[smartcar111]

I found this article on my Facebook and I thought I would share it with you:

The Smart is growing up! This exclusive spy picture shows a 1:4 scale model of a next generation Smart ForTwo with an extended wheelbase, allowing for an extra set of doors and seats.
The new model, which is likely to be known as the Fortwo+2, won't be available on the current line-up, but will only be introduced once the next generation Smart Fortwo goes on sale early in 2012.

It will debut along with an all-new look previewed by this early clay model. Some trademark Smart styling touches remain, including the contrasting Tridon safety-cell, but there's a fresh front end design which includes a new grill and narrower headlights.

The new Fortwo will be longer and wider than the current model, helping to boost space in the cabin and boot. The Fortwo+2 pictured here boasts a pair of rear-hinged doors to improve access to the rear seats but these could be dropped in favour of more traditional units for the production model.
The new Smart is amongst the first to be developed by Daimler side-by-side with the Renault-Nissan alliance which includes sharing three and four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. However the new model will still retain the rear-engined, rear-wheel drive layout of the original car.
One of the bug-bears of the current Smart – namely the jerky automatic gearbox – is likely to be replaced by a Renault-Nissan developed unit but at this stage it's unclear exactly what will take its place.
The next generation ForTwo will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and should go on sale shortly afterwards for around £10,000. The Fortwo+2 will command a premium of around £2,000.



Source

 

[rfernatt]

To me, it looks disproportionate for a smart - more like a Mazda 5 style vehicle and less like a 5-door hatch. Of course, this may be an early design that will evolve.

 

[nonuro]

Not bad. I do think the back end of the car looks broken, the body color really should run forward along the rocker panel like our cars do now. And is the front windscreen a wrap around?

 

[jayskulls]

I like it! It keeps the current smart styling cues but gets a bit more abstract with some of the features. I wonder if the next-gen fortwo will have that new grille and headlights..

 

[jwight]

I'm skeptical - the Gen 3 smart on sale in early 2012? Anything is possible but that time frame doesn't sound like "mid-decade" to me. At best that model is only a concept IMHO.

 

[smartcar111]

Not sure about that. Once it gets to the point that the model gets painted, I think they have a pretty good idea of what it will look like. If it was just a concept clay rendering, I don't believe they would have painted it, but would have just tore it down and started with a new design. If it moved off of paper to being made with clay to actually getting painted, I can bet this is close to what we are going to see with maybe some minor adjustments in the overall design and functionality, but then again, we can all speculate as of what will become of the smart ForTwo+2.

 

[chieftmc]

To me, it looks disproportionate for a smart - more like a Mazda 5 style vehicle and less like a 5-door hatch. Of course, this may be an early design that will evolve.

 

[ALSRAC]

It's clear that model is in it's first stages, I hope the final product is much better looking and stylish.

 

[WhiteNBlack08]

I too, am skeptical about the release date. We have been told the new fortwo will be out in 2013 or 2014(see here: http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/fo...small-car-under-smart-brand-34285/index4.html. Besides, why would Penske invest $26 Million in a joint venture with Nissan if smart were introducing a model to compete a few months later? The concept model may be accurate, but I don't believe the release date is.

A new model takes approximately 3 years to get into production. Right now, smart needs to have the basic design ironed out. The next two years are spent designing the systems to go into it, and getting the tooling, vendors, etc. all up to speed.

 

[Toolman]

Ugh. I would never have bought a forfour - not the previous model, not the one we saw a drawing of, and not the one shown in this thread. It was the size and overall look of the smart forTWO that first caught (and maintains) my attention. 4 seaters are everywhere - I TRADED my 4 seater for my wonderful smart.

 

[rfernatt]

Ugh. I would never have bought a forfour - not the previous model, not the one we saw a drawing of, and not the one shown in this thread. It was the size and overall look of the smart forTWO that first caught (and maintains) my attention. 4 seaters are everywhere - I TRADED my 4 seater for my wonderful smart.

Understood, but car companies like smart can't survive on a single model, especially in a country like the US where most consumers expect a car to be multipurpose. Plus, a four/five seater gives fortwo owners who have a family something to step up into.

Chevy has to sell a high volume model like the Cavalier/Cobalt/Cruze so that it can also offer lower volume halo vehicles like the 'Vette.

But, I was personally looking for the smart DNA, size, style to be applied to a 5 door hatch design. Something akin to the B-class MB:

 

[ALSRAC]

I think this thread belongs to the Forfour subforum not the Penske Forfour....

 

[jediknight36]

I still like the look of the forfour pic I found last year. Basically, a Fortwo, with two rear doors and the length to match.

 

[MB DNA]

Only a mother could love this child . . .

If this is a smart leak, the critics should have fun with this one. Thought the desire was to get folks into the smart showroom and behind the steering wheel - don't think this "look" will accomplish that.

Where are the keys to my Yugo . . .

 

[jediknight36]

I think this thread belongs to the Forfour subforum not the Penske Forfour....

Done.

 

[smartcar111]

I think this thread belongs to the Forfour subforum not the Penske Forfour....

I had no idea where to put this one. Besides, I just woke up and put it on this forum so I was a bit tired. I did figure it needed to be moved and was going to talk to Brandon about that, but you beat me to it.

 

[ClearwaterZiggy]

:bullsht:

That whole article is fishy. And the picture??? That's no 1/4 scale model. 1/18 tops, I'd say.

"Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear."

 

[smartcar111]

That's no 1/4 scale model. 1/18 tops, I'd say.

Not saying you're wrong, but we don't have anything next to it to compare the actual scale of the car so we wouldn't know for sure, but it could be a possibility.

 

[jediknight36]

The next generation ForTwo will be revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and should go on sale shortly afterwards for around £10,000. The Fortwo+2 will command a premium of around £2,000

Read more: Smart Fortwo+2 scooped

Guess we will find out in a few months.

 

[smartcar111]

Guess we will find out in a few months.

More like eight months