Smart Returns to its Roots
The #2 Concept in Beijing reboots the original ForTwo
If you dial your wayback machine to 1990, you'll find the first stories about innovative watchmaker Swatch looking to get into the car business. After a failed partnership with Volkswagen, the company connected with Mercedes-Benz to form Micro Compact Car, showing its first concept in 1994.
The production ForTwo appeared in 1997, with a second generation (with a new electric variant) in 2006 and a third and final generation running from 2014 to 2024. By the end of the ForTwo's run, the rebooted Smart--now a joint venture between Mercedes and Geely--was four years old.
With a range of three SUVs already in market and a rather unexpected midsize sedan en route, Mercedes has unveiled the Concept #2 at Beijing, previewing a production model launching next year. Sitting on a new, bespoke Electric Compact Architecture, the #2 scraps internal combustion power completely, targeting a 186-mile (likely CLTC) range, about 80% more than its predecessor. It's just a few inches longer than the outgoing ForTwo, and the resemblance to its predecessor is crystal clear. The gold trim, leather straps on the wheels, and white tires won't make production, and there are no interior photos yet, but it's not hard to imagine what the real #2 will look like.
The one item curiously missing from the press release is any reference to the body structure. The original ForTwo was rather unusual in its use of a spaceframe architecture with easily removable body panels. This allowed easy repairs, and the individually-painted body panels meant the original plant didn't need a conventional paint shop, reducing investment. It seems like the #2 will have a more mainstream BFI body structure, which will likely make it easier to integrate into Geely's existing Smart factories in China.
The formal launch for the production #2 is scheduled for the Paris Motor Show this fall, and that should fill in the blanks on this still-quirky-after-all-these-years urban commuter.