The aptly named Smart Fortwo Special Edition – Limited Two continues in the footsteps of the first generation model offering an array of extras along with a unique blue metallic paint finish, which varies between different shades according to the light. Based on the 71 HP Fortwo passion, the special edition model comes equipped with cognac brown leather heated seats, a three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with gearshift, leather gear knob and velour floor mats also in leather trim, a rev counter and clock, limited two badging and 15-inch six-spoke alloy wheels. -Continued

But just because Smart calls it a “limited edition version”, don’t think you’re gonna get everything for free as buyers will still have to pay extra for electric power steering, a lockable glove compartment and the audio system. The special edition will be available in coupe and cabrio body styles when it goes on sale on 1st September 2008. Prices in the UK are set at £9,575 for the coupe and £11,525 for the cabrio.

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At seven feet and one inches or 2.16m tall, the last car that you’d think Shaquille O'Neal would consider buying is the miniscule Smart ForTwo. Even though Shaq managed somehow to fit in the miniscule Smart–thanks to the fact that’s it’s the convertible version- we fail to see how he could possibly drive it like a normal human being. But then again, when you have money laying around just about everywhere, logic has no place when it comes to spending…

Via: Autoblog.com , Pic: TheDirty

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The miniscule Smart ForTwo is celebrating its 10th birthday this month as the first model rolled off Daimler’s assembly line in Hambach, France on July 2, 1998. The Smart ForTwo began as the brainchild of Swatch CEO Nicolas Hayek who joined forces with Mercedes-Benz in 1994 creating the Micro Compact Car AG. However, the joint venture experienced heavy losses and dispute which caused Swatch to pull out.

In 2007, Smart introduced the second generation ForTwo that like its predecessor is offered in Coupe and Cabriolet forms. Since the beginning of 2008, the ForTwo is available for the first time in the U.S. and starting from mid 2009 it will also be sold in China. Over 150,000 customers have purchased a second-generation Fortwo since the model was introduced in March 2007. All in all, more than 900,000 ForTwos have been sold since the two-seater mini car was launched in 1998. Smart’s future plans for the ForTwo include the introduction of an electric drive version equipped with lithium-ion batteries in 2010.

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And you thought that the Smart ForTwo was good enough for only two passengers –driver included. Well, if there’s no need to drive, and the way gas prices are raising this may be a reality in a few years, the ForTwo can actually fit 13 people. This was proven during the annual Smart Destination Brooklands event held at Mercedes-Benz World at Weybridge in the UK.

With more than 1,200 Smarts attending the event, there was no shortage of participants but the winning team was the ‘smart car-tortionists’, a group of body-bending specialists chosen for their gymnastic feats. The flexible ‘smart car-tortionists’ managed to squeeze 13 people. Just for the record, there were more women than men in the team. -One more pic after the jump

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Even though the Smart Fortwo gets all the attention for its miniscule size, a slightly wider body wouldn’t harm anyone. Austrian tuner Konigseder has developed a wide bodykit for the new Smart ForTwo that adds an extra 30mm on each side of the car along with some fancy pancy flower graphics -don't ask why.

This allows the placement of larger 5-spoke 17-inch alloys (7,5 x17 front and 9,5x17 rear). To make the car look more aggressive and to better its road handling credentials, Konigseder also added a set of Eibach sport springs that bring the ForTwo closer to the ground –now you can fit right under your neighbor’s Explorer with the 26’’ rims. -More pics after the jump

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The lads over at Edmunds organized a “mini” fuel economy marathon by comparing some of the most gas efficient cars available in the North American market: the 2008 Toyota Prius 1.5 Hybrid, the 2005 VW Jetta 2.0 TDI Diesel, the 2008 Smart Fortwo 1.0 and the 2008 Ford Focuse SES Coupe 2.0. The smackdown included tests on the highway and in the city along with measuring the cars’ CO2 footprint. Check out the video after the jump. –Continued

Via: Edmunds

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This previous generation Smart Fortwo (it’s not the one coming to the U.S.) was involved in a “double whammy” accident somewhere in the States when a large delivery truck decided to play a little snooker with the German mini hitting it from behind and serving it onto a bypassing GMC van.

