REPORT: Daimler and Renault collaborating on four-door Smart
Reports of a collaboration between Daimler and Renault on a new four-door model to join the Fortwo in Smart dealerships just won't die, leading us to believe there may be a ring of truth behind the rumors. The last time Daimler set out to partner on a more mainstream Smart, the resulting ForFour – which was based on borrowed underpinnings from Mitsubishi – never met sales expectations and was canceled after a few short years on the market.
Collaborating with Renault on the development of a four-door Smart should help shield Daimler from the high cost of developing a model-specific platform that's unlikely to sell in particularly high volumes. Further, the rumored new model would offer Smart buyers a new option to compete with the new Toyota iQ, which seats up to four occupants despite its diminutive dimensions.
[Source: Detroit News]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Rich 6:57PM (9/09/2009)
Maybe they could work on the fuel efficiency of the 2-door's engine before releasing a bigger kei car?
Reply
Mirko 8:05AM (9/10/2009)
The first generation of the Smart Fortwo had a turbocharged 0.6 (late 0.7L) Mercedes engine and was much more fuel efficient than the current one.
The current (Mitsubishi) engine is much cheaper though.
mncrxsi 7:13PM (9/09/2009)
The Smart ForTwo is NOT a Kei car anymore.
Reply
Galley 7:57PM (9/09/2009)
Sweet! I'll be in the market for a small car about the time when it will be ready. They have some serious competition to contend with, though.
Reply
Dave 8:53PM (9/09/2009)
Is there any real advantage to the Smart aside from the fact that it can be parked perpendicular to curbs?
Reply
spa2nky1 9:09AM (9/10/2009)
http://www.smartusa.com/smart-fortwo-ecology-recycling.aspx
http://www.worldcarfans.com/10701305160/new-smart-fortwo-in-depth (see the last paragraph)
The Tridion cell is powder coated instead of using standard paint, and the excess is collected and re-used, and the basic color body panels (red, black, & yellow) are molded plastic which don't require paint and are completely recyclable (however; the metallic body panels are painted).
It's really the production process that draws me to the Fortwo (until I typed that out I didn't realize how UN-BELIEVABLY nerdy it sounded)]
spa2nky1 11:26AM (9/10/2009)
And just to add...I recently bought a new car, and it wasn't a Smart.
I would not have been able to get by with just 2 seats and minimal storage space.
nrb 9:02PM (9/09/2009)
The car pictured might actually have a crumple zone (unlike the ForTwo).
Reply
Chazz 12:12AM (9/10/2009)
Oh lorde, black widow strikes again!!!
Reply
Luso 7:57AM (9/10/2009)
Let's just say Daimler has learned many "smart" lessons over the last few years. Let's hope those lessons were enough.
http://www.carnorama.com/
Reply
Zeph 8:15AM (9/10/2009)
The car pictured has been on sale in Europe for years and years. I have no idea why it is being passed off as new... It's not very popular, although I guess there is nothing really wrong with it.
http://www.vcars.co.uk/used-cars/used-smart-forfour.php Here, just buy one second hand!
In an age of international blogs could it be possible that someone is trying to sell the forfour as a new car?
Reply
Chazz 10:11AM (9/10/2009)
Hey buddy didn't you know that Americans are enamored with anything that ISN'T associated with an American company??? If you slapped a Toyota badge on a Chevy Chevette they'd sell like hot cakes - bethcha...
cameron42985 9:44AM (9/10/2009)
What an awful, awful vehicle. Miserable.
It's sad when a reknowned automaker can't even compete with the efficiency of a Toyota Corolla EVEN after slicing the car in half. Pathetic. Diamler, get out of the game.
Reply
superstevie 9:19AM (9/11/2009)
Corolla?? eh no, it was based on the Mitsubishi Colt. It was a decent car, but priced about £1000 too expensive when new.
I've heard that the next forfour is to based on the twingo. I hope they do a decent job of it, and make it more innovative than the last forfour.
cameron42985 1:39PM (9/15/2009)
Dude, no. Slice the "ForFour" in half and you get the "ForTwo", a car that cant compete with the efficiency of a Toyota Corolla. That's what's up.