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Smart Fortwo |
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| Manufacturer | smart GmbH |
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| Parent company | Daimler AG |
| Also called | City Coupe |
| Production | 1998–present |
| Assembly | Bottrop, Germany Hambach, France |
| Class | Microcar |
| Body style(s) | 3-door hatchback 2-door convertible |
| Layout | RR layout |
| Related | Smart Roadster Mitsubishi i |
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| Production | 1998-2007 |
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| Engine(s) | 0.6L petrol (turbo) I3 0.7L petrol (turbo) I3 0.8L diesel (turbo) I3 |
| Transmission(s) | 6-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 71.3 in (1,810 mm) |
| Length | 98.4 in (2,500 mm) |
| Width | 59.6 in (1,510 mm) |
| Height | 61 in (1,500 mm) |
| Curb weight | 730 kg (1,600 lb) |
| Fuel capacity | 8.7 U.S. gal (7.2 imp gal/33 L)1 |
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| Production | 2008-present |
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| Engine(s) | 1.0 L (61 CID) I31
Engine specs
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| Transmission(s) | 5-speed Automated manual Transmission |
| Wheelbase | 73.5 in (1,870 mm)1 |
| Length | 106.1 in (2,690 mm)1 |
| Width | 61.4 in (1,560 mm)1 |
| Height | 60.7 in (1,540 mm)1 |
| Fuel capacity | 8.7 U.S. gal (7.2 imp gal/33 L)1 |
The smart fortwo is a rear-engined two-seater. It was first shown at the 1998 Paris Motor Show. At the time, the car was named the City Coupe. Ten years later, in 2008 and in the same motor show, the Smart Fortwo ED (all-electric version) was shown.
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The smart fortwo's length is 8 ft 10 in (2.69 m) (second generation).
An exposed, rigid steel frame, marketed as the "Tridion" frame, surrounds and protects the passenger compartment while defining the car's shape and design — and allowing for interchangeable plastic body panels to complete the exterior. With a weight of 730 kg (1,609 lb), it is one of the lightest cars in the European market.
In order to maximize the front crumple zone, the smart fortwo has its engine positioned at the rear of the vehicle.
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This article or section is written like an advertisement. Please help rewrite this article from a neutral point of view. For blatant advertising that would require a fundamental rewrite to become encyclopedic, use {{db-spam}} to mark for speedy deletion. (November 2008) |
The Smart car is getting a lot of attention for its small size and style, and now it's earning impressive crash test ratings. In recent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests, the 2008 Smart Fortwo, the smallest car for sale in the US market, earned the top rating of good for front and side crash protection. Its seat/head restraints earned the second highest rating of acceptable for protection against whiplash in rear impacts.
The Smart has a crashworthy design for its size and is equipped with the latest safety gear, which is especially important in a small car. This vehicle's standard equipment includes seat-mounted combination side airbags designed to protect both the heads and chests of the driver and passenger. Also standard is electronic stability control (ESC), called electronic stability program in the Smart. ESC helps drivers maintain control during emergency maneuvers or on slippery roads. It engages automatically when it senses vehicle instability, and Institute research has found that ESC lowers the risk of fatal single-vehicle crashes by about half.
The engine range featured turbocharged three cylinder motors. Originally, the base petrol engine had 599 cc, but displacement increased to 698 cc with an early restyling. It was available in 37 kW (50 hp) or 45 kW (61 hp) variants. The turbodiesel engine has 799 cc displacement with 30 kW (40 hp). Engines are mounted in the rear of the vehicle. The new 999 cc version 3B21 (2007 onwards) is produced by Mitsubishi Motors and it comprises normally aspirated (NA) and turbo versions. The NA 999 cc engine has 11.4:1 compression ratio and premium fuel (95+ RON) is recommended. It is rated at 71 hp (53 kW) and is also the only engine currently offered in the US. The US NA 999 cc engine has a 10:1 compression ratio and premium fuel (91 Octane) is recommended. German tuner company Brabus, in a joint venture with Smart, has developed a version with 72 kW (98 hp) and 140 N·m torque, available in Europe only at this time.