The pictures, courtesy of Jalopnik and their reader “Polar” whose friend was behind the Smart’s wheel, show that the Fortwo received quite a battering. However, the driver managed to walk away from the accident with minor abrasions from the airbags. Having said that, the first-gen Fortwo did its job by protecting its passengers. We’re not aware of the extent of damages, but bear in mind that the Fortwo’s exterior body panels are made from (interchangeable) plastic. -More images after the jump

Via: Jalopnik

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Having had enough -or so to say- with people constantly questioning the safety credentials of its Fortwo minicar, Smart is launching a new aggressive television advertising campaign that will be supported by a direct mail campaign and an interactive online advertising.

The "Wrecking Ball" advert, that will air in the UK on Sunday, May 4, challenges people’s preconceptions by showing a one-tonne wrecking ball hitting on the front-end of a Smart Fortwo at 25mph (40 km/h). Smart says that an actual stuntman was sitting in the car and that, after seeing how well the car performed under testing, he declined to wear a safety helmet and harness. After filming he was able to open both doors and the car could be driven away. -Continued

Along with the “Wrecking Ball” ad, Smart will also air two more adverts called “Space” that concentrates the versatility and practicality of the fortwo as a normal sized tumble dryer is loaded into the back of the car and "Fuel Efficiency" which highlights how economical the car is, travelling 433 miles from London to Edinburgh on just one 33 litre tank (8.7 US gallons or 7.3 Imp gallons) of fuel.

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “The ads highlight incredible facts about the car in a uniquely smart way. For example, the "Wrecking Ball" ad shows how well the Fortwo stands up to a collision and proves that, in the case of smart, size is no barrier to occupant protection.”

Kelly continued: “The car used in the filming of the safety advert will be on display at Mercedes-Benz World during the television campaign and the smart Festival, taking place on Saturday 21 June.”

Link: truthaboutsmart

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To be precise, UK limo specialist Carbonyte took a Smart Fortwo and stretched its chassis by 106.2 inches (2700mm) to create a 17 feet long vehicle (5100 mm) - about the size of a Mercedes-Benz S-Class. According to the UK firm, despite growing twice its normal length (2695mm), the Smart’s new lightweight alloy chassis allows the vehicle to be powered by its original 600cc engine and still reach motorway speeds of 80mph. In all, the build process took 300 man hours over four weeks from the initial chassis cut to the final paintwork.

The prototype model you see in the pictures was designed as a promotional vehicle, featuring a 20:1 scale fibre-glass replica soft drinks can, complete with ring-pull, which serves as van-like storage space for promotional items. The stretched Smart Fortwo can be liveried to any client’s design choice and hired on a daily basis or it can be manufactured outright at a projected cost of around £25,000 or approx $49,400.

We know it’s eerie, but Carbonyte is also looking to take the stretched Fortwo into the funeral industry by using the latest electric technology to produce an individual yet environmentally-friendly hearse. Now that’s something we definitely want to see – from the outside that is … -Click through for more pics

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Since the introduction of the second generation Fortwo at the end of March 2007, Smart has sold 100,000 units of its minicar. On March 31, 2008, Smart Ulrich Kowalewski, director of the Mercedes-Benz Center Munich handed over the 100,000th second-generation Fortwo to a 36-year-old customer in the recently re-opened smart Center Munich. Following its U.S. sales start in January, Smart has made its cars available in 37 countries worldwide.

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The guys over at the British motoring TV show 5th Gear had the dazzling idea of bolting two Smart Fortwo models together in order to create a four-seater mini car. They then compared their double-decker Fortwo with Mitsubishi’s four-door “I” minicar. Among other things, they 5th Gear performed a maneuverability test. And yes; the double-decker Smart Fortwo failed miserably… -Video after the jump

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Celebrating its world premier in Geneva, the Smart Fortwo “edition limited two" will be produced in a limited series of just 2,000 vehicles and is characterised by exclusive colouring and a high quality mix of materials. The new edition is available as a coupé and a cabriolet and is based on the "passion" equipment variant. The "edition limited two’s" interior is dressed in cognac brown leather with a two-tone contrasting seam. Additional matt silver highlights on the speedometer, cockpit clock, rev counter and steering wheel round off the changes. –Continued after the jump

As for the exterior, the Fortwo gets a special "light blue metallic" finish that was created especially for the “edition limited two” along with the 6-spoke alloy wheels with wide tires. Among other things it comes with the automatic softouch gear mode, electric windows, A/C with automatic temperature control, a dust and pollen filter and a panoramic roof with sunblind on the coupé. In addition, the standard equipment of the "edition limited two" includes dashboard instruments and Smart's "radio 9" hi-fi system.

