The little Smart Car is back as a fully electric model – and there's a Brabus version
It still has two seats and can fit sideways in a parking spot, but it's now an EV with over 200 miles of range
The Smart Fortwo won the hearts and minds of a generation for being the ultimate city car. At just 2.7 metres long, it could squeeze through gaps that no other car could and, as its party trick, park in spaces sideways to fit two in one spot.
Though initially with a smaller petrol or diesel engine, the Fortwo did come in an EV form back in 2006, but offered just an 81 hp motor and a 70-mile range from its 17kWh battery.
Now though, it's back. The Smart #2 follows the company's new naming convention but looks every bit the tiny car the original Fortwo did. Except the specs are much more up to date.
It still has two doors and just two seats and measures just 2.746m in length. The 35.8 kWh battery gives the new car a range of up to 205 miles, with 65kW fast charging for 10-80% in under 20 minutes, while the motor delivers 60kW (82hp) and 60 Nm of torque.
Inside the car, there's keyless entry, wireless charging, adaptive ambient lighting, a 7-speaker Sennheiser sound system and a 10.1-inch touchscreen. There's also Pilot Assist driver assistance for lane keeping and adaptive cruise control, and a 6.95-metre turning circle, which is even better than the ForTwo models.
Brabus incoming
The really exciting news is that there's also going to be a Brabus version of the Smart #2. The aftermarket tuning house once did a version of the original Fortwo that delivered 107bhp and a 0-62mph of 9.5 seconds.
It's more recent versions of the Smart #1 and Smart #3 not only look incredible, but offer significant performance upgrades on the standard cars.
Only a few images have been shown for the Smart #2 Brabus so far with no details on spec, but it's likely to be a formidable beast when it comes.
The Smart #2 will go on sale in the UK next year with a price expected to be under £20,000 ($26,200). You can also register your interest for both the Smart #2 and Smart #2 Brabus on the UK Smart website.