European Union (EU) testing rates the 999 cc Smart at 4.7 L/100 km (60 mpg-imp/50 mpg-US) for the gasoline model and 3.4 L/100 km (83 mpg-imp/69 mpg-US) for the diesel.citation needed The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the vehicle at 36 mpg-US (6.5 L/100 km/43 mpg-imp) combined.citation needed
The smart features a semi-automatic transmission without a clutch pedal. Input from floor-mounted shifter or optional steering wheel-mounted paddles controls a servo-operated clutch and sequential automated gearbox. The vehicle may be driven in automatic mode, though the shift points are not as smooth as in a traditional automatic transmission. In paddle shifter mode, the operator controls the shift points but cannot feather or adjust the speed of the clutch. Thus some skill, and a slight lifting of the accelerator pedal, is required to achieve a smooth shift.
Other semi-automatic transmissions have included the Volkswagen Automatic Stickshift, and Honda Hondamatic.
The smart car allows back-in parking in otherwise parallel parking zones; its length of 250 cm (98.4 in) equals the width of a truck or a regular parking slot, allowing two or three Smarts to park in a standard space reserved for a single car. However, this type of parking has been banned in Munich, Germany, amongst other places.citation needed
The smart features interchangeable body panels — whereby one car can easily assume a different look. To accommodate a licensing agent's notation of a vehicle's color, the fortwo is sometimes registered as 'silver' or 'black' based on the Tridion frame color, which remains constant regardless of the body panels.
The fortwo is available with targa-style removable roof panels (originally city cabrio, now fortwo cabrio), introduced in 2000, and was restyled in 2002. Model variants include the base model Pure, sporty mid-spec model Passion coupe, and luxury top-spec model Passion Cabriolet.
Special editions and concepts
In the 2007 Geneva Motor Show, Smart introduced the Brabus version of the Smart Fortwo, It has 98 PS (72 kW/97 hp) of power and 0 to 100 km/h takes only 9.9 seconds with top speed electrically limited at 155 km/h (96 mph)
Introduced November 10, 2006, the second generation features slightly greater length and improved crash performance while maintaining similar styling.
An all-electric version of the fortwo, the fortwo ED (Electric Drive, renamed from the origin fortwo EV) 4 5, is testing in London 6. Superficially, it's identical to the standard 'Smart Fortwo coupe'7. Production delivery is expected in 2010. It will feature 30 kW (41 hp) output and a top speed of 70 mph (112 km/h). It will be capable of 0-30 mph (0–48 km/h) in 6.5 seconds. The European fortwo ED can travel up to 72 miles (116 km) between charges. It typically takes around 8 hours for a full charge. 891011.Tesla would be supplying the batteries for these cars 12. At the London motorshow in July 2008, Smart representatives gave estimates of the Smart ED purchase price to be around £16,000 (€20,000). It has been presented in the 2008 Paris Car Show.
At the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, Smart has officially launched the micro hybrid version of the ForTwo, a mild hybrid. The Smart ForTwo micro-hybrid has gone on sale in October 2007 in Europe. The micro hybrid system is claimed to provide a fuel efficiency improvement eight percent from 50 miles per US gallon (21 km/l/60 mpg-imp) to almost 55 miles per US gallon (23 km/l/66 mpg-imp). Carbon dioxide emissions drop from 112 to 103g/km. The microhybrid sells for € 10,490 (incl. VAT). 2
There is a Japan-only variant called the Smart K which is the only non-Japanese car that fulfills the regulations for Keicars. On 26 June 2002, Smart fortwo was exhibited at the new Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) affiliate P.S. 1 in Queens, New York for the first time.
The Smart fortwo is available in Australia, in only the middle 'Pulse' range, and with the gasoline engine. As of April 16, 2007 the base price for the fortwo coupe is AU$19,900, and for the fortwo cabriolet is $22,900. The Smart fortwo is sold through selected Mercedes-Benz dealers.
