept version; it’s just that as far as concept-based production vehicles are concerned, it’s probably to temper expectations on the car.
Brabus, along with street fashion brand, WeSC, is headed to the Frankfurt Motor Show with another product of the Automotive/Fashion world. Their little collaboration yielded a tailor made Smart ForTwo Cabrio and a special set of headphones specially designed for the Smart by WeSC.
This special Smart will be sparkling in gold shades throughout the exterior - part matte, part high-gloss - with all of the colors created for the Swedish label by automotive tuning firm, Brabus. The gold paint has been combined with black wheels and black leather seats with crossways quilting that bears the unmistakeable signature of the street style experts.
This special Smart by WeSC will be offered with air conditioning, a leather BRABUS sports steering wheel with steering wheel gearshift, the turbocharged 100 HP engine, and plenty of other features. Aside from the automotive additions, the most impressive feature for the new Smart is the 32-ohm headphones from WeSC, giving a nod to the car’s look, as can be seen in the perforated black ear pads and high-gloss golden highlights.
Smart already used us with lots of special editions for their ForTwo model. And today is time for another one: the smart fortwo pearlgrey. As it name suggests the model is painted in an exclusive exclusive graphite metallic paintwork in combination with a silver tridion safety cell and silver alloy wheels. The model is priced at €14,490 ($20,500). The model will go on sale in November 2011.
The interior gets an exclusive leather package in crystal gray. This special leather is also being used on the top part of the instrument panel in black imitation leather with contrasting light gray seams, a knee pad in crystal gray imitation leather and door trims in a combination of crystal gray imitation leather and fabric.
The list of standard equipment will include: softouch automatic gear programme, electric windows, air conditioning with automatic temperature control and a transparent panoramic roof with sun-blind among other features.
Mercedes Italy has revealed a new special edition model based on the Smart ForTwo Cabrio. It’s called the Brabus Le Bleue and will be limited to only 60 units on the Italian market only.
The first thing that will distinguish the special edition is a plain dark blue metallic paint and special alloy wheels Brabus Monoblock VII 6-twin-spoke 16-inch front and 17 "rear. On the interior, the model will add a soft beige color, with contrasting leather seats and door trim with blue stitching and the Brabus logo. The list of standard equipment includes: navigation system with integrated multi-media touch screen display, CD / DVD player, iPod interface, USB and Bluetooth hands-free.
Like with all the other Brabus models, the new SmartForTwo Cabrio Le Bleue is powered by the same 102 hp engine that accelerates the car from 0 to 60 mph in 8.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 96 mph, with fuel consumption and emissions of 5.2 l/100 km and 119 g / km of CO2.
We all know that Kobe Bryant takes helicopter rides to go to his home games and jumps over Aston Martins like nobody’s business. What we didn’t know is that he could also fight crime, armed only with a basketball and...a Smart car.
In a market that’s as huge and as basketball crazed as China, Smart played it perfectly by tapping into one of the most popular basketball players in the world to be the brand’s resident ambassador and crime-fighter.
The new ad aims to educate Smart owners and more importantly, would-be owners on the merits of driving a car as small, agile, and city-ready as the ForTwo. Heck, if a 6’6" basketball player with spider-like legs can take down a fleeing art criminal, who says that you wouldn’t be able to do it too.
Check out the video of the Black Mamba and the Smar ForTwo in crime-fighting action.