The limited edition two-seater is powered by a 71 bhp petrol engine matted to automated 5-speed transmission which also allows manual gear shifting if desired.

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For this year’s Geneva International Motor Show, Mercedes-Benz Group tuning specialist Brabus, is proposing an oddly pair of vehicles, the SLR McLaren Roadster and the Ultimate 112, both with absolutely identical special snow-white paint and equipment. BRABUS offers both exclusive speedsters for a package price of €699,000 or about $1,061,000.

The one we all would like to own is of course the SLR McLaren Roadster. Apart from the white carbon-fiber skin, the Brabus tuned version is equipped with a bodykit that includes a carbon-fiber front spoiler, a rear apron with a carbon-fiber diffuser and new lightweight 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped around Pirelli or YOKOMAMA tires (255/30 ZR 20 up front and 305/25 ZR 20 at the rear). Inside, the drop-top SLR’s cabin is dressed in a combination of lipstick-red leather and black Alcantara while it also features a new sport-steering wheel with a flattened

Finally, the SLR also gets a tuning kit for its 5.5-liter supercharged V8 engine that consists of special camshafts and a fuel-cooling system. Power output increases by 24 Hp to 650 Hp. BRABUS also offers a special clutch-type limited-slip differential with a locking rate of 40 percent for the SLR. The tuned SLR Roadster goes from rest to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.6 sec and reaches a top speed of 337 km/h (211 mph).

The ultimate accessory for the snow-white SLR McLaren Roadster is without doubt, the Smart ForTwo Cabrio based, ULTIMATE 112. In addition to its special paint identical to the SLR the ultimate city sports car features a muscular body kit with front spoiler, rocker panels, wider fender flares front and back and new 18-inch alloys combined with 205/35 tires up front and 235/30 at the back. -Continued after the jump

Brabus has also tuned the three-cylinder turbo engine that produces a maximum power output of 112 hp at 5,600 rpm. That’s good enough for a zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) time of 9.5 sec. Top speed is electronically limited to 170 km/h or 106 mph.

Like its big brother, the ULTIMATE 112’s interior is upholstered in a combination of soft and lipstick-red BRABUS Mastik leather and black Alcantara. Embossed BRABUS emblems are part of the exclusive concept as are accents such as speedometer, tach and clock, instrument bezels, dashboard trim, turn signal lever and door handles, all color-coordinated with the exterior color. Stainless-steel foot pedals with rubber pads and an aluminum shifter and emergency brake lever complete the package.

BRABUS SLR McLaren Roadster

BRABUS SMART ULTIMATE 112

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The Chinese clone of the Smart Fortwo, the Shuanghuan Noble has kicked off its insolent career in several European countries, including Greece, where we got these pictures from. Unless you’re working for Shuanghuan, there’s no need for us to tell you that the Noble is a near perfect copy of the first generation Smart Fortwo - in and out.

But what really took us by surprise is the motto that the importer chose to promote the Noble: “Smarter than the rest.” Jeez; as if importing the Chinese clone wasn’t provocative enough, these guys are totally rubbing it in the face of Smart’s parent company, Daimler!

On the other hand, with prices set in Greece at €8,880 / $12,937 for the “flirt” version, €9,880 / $14,935 for the “smile” and €11,880 / $17,307 for the “plus”, we’re guessing that Smart might have a chuckle or two on its way to court… -High-res images after the jump

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Mercedes-Benz USA organized a long distance test with two Smart Fortwo cdis (45 HP) and a Mercedes E 320 BLUETEC (US version) from Los Angeles to the Detroit Auto Show in order to demonstrate the fuel-saving qualities of diesel-powered models in everyday real-world conditions.

Media representatives from Germany, Italy and the US took turns at the wheel of the three cars during the 2,740 mile (4,400 km) long route managing to record an average consumption of 60.3 mpg (3.9 lt/100km) with the two Smart Fortwo cdis and 40.6 mpg (5.8 l/100 km) with the E 320 BLUETEC sedan that’s equipped with a 224 HP strong 3.0l V6 diesel unit. -Image gallery after the jump

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Coventry City Council took delivery of the first of 100 electric smart cars to be delivered as part of a UK-based market trial for the introduction of a fully electric version of the Smart Fortwo that will be dubbed “ed”. Coventry City Council will be using the electric smart within their fleet of pool vehicles. This facility allows employees to leave their cars at home when they travel to work, but to still have access to a vehicle for business journeys.

