Sales of the smallest vehicle in the Mercedes-Benz portfolio have passed the two million mark.
City Car, News, Family Car, Convertible
forfour
smart reveals new special edition models
smart has revealed special ‘edition white’ and ‘edition black’ models to its fortwo and forfour range.
Set to hit showrooms in late February, the special models are based on existing prime model line with both new models featuring over £1,500-worth of extra equipment for a premium of £895.
Easily recognisable thanks to new exterior colour schemes, the special smart fortwo coupe (£12,360 OTR) and smart forfour (£12,855 OTR) models include standard ‘prime’ features such as heated leather seats but adds the Urban Style and the Premium packages. These include: three-spoke sports steering wheel with perforated leather; brushed stainless steel sports pedals with rubber studs; 16-inch Y-spoke-alloy wheels in black; exhaust system with chrome-plated tailpipe; wheel-arch extensions with smart lettering; comfort package (consisting of: height adjustable steering wheel; height adjustable driver’s seat; heated and electrically adjustable exterior mirrors); rear parking assistance and smart media system including European satellite navigation. Forfour models also come with privacy glass in the rear.
The fortwo special editions come with over £1,500-worth of extra equipment – for only £895– resulting in a customer saving of over £600. The forfour offers £1,660-worth of features (adding rear privacy glass), giving customers over £760-worth of extra value. The edition white models feature white tridion cells, combined with white body panels and a white grille, making them instantly recognisable as special-edition smarts. As you’d expect, edition black models come with black bodywork, black tridion cells and a black grille – although customers can opt for a white tridion cell (£100).
As with the rest of the smart range, the edition white and edition black models can be ordered with either a 71 hp naturally-aspirated or 90 hp turbo three-cylinder petrol engine, and with a five-speed manual or six-speed twinamic automatic gearbox.
smart 'forrail' debuts on track
smart has revealed a special 'forrail' in a one-off experiment.
The smart forfour is described by the Mercedes-owned brand as the 'ultimate commuting machine' yet as it is reliant on roads, smart admits the train has an obvious advantage in that it can get from point-to-point through a more direct route. With this in mind, engineers set up a light-hearted, one-off experiment to redressed the balance and see if the two could be combined.
Nicknamed the forrail, it might appear like a lightly modified forfour but it is, in fact, a fully certified mini-train, says smart. The car's tridion safety cell underpins the forrail and to avoid any steering movement, aluminium supports were welded between the axles meaning the wheels are locked in position.
Following six months of engineering work and sophisticated CAD modelling, the smart forrail comes equipped with unique, solid steel wheels each measuring 22-inches in diameter and weighing 80 kg, allowing it the traction it needs on rails. Designed by Interfleet, a specialised British train engineering business based in Derby, the team - who usually work on 16-litre, 70-tonne diesel locomotives - had to employ a new approach to the challenge presented by a 999 cc, one-tonne smart.
Under close supervision, the smart forrail tentatively took to the tracks on the privately operated Bluebell Railway. Tackling the 10-mile stretch of railway cutting through Sussex the experimental 'train' successfully completed its test, much to the surprise of some local trainspotters.