Mercedes has released the first pics and info of the Smart Fortwo Cdi Teen. This version of the popular city-car is powered by a 54 hp 0.8-litre diesel engine and is aimed at the young drivers, boasting a power-to-weight ratio of 55 Kw/Ton. The car goes from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 16.8 seconds, with a top speed of 135 km/h (84 mph). Average fuel consumption is rated at only 3.3 l/100 km, with CO2 emissions of 86 g/km.

The Smart Fortwo Cdi Teen comes with an all-black paint job, sat-nav and 15″ alloy wheels courtesy of Brabus, which will also be available in white as an optional extra. The model is based on the Pulse version and will come with a price tag of 11,900 €.

View the full Smart Fortwo Cdi Teen photo gallery

The model you see in these pictures is the last special edition based on the Smart ForTwo, called ‘Sharpred’. The main distinctive feature of this model is its unusual back & red color scheme, that includes glossy black 15″ rims and grille, and will be available in both hard-top and convertible configurations. Under the bonnet will pulse the well-known 1.0-litre 3-cylider petrol engine, which is available for this model in power steps of 70 and 83 hp.

The black/red theme continues in the cabin, where we find black leather seats with contrasting red stitching and unique floor mats. The Smart ForTwo Sharpred comes with all the features of the Passion trim and will be produced in 1,800 units, all of which will come with standard panoramic roof, heated seats, sat-nav, audio system and air conditioner. The Smart ForTwo Sharpred is already available for order, with the first deliveries scheduled for May.

Dutch website Autoweek.nl has published the first images of the facelifted Smart ForTwo. In comparison to the outgoing model, the revamped ForTwo features slight but significant changes such as its new front grille with the Smart logo placed right in the middle and newly designed front bumper. Front and tail lights have been left untouched as they had been modified when the model year 2010 came out.

The Smart ForTwo 2012 will come with three engine options: a 1.0-litre 3-cylinder unit available in power steps of 71 and 84 hp, and the new 54hp 800cc diesel engine. The car is expected to make its debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, in March.

As previously reported, the Smart For Us concept is currently on display at the 2012 North American International Auto Show, and here is a bunch of live pictures taken at the Smart’s booth in Detroit by our mates from Autoblog.it.

The model is an ultra-compact pick up that anticipates the design of the next Fortwo. It measures 3.55 meters in length, 1.51 meters in width and 1.70 meters in height, and boasts a 900 mm long electrically powered cargo tray that can slide out by 280mm at the rear to ease loading. In the cabin there are pearl white elements with brushed aluminum inserts, while the rearview mirror is replaced by a smartphone showing the images coming from the rear-view camera. The Smart For Us is powered by the same electric module equipping the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, producing 74 hp with 130 Nm of peak torque and pushing the car up to 120 km/h of top speed (75 mph). The model is equipped with a 17,6 kWh lithium-ion battery package.

View the full Smart For Us live at the 2012 NAIAS photo gallery

The new Smart For Us concept is about to be unveiled at the NAIAS in Detroit, and a first bunch of official images has just surfaced on the internet. The model is an ultra-compact pick-up that also anticipates the design of the next Fortwo. The body of this concept car appears to be quite sturdy: it measures 3.55 meters in length, 1.51 meters in width and 1.70 meters in height, with a wheel base of 2.48 meters which is 613 mm more than the ‘regular’ version. The Smart For Us concept also gains 50 mm both front and rear tracks over the standard version, while a 900 mm long electrically powered cargo tray can slide out by 280mm at the rear to ease loading: given that the model is supposed to accommodate (and recharge) two Smart E-bikes, it just makes perfect sense. More detailed pictures from Detroit should become available soon.

In the cabin we have pearl white elements with brushed aluminum inserts. The rearview mirror is gone, replaced by a smartphone showing the images sent by a rear-view camera, while the whole dashboard is functional to the air circulation in the passenger compartment. The Smart For Us is powered by the same electric module used by the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive, which produces an output of 74 hp and 130 Nm of peak torque, also providing the car with 120 km/h of top speed (75 mph). The model is equipped with a 17,6 kWh lithium-ion battery package.

View the Smart for-us gallery

Smart will launch is ambitious compact pick up ‘Smart For Us‘ at the upcoming North American International Auto Show in Detroit (January 9-22). The model measures 3,547 mm in length, 1,506mm in width and 1,701 mm in height, with a wheelbase of 2,480 mm, and is powered by a zero emission magneto-electric engine delivering 55 kW (74 hp) and 130 Nm of torque and a maximum speed of 120 km/h.

