2016 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe on 2040-cars

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Smart Fortwo successor spotted wearing new nose

Judging by the numerous concept vehicles from Smart lately, we can pretty much already tell what the future has in store for the brand's growing lineup. Still, these new spy shots give us our first look at the next Fortwo being tested with what looks to be a production-ready nose.
Although this mule still uses cobbled together pieces from a Renault Twingo that we've seen in previous spy shots, the camouflaged front end shows a likeness to recent concepts like the Fourjoy and Forstars. This includes the short, flat nose, an enlarged grille and the headlight shape, but one noticeable difference is the addition of marker lights positioned just below the main beams. From what we hear, the next-gen Fortwo will be unveiled early next year at the Geneva Motor Show, and it will be slightly bigger than the current model.

Smart Fortwo Brabus drops most of its camo

When we drove the new Smart Fortwo last month, we were impressed at how peppy and darty it felt – especially in turbo spec. But that was just enough to whet our appetites for an even sportier version, and fortunately that appears to be just what Daimler is cooking up right now. This latest batch of spy shots gives us an even better look at the Brabus version of the new Fortwo under development. As you can see, it has upgraded rolling stock sitting on a lower (and presumably sportier) suspension with dual tailpipes and what could even be some enhanced aero components. Here's hoping the production version doesn't match an orange interior to a red body like this prototype does, though the bigger question is what it's got not under the hood, but beneath the rear cargo shelf where the existing Fortwo has a choice of three-cylinder engines. As we reported earlier, the new Smart Fortwo Brabus is tipped to pack as much as 130 horsepower, but in what form, exactly, we don't know. It could come from an enhanced version of the 898cc turbo three in the current range-topping Fortwo, maybe a turbo version of the larger atmospheric 1.0-liter inline-three, or a different engine entirely – like a 1.2 sourced from Renault. Either way, the decision was likely made jointly by Daimler and Renault, which is expected to offer a similarly sporty version of the Twingo as well.

Recharge Wrap-Up: No new Smart Roadster, Africa to UK on one tank, Duke's efficient axial engine [w/videos]

Smart will not make another generation of the Roadster, but a Smart SUV might be in the cards. According to Smart's CEO, Annette Winkler, "The Roadster isn't a profitable business case. Everybody is keen on the car, but nobody wants to pay the bill." What Car? states that Smart is likely planning a baby SUV to take on the Nissan Juke and its ilk. But for the immediate future, Winkler says Smart "must focus on how we can maximize potential of the Fortwo and Forfour. That is strategy number one." Read more over at What Car?. A Mercedes-Benz E300 Bluetec Hybrid made the 1,223-mile trek from Africa to the UK on just one tank of fuel. Driven by Andrew Frankel of Autocar, the diesel hybrid left Tangier, Morocco with a full tank of gas (using the optional 80-liter fuel tank), and arrived in Goodwood with the car indicating 100 miles of range left. Frankel and his co-driver averaged 61.2 miles per gallon (73.6 mpg UK) on the intercontinental journey through four countries, despite elevation changes and a traffic jam. See the first video below for more information, or check out the article at Carscoops. Duke Engines promises simplicity and efficiency from the axial engine it's developing. Rather than lining up the cylinders, this engine arranges them in a circle, which allows Duke to avoid unnecessary weight. The five-cylinder, four-stroke motor manages the same amount of powerstrokes per revolution as a standard six-cylinder mill, but weighs 30 percent less. It also has much fewer parts, says Duke. Its high compression ratios mean more power with less fuel, which adