2015 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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Meet the Smart Fortwo that should be competing in the 2013 Dakar Rally [w/video]

When it comes to specialty applications of the Smart Fortwo, "off-road motorsports" may seem about as likely as "amphibious assault vehicle." Yet a team has come up with just that (the former, not the latter), creating a rally-ready runabout dubbed the Smart Dakar.
The team used a Fortwo to create a "Smart Buggy 4x4." The creator's website claims that the vehicle is in compliance with FIA regulations, and weighs only 750 kilograms (1,653 pounds). As the name suggests, the intent of this vehicle is to compete in the Dakar Rally, and it looks the part.
It may be the most hard-nosed Smart that you'll ever find, but it has an uphill battle to make it to competition. The race team, headed by Jose Luis "JL" Alvarez, does not have the funds to field a full assortment of vehicles, including two Smarts and a Honda CRF-450, and now all plans have been canceled for this year's Dakar Rally.

A big family with tiny cars

Allow me to introduce myself: I'm a car lover, I'm a big car fan. I also have a big family. How big? Imagine seven kids and six dogs. I also happen to own three Smart cars. Wait, WHAT? How do we transport the whole family? I got that covered with the help of a big Sprinter. Back to the beginning, I love cars, I'd drive hundreds of miles to attend a car show, I'd go twice to the same car show. Heck! I'd drive thousands of miles just to show off my brand new car (more of that in another post). I'd take road trips with one subject in mind: cars. Despite living in the middle of the country and living in the middle of nowhere, I'm fortunate enough to have seen some unbelievable cars, and guess what? I love sharing those stories online. I'm grateful for this opportunity to reach an enthusiastic audience of car lovers who hopefully will enjoy my work as much as I enjoy watching beautiful, powerful machines: cars.Related Video: Image Credit: Alfonso Rascon smart open road

Smart updating EV, cabrio models for the Fortwo

For Smart, the future is now, or at least this fall. That's when the next-generation versions of Daimler's Smart line of compact vehicles, which were unveiled earlier this month, reach European showrooms, Automotive News says. They might be the first of a broader range that would follow them to stores shortly thereafter. The two-seat Smart Fortwo and the four-seat Forfour will start European sales in November, and the word is that a convertible model and a battery-electric version will follow. We don't know when the next-gen Fortwo will reach the US but that Forfour is unlikely to ever be sold stateside. A broader vehicle line from Smart may be necessary for the badge's longer-term survival. The company has registered the term "Formore," indicating the possibility of an extra-long version of the Forfour that would be earmarked for the US and China. The Forfour may get a convertible version (it already has a fabric roof), while another, sportier roadster-type model could also be developed, Australia's Motoring.com says, citing an interview with Smart's design director Kai Sieber. Earlier this month, Smart unveiled the look of the 2016 Fortwo and Forfour, whose powertrains range from 60 to 90 horsepower. A bit more aggressive looking the new Smarts will keep their colorful options with as many as 40 mix-and-match exterior color schemes.