The Smart For Us will offer plenty of room for two people and enough space in the cargo area to accommodate two smart ebikes behind them. The tailboard at the rear of the smart for-us is electrically driven. When it opens first of all the cargo floor including tailboard retracts by 280 mm, then the tailgate slides down in a parallel position. The cargo on the 900 mm cargo area is then extremely easy to access. Also worth mentioning is the fact that in place of the conventional rear-view mirror, the Smart For Us uses a smartphone accommodated in a holder on top of the instrument panel support, by which the driver can see what is happening on the road behind with the help of an integrated video camera.

via | Auto-Media.Info

A new electric concept from Smart will be revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Smart Forvision concept will not only introduce a completely electric setup to the car, the model is also a preview of the future design direction the brand intends on taking on its next generation Fortwo models.

The zero emissions prototype has been developed on the new Renault-Nissan electric platform and has been made in collaboration with BASF using new energy saving solutions. On a design front the model shows similarities with the Smart Forspeed concept seen at Geneva, and uses CFRP for many of its components.

Technical features like the organic solar cells on the roof which create energy to supply the multimedia components and air conditioning might eventually disappear from a production model, as would the plastic wheels as a weight saving device. Other devices include innovative e-textile upholstery which actually produces heat and insulation in the body panels for improved internal temperature control.

Smart hasn’t confirmed production of the Forvision concept as such, although some of the technologies being used could find their way onto the third-generation Fortwo model expected to be launched in 2012. Other innovations are still in the developmental stage, and there’s no word on a fully electric production Smart. More to come from the Frankfurt Show.

Another Smart Brabus model is on the way after this teaser video. It looks like the Smart tuning effort from Brabus is based on the ForTwo and according to World Car Fans, Smart has hinted that it could be the fastest Smart in the world.

Will we be seeing this at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show? We don’t know but expect more teasers to come as Smart snazzes up the range a little. The video also shows the 2003 Roadster V6 bi-turbo and 2006 ForFour race concept which is currently the fastest Smart around until this concept gets revealed.

You see a few Smart ForTwo models in Europe when one steals your spot for the shopping dash (or recently when I saw a guy actually managed to fish-tail his a couple of times), but here is a ’special’ effort from Mercedes-Benz Italy - the Smart ForTwo Cabrio Brabus La Bleue. Only 60 of these models will be produced, all of them in Italy, and it’s designed to be a tarted-up version of the standard for whoever wanted to pimp their Smart.

The ForTwo Brabus La Bleue gets a new midnight blue tint, day driving lights and Brabus Monoblock VII six-spoke wheels measuring 16 inches at the front and 17 inches at the rear. The interior features a soft beige finish with seats and doors in Nappa leather, Brabus logos in blue stitching and the same blue around the instrument panel.

This Smart ForTwo is equipped with the same 102-hp engine as other Brabus models, getting to 100 km/hr in 8.9 seconds and reaching the top speed of 155 km/hr. Fuel consumption is 5.2 l/100 km and CO2 emissions are 119 g/km. Standard equipment includes touch-screen multimedia display, CD player, iPod interface, USB port and Bluetooth.

Source | Autoblog.it

Clearly Smart knows it that its Smart ForSpeed Concept could never be profitable which is why the model will be strictly conceptual and will never make production. But it begs the question as to why you would even bother putting this concept model together in the first place. The name “Smart” is looking a lot less like that everyday.

We had something to say about the Mini Rocketman concept in terms of some of the design features we don’t like so much, but it is definitely an intelligent model that could make production in the future if the reaction is right. It doesn’t look like Smart will be getting much reaction beyond either a giggle or a brief look at whatever design features might carry across into future models when its goes on display at the Geneva Motor Show next week.

In any case, the Smart ForSpeed is an electric roadster model with a 40-hp electric motor that achieves a speed of 120 km/hr and range of 135 km. Smart head Annette Winkler says: “We have to be profitable with Smart so it won’t make production. Elements of the car will be carried over into future projects.” While they don’t specify exactly what those elements might be, apparently we’ll see some of them on the third generation Smart ForTwo, but that the brand needs an overhaul with some product that will make it to market seems evident to us right now.

Smart Forspeed Concept

Here are more pics of the Smart ForTwo restyling as the city car model seeks to keep its place on the European market. No longer the exclusive niche it once was, the minicar market has a lot more choice than previously and Smart may be struggling to hold its cult status. That said, you still see a lot of these on European city streets.

The new Smart ForTwo model will be available from October and will have a few stylistic touch-ups and even cleaner engines than before. More body tints are available with a Light Green Matte opaque colour in the range while the cabrio model gets new red or blue roof colours.

A few more sophisticated options are available including LED lights and new alloy wheels. The interior features bright colours and a redesigned dash. On the environmental front, Smart claims the petrol units at 61 and 71 hp have reduced emissions, now below the 100 g/km mark, while the diesel models have dropped to 86 g/km of CO2.

Here’s the official video of the Smart ForTwo restyling which has a few touch-ups on the exterior, new interior features and improved fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Smart is becoming a little cult all its own, and the Smart ForTwo restlying is a good refresher for the moment. The video shows us the new matt green finish now available and some of the new features, including the new multimedia display, that have been included in the interior.