Smart forfun2

Smart forfun2

Smart forfun2: The combination of two vehicles with cult status

The smart forfun, a smart forfour with monster truck ambitions, caused quite a stir at the Athens Motor Show in November 2005. Following the extremely positive response to this, the decision to develop a further vehicle with a similar character was a logical step.

Following the initiative of Mercedes-Benz Hellas, Stefan Attart (46), Greek Champion in 4x4 Rally Races had clear ideas: the new off-road vehicle should have the body of a smart fortwo. A suitable platform now had to be found.

Awakening the inner child
DaimlerChrysler has always had an unusually large range of off-road vehicles - from the M-Class to the G-model and the Unimog. One look at the smart forfun2 (pronounced smart for-fun to the second) and you see straightaway that it is based on a Mercedes-Benz Unimog 406 series.

This is what makes it so fascinating: the combination of two vehicles, each of which has achieved cult status in its respective segment. So it's no wonder that the smart forfun2 awakens the inner child in everyone who sees it.


Oversized dimensions
The engine and transmission were adopted from the Unimog. The OM 352, a six-cylinder diesel engine with a capacity of 5,675 cc, was given a prominent and clearly visible position on the front axle. It delivers 84 bhp - an impressive figure for the smart forfun2. The diesel version of the production car has a 41 bhp engine.

The dimensions also turn heads: tyres on 26 inch rims with a diameter of 140 cm. Not to mention ground clearance of 65 centimetres and an unbelievable total height of 3.7 metres.

Maximum off-road mobility
The designers wanted to give the smart forfun2 maximum off-road mobility - and the platform of the 406 offers optimum prerequisites for off-road driving. The off-road character is further emphasized by oversized wheels and the safety cage made of aluminium tubes.

To optimise the vehicle for off-road driving, in addition to special shock absorbers Stefan Attart fitted manually controlled air suspension. This enables the driver to specifically influence individual springs - a particular advantage on extreme downhill gradients.

Uncompromising vehicle concept
Everything in one car that is sure to divide opinions - or boys from men. Two vehicles, which each represent an uncompromising vehicle concept in their respective environments, and yet remain unique. And this combination in the smart forfun2 is sure to cause even more controversy.

As with the real smart fortwo, some people are sure to find the concept of the smart forfun2 too radical, whilst others will love it - with not many opinions in-between. However running apart from the herd is probably the best prerequisite for achieving cult status.

Smart Roadster, 2003

Smart Roadster, 2003

Smart Roadster
The Smart Roadster is a two-door microcar first introduced in 2003 by Smart GmbH. Unfortunately, sales of the Roadster and Roadster Coupé were far below expectations, resulting in a halt of production of both models in November 2005.

History
At the 1998 Paris Motor Show, the two-seat, 2.5-metre Smart City Coupe (later named Smart Fortwo) was launched. This was the beginning of a new car brand and one of the more radical vehicle concepts to hit the European market since the bubble cars of the 1950s. It was also the beginning of a difficult period for Smart. The City Coupe had stability problems that were uncovered only immediately prior to launch. These forced a package of alterations to be made that were both expensive and compromised the car’s handling, ride and gear shift. Public concerns over the car's stability, combined with Smart’s elitist marketing and the sheer radicality of the car’s design, proved damaging to initial sales. Production projections were slashed from 200k per year to 80k, close to disastrous for a new brand with just one product.

Design & Development
Under design director Jens Manske in autumn 1998, Smart's 14-strong design and engineering team began to sketch possible future Smart cars. They soon realised that the powertrain of the City Coupe was ideal for a small sports car, with a compact turbo engine driving the rear wheels via a sequential 6 speed gearbox.

Following Smart’s ‘reduce to the max’ philosophy and general innovative approach, a concept for a super compact, practical and pure sports car was generated. Two quarter-scale exterior and two quarter-scale interior models were made in February 1999 with Volker Leutz’s exterior and Christoph Machinek’s interior proposals selected for development into full-size development models. The design of the car had progressed considerably by the time Michael Mauer officially arrived from Mercedes Benz's Japan design center to take over Menske's position in May 1999. Mauer worked closely with the design team to quickly develop the roadster, with the intention now of producing a show car for the upcoming 1999 IAA motor show in Frankfurt.

By early 2000 the Smart City Coupe had finally started to gain sales momentum, with its cabrio version making a significant addition to total Smart sales. In March Mauer left Smart for Saab, succeeded by Hartmut Sinkwitz in May. As the third design director of Smart during the Roadster's development, Sinkwitz had to bring the concept to production in a very short time. This task may have been made somewhat easier by the Roadster having been designed from the start to use existing powertrain and other City Coupe components. Given some of the advanced design features, it is a credit to the design team that so much of the concept car made it to production.

Concept Car
The ‘Roadster Coupe’ as shown at the 2000 Paris motor show was already on its way to production form. It shared the design of the Roadster from the doors forward, but had a glass targa roof and rear structure resembling a very small estate (station wagon) in the same way as the BMW Z3 coupe and the Saab 9X concept car developed under Mauer at Saab a few years later.
Production versions of both Roadster and Roadster Coupe debuted together at the 2002 Paris Motor Show and were available to buy within a few months. Both cars were unique in the market, being significantly smaller that the Toyota MR2, MG TF, Fiat Barchetta and Mazda MX5, but offering similar performance and practicality to the base versions of these cars while significantly more fuel efficient.

Production
The Smart Roadster and Roadster Coupé were introduced in 2003, based on a stretched platform of the Fortwo (full length is 3427 mm). The two variants are meant to be reminiscent of the British roadster of yore, such as the Triumph Spitfire or the MG B. Both the Roadster and Roadster Coupé are available with a removable Targa roof or an electrical Softtop. The Roadster is powered by 45 or 60 kW (61 or 82 PS) versions of the turbocharged 3-cylinder engine in the rear, which is engineered by Mercedes Benz. The Roadster Coupé has only the more powerful 82 PS engine. A steering wheel with Formula 1-style gearpaddles, to control the semi-automatic sequential transmission, is optional. With weight as low as 790 kg, it is meant to provide the emotion of driving a sports car at an affordable cost. Still, the Roadster's price is not very far from that of a Fiat Barchetta or Mazda MX-5.

Both the Roadster and Roadster Coupé are available in Brabus-tuned versions with power increased to 74 kW (101 PS). The Brabus versions have a different twin sports exhaust, lower suspension, polished six-spoke aluminum alloy Monoblock VI 17" wheels, front spoiler, side skirts and radiator grille. Exclusive Brabus interior includes leather trimmed dashboard, alloy-effect accent parts, instrument graphics, leather/aluminium gearknob, aluminium handbrake handle, aluminium pedals and Brabus labeled floor mats.

Fortwo 4 Less: Smart offers first incentives in U.S.

So far this year, Smart USA has sold just 7,451 Fortwos, which is down nearly 16% over the first five months of 2008. May sales, though, were down an alarming 56.6% to 1,169 units. To stem the rushing tide of order cancellations and slow sales, Penske has decided to offer its first-ever incentives on the Fortwo. From now until the end of July, buyers may qualify for 4.2% financing through Daimler Financial Services for the purchase of a new 2009 Smart Fortwo.


Penske Automotive Group, distributors of the Smart Fortwo here in the United States, recorded an impressive 24,622 total sales of the diminutive city car in 2008 and dealers widely reported that they could have sold even more had they been available. With that in mind, the nascent company set what seemed at the time like a realistic sales target for 25,000 units in 2009. That may have been a bit optimistic.


If this incentive has a positive impact on sales, expect it to be extended a bit longer. Further, Penske is considering making it possible for dealerships to order new cars without accepting the refundable $99 reservation from a customer that's currently required, which could have the desirable effect of placing more new vehicles on dealer lots for buyers to choose from.
More Photos

Greek court rules against Daimler on China SUV

There's an old saying that "justice is blind," an adage which has taken a literal meaning thanks to a Greek court's decision to dismiss Daimler's lawsuit against a Chinese copy of the Smart fortwo.


Although the case looked promising for Daimler early on, a Milan court ruling in mid-December 2008 in favor of Shuanghuan in the BMW case seemed to have put the nail in Daimler's coffin. The court found that visual and price differences between BMW's X5 and Shuanghuan CEO were enough to prevent consumers from confusing the two. After winning the case against BMW, Shuanghuan resumed the sale of its CEO SUV in Italy.


The Greek court determined that "an informed buyer would not confuse the Noble with the Smart Fortwo." They also stated that because the two vehicles offer different technical specifications, any exterior styling similarities are irrelevant and almost inevitable because they're both mini-cars.


Chinese auto makers reportedly have 'borrowed' inspiration from BMW's X5, Daewoo's Matiz and the Mercedes-Benz SLK. Various legal challenges have been mounted, some successfully and others less so.


Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd. started to sell Smart Fortwo, the classic low-emission car under Daimler's Mercedes-Benz brand, in China on April 8 this year.
Source: gasgoo via World Car Fans

Video: smart fortwo BRABUS Electric Drive Unveiled in Geneva

Craftiest adjust even on the company in the world seem unable to escape the obligation to thrust on their environment. The BRABUS is one such tuner who ackowledged this model. Previously we have already seen their BRABUS gear stick of the Tesla Roadster, and now electric cars at the Geneva auto show this respect for fine-tuning the company exhibits another small step towards eco-environmental protection with a dash of urban driving pleasure.


Has been the implementation of the feasibility test in London, Berlin, Paris, Rome, Milan and Pisa, smart's fortwo electric production for the end of this year with the lithium ion battery provided by Tesla Motors. Therefore, it is not surprising that well-known tuner BRABUS Mercedes-Benz has been pitcher style Packaging Group.


Smart car has a quiet design, so it's BRABUS saw fit to redesign the effect of a good car should not only help to remind pedestrians of their imminent arrival, they also requested the tenants.


Sports suspension installation, so are the BRABUS mono第七六split spokes alloy wheels, leather and fabric green fabric and white colors. Designed open-air convertible soft-top smart themselves the feelings of these extra outdoor clean-up drive.


Specific date, but must have put on planning BRABUS this little greenie enter the production line some time in the future.
via:egmcartech More Photos




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Smart fortwo edition limited three

Daimler has announced that it will debut the special edition smart fortwo edition limited three at the Geneva auto show next week. The smart fortwo edition limited three features a spring design and mhd technology as standard. The limited edition comes with a green metallic paintwork, 15 inch alloy wheels and special aluminum-effect limited three logos.


The limited three starts with special paint. This time around, it's a handsome metallic melon green, accented by aluminum finished "limited three" badges and staggered-width fifteen-inch wheels. The limited three is available as a coupe or a cabriolet.


The smart fortwo edition limited three price starts at 15,470 Euros as a coupe and at 18,510 Euros as a cabrio.
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Hayabusa Powered Smart Car Photos & Volvo

Eat this, Ken Block! In today’s podcast, Lieberman and I were talking about the forthcoming Brabus tuned Smart car, and I mentioned having seen some vids of insane Hayabusa powered Smart cars. I appreciate that Hayabusa is the “go to” engine for making a total monster out of your light car, motorbike, ATV, Ariel Atom, or whatever else. This ain’t exactly brand new, but it’s still wickedly cool. Check the vid after the jump, and look closely at around 0:57 of the video for a snazzy trick.
via:Autofiends

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