smart is coming

Press Release

smart formore

Instantly recognizable as a smart

While it will not be presented in Detroit - the smart formore, a vehicle that will carry the core smart values of innovation, functionality and joie de vivre to the multifunctional premium class – is awaited with anticipation.

Patience is called for, however one thing is certain: The smart formore will be a “smart utility vehicle� that is instantly recognizable as a smart. This vehicle will not only be characterized by a tridion safety cell, bodypanels and innovative European design; you can be sure that lots of driving pleasure is also guaranteed.

And that’s not all: Like all other models made by smart to date, the smart formore will be an expression of the driver’s personality - unconventional, sporty, young at heart and open to new ideas. “open your mind�. The smart slogan will apply to the smart formore just as it does to the other smart models.

It is, of course, still too early to provide details of the engines, performance, equipment and prices of the smart formore. However it is not difficult to imagine that the numerous technologies available to the Mercedes Car Group include many well-proven components that can be used for the “smart utility vehicle�.

40 percent of the parts will come from the Mercedes Car Group; 35 percent originate more or less directly from the smart forfour and the rest are new components exclusive to this model.

Functionality made visible

Cars made by smart win customers with their attractive and innovative design

Within the framework of the NAIAS 2005, the City of Detroit will be given a smart fortwo that will be used as an emergency vehicle for the Fire Department. This vehicle has a silver tridion safety cell and – befittingly - phat red bodypanels. The logo of the Detroit Fire Department is emblazoned on the doors and the roof has the required signal bars. This could, of course, increase the danger of false alarms with people calling the Fire Department simply in order to see this vehicle with its unique design on the streets.

Regarding design: It is not for nothing that the smart fortwo has been included in the permanent collection of the “Museum of Modern Art� (MoMA) in New York since 2002, where it is the only car in the collection that is currently still in production (alongside the Pinin Farina Cisitalia, Ferrari Formula 1, Jaguar E-Type, Willy´s Jeep and VW Beetle). The museum directors do not just see this car designed specially for use in urban areas as contemporary and economical, they above all see it as a solution to the main problems of car transport today.

However the organizers couldn’t know that the smart roadster and roadster-coupé, on the market since 2003, and the smart forfour that has been available since April 2004, also win customers with their innovative, European design and that these cars continue to be people’s craze started with the 8.24 feet long smart fortwo.

Fascinating proportions

The fascinating proportions of the smart fortwo, smart crossblade, smart roadster, roadster-coupé and smart forfour leave a lasting impression. To achieve formal unity for the cars, the smart designers followed the principle of “form follows function�, and they also devoted attention to original and emotional characteristics. The two colors, that make the vehicle structure and the modular design seem transparent, emphasize this aspect. A solid steel metal frame – the tridion safety cell – surrounds and protects the passenger compartment. It is painted in either metallic silver or in black (and is also available in titanium look for the smart forfour). This structure also encases the windscreen at the front end and wraps around the rear end, which means that it does more than ensure stability for the passenger compartment. The tridion safety cell gives the whole vehicle structure a formal unity. The design thus strengthens the impression of inner safety and security; it enhances the perceived quality of the vehicles and emphasizes their sturdiness. Stylish wheels in wheelhouses on the four most outer points of the vehicle enhance the appearance of unusually high stability.

Practical: Numerous possibilities for individualization

Flexible bodypanels made of high-quality plastic clad the body and form a color contrast to the frame structure – making every smart an eye-catcher on the roads. The bodypanels are available in a numerous colors – for example no less than ten different colors are available for the smart forfour. Together with the three colors available for the tridion safety cell this results in a total of 30 possible combinations for the exterior alone. Four colors are available for the interior plus leather trim, further widening the choice.

This range of colors and materials offers smart customers lots of possibilities for individualizing their vehicles. As the bodypanels encase almost all areas of the body at risk in an impact, they also have a protective function. They are reversibly deformable and revert to their original shape should another car be bumped during a parking maneuver – even in minor accidents at speeds of up to 9 mph. In addition to the exterior styling, the smart designers have devoted a lot of attention to the color and material concept. The two-color exterior design is complemented by the colors of the interior. Fabric soft-trim material creates color contrasts that are coordinated with the exterior colors.

Character is the ability to stand out from others

The large glass areas are a striking feature of smart vehicles – both from the outside and the inside. With the exception of the smart fortwo cabrio and the smart roadster, most equipment lines have a glass roof that extends from the windscreen over the passenger compartment and through to the rear window. This transparency gives the smart a high quality and spacious character, and, together with the large side windows, provides for a light-filled, roomy interior.

All models from smart have a friendly expression that almost seems human. Looking at the car, viewers can recognize eyes with slight corner upsweep and a smiling mouth. This impression is created by the arrangement of the lamp units and radiator grille on different levels – unlike that of most other cars. It is not just the design that gives smart vehicles their strong character and the ability to radically stand out from other cars. This also applies to the customers: Driving a smart is about more than just getting from A to B. For the owners of a smart, their car is also an expression of their personality and their lifestyle.