The Smart fortwo was introduced in Canada in 2004 and sold through Mercedes-Benz dealers. Only the turbo-diesel powerplant was offered for the coupe and convertible models because of tough emission regulations for gasoline engines dictated by Transport Canada. Demand was initially heavy, with up to six-month waiting lists in major urban areas in the spring of 2005. The vehicle has proven especially popular for light errand running for small shops and businesses, with many carrying custom paint jobs or stick-on graphics boldly advertising the associated product or service.
In 2008, Canada will only get the gasoline model because the diesel version does not meet 2007 emission standards. The fortwo will carry a 1.0-litre engine that delivers up to 70 horsepower (52 kW) and re-engineered automated-manual 5-speed transmission with a slightly larger body. It is not yet decided if any other engines will be offered by smart canada in the future such as the micro hybrid or a future diesel model. At this point the 2009 model of the smart will continue to have the 70hp gasoline powererd engine.
In April 2008, smart first premiered in the China Auto Show 2008 (Beijing).
On October 1, 2008, smart vending machine road show had the first stop in Shenyang (Isetan), and also started the pre-order. (388RMB for the preservation).
The price range of smart fortwo in China is 160,000 to 210,000 RMB.
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (February 2008) |
In early 2006, a specialty automotive import and engineering firm - G and K Auto conversions (GNKAuto.com) of Santa Ana California - after investing millions in testing and fees, received DOT, NHTSA and EPA approval to sell a modified European specification smart car in the US. The 23 modifications to the smart included DOT certified headlights, reinforced doors for additional side impact protection, an odometer that read in miles rather than kilometres, and soft padding on the interior pillars and ceiling. smart fortwo dealers in the US were a mix of "green car" specialty companies (EcoAutoInc.com) and exotic car dealers. Approximately 1,000 model year 2004, 2005 and 2006 smart cars were imported without smart's or Mercedes Benz's cooperation and converted by G&K.
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The factual accuracy of this section is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.(September 2008) |
In September 2006, Daimler AG announced that Smart USA, a division of Penske Auto Group, would be the official distributor for Smart in the United States and Puerto Rico.
The redesigned smart fortwo (Model 451) has been available since January 2008 in the USA. Numerous changes were made from the previous model (450). Its Mercedes Benz power plant was replaced by a non-turbo Mitsubishi 3B21 engine, the interior made more luxurious, and the overall dimensions of the car increased.citation needed
The US version of the smart fortwo is available in 3 trims: Pure (base trim), Passion, and Passion cabriolet. Pure has an MSRP of US$11,590, Passion has an MSRP of $13,590, and the Passion Cabriolet has an MSRP $16,590. 13 A reservation program was launched by Smart USA in March, 2007.1415 This program allowed interested parties to place a $99 refundable deposit on the new fortwo in preparation for the product's launch. Since the product's launch, sales have surpassed production and the reservation program continues as a "wait list" program.16 17 The average wait is 12 to 18 months for delivery. 18
The Smart Fortwo was rated as the most fuel efficient two-seater car in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2008 Fuel Economy Guide, with fuel efficiency ratings of 33 mpg (US) city and 41 mpg (US) highway.19 The 2008 Smart Fortwo coupe was given an EPA fuel efficiency rating of 36 mpg (US) combined.20
On May 14, 2008, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released crash test results for the fortwo. The IIHS gave the fortwo top ratings in protecting passengers in front and side crashes. 21 However, the NHTSA cited a Safety Concern on their tests of a 2008 fortwo, stating "during the side impact test, the driver door unlatched and opened. A door opening during a side impact crash increases the likelihood of occupant ejection." 22
2008 smart car 2nd Generation (451) crash tested by IIHS - video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz-s1sIoLhU
Mercedes S-Class vs. 1st Generation (450) smart car offset-crash Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02eghIfyHP0
 generation 450 rear quarter |
 generation 450 front view |
 generation 450 rear view close |
 generation 450 and clock |
 generation 451 Black on Black |
 generation 451 Black on Black |
 generation 451 Black on Black |
 generation 451 Dashboard |
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| Type | 1990s | 2000s | ||||||||||
| 8 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | |
| Microcar | Fortwo | Fortwo | ||||||||||
| Roadster | ||||||||||||
| EV | ||||||||||||
| Supermini | Forfour | |||||||||||
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