All of the 100 electric Fortwos destined for the UK will be made available on a lease arrangement to selected corporate customers. The Fortwo “ed” has an electric engine with an output of 30kW and it features a range of up to 70 miles (112 km). It can achieve a top speed of 60 mph (96 km/h) while it sprints (figure of speech…) from standstill to 30 mph (40 km/h) in 6.5 seconds. With, the smart ed is exempt from vehicle excise duty and congestion charge. -Continued

Dermot Kelly, Managing Director Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “This market trial is an important part of our commitment to sustainable mobility and the first car to be delivered is a significant milestone for smart and Mercedes-Benz Cars.”

Cllr Gary Ridley, Cabinet member for Climate Change, Housing and Sustainability said, "The Council is proud to be the first owner of the new electric smart and is glad to be part of the drive for new cleaner and greener technologies in cars. To make its running costs even greener, the electricity used to recharge the car is from renewable resources. As the biggest employer in the city, we should be leading by example and encouraging other businesses to think about their carbon footprint and their impact on their environment while carrying out their day to day activities."

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The Swabian tuning firm has released more details on its Smart Fortwo sport packages. The top version fitted with the 84 HP three-cylinder turbo engine has been enhanced to deliver 104 HP which allows the car to go up to 180 km/h or 112 mph (standard car’s top speed is electronically limited to 145 km/h or 90 mph). That might sound silly to most, but don’t forget that it's one thing going 112 mph in a C-Class and another in a car that's shorter than your bed… -Continued after the jump

As for the other versions of the new Fortwo, Lorinser boosts the 61 HP edition’s output to 71 HP allowing it to achieve a top speed of 156 km/h or 97 mph. Likewise, the 71 HP edition can be upgraded to deliver an output of 77 HP. In this case top speed is 160 km/h or 99 mph.

Along with the full bodykit that includes fender extensions, Lorinser equips the Fortwo with gigantic (for the size of the car) 8.5x17 inch aluminum rims with 245/35R17 tyres on the rear and 7x17 inch rims with 215/40R17 tyres on the front.

The interior of the Lorinser Smart gets carbon-accented parts, a brushed-aluminum clock, revolution counter and speedometer as well as a specially designed HiFi and navigation system.

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Daimler Group tuning specialist Lorinser has taken it upon itself to tweak the lilliputian second-generation Smart Fortwo. Lorinser’s tuning package combines power upgrades for all engines along with exterior and interior enhancements. Engine-wise, the 84 PS version of the 3-cylinder unit is uprated to 104 PS, the 71 PS to 77 PS and the 61 PS to 71 PS. -Continued after the jump

Lorinser’s body improvements include wide bumpers, side skirts, a new grille and the addition of a four chrome exhaust pipes, complemented by new alloy wheels. Inside, the Lorinser treatment attempts to offer a sporty note to the Smart Fortwo’s cabin with the addition of aluminium details.

Via: Motorpasion , Source: Lorinser

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Smart’s all-new 2008 Fortwo has received four out of five stars in Euro NCAP’s latest adult occupant protection rating. The miniscule two-seater also obtained a mediocre 2-star rating in pedestrian safety. Since the Smart ForTwo has no rear seats, consequently it wasn’t assessed by Euro NCAP for child protection. Comparatively, the Fortwo’s predecessor, the City Coupe had received a three out of five stars in Euro NCAP’s 2000 tests. -One more pic after the jump

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We have to admit that if we ever happened to own a Smart Fortwo, equipping it with a bullbar wouldn’t be among our first priorities. Getting rid of that retched semi-automatic gearbox that makes you look like you acquired your driving license a couple of hours ago, maybe, but bullbars, no way. And if a bullbar wasn’t enough already, Cobra also offers a set of rocker panel guards with a tube diameter of 48 mm (0.2-inches) and a rear bumper guard. According to the Cobra, all accessories EU guidelines for pedestrian protection thus meaning that buyers wont have to take their vehicle in for a technical inspection with subsequent amendment of their vehicle registration papers. -Continued after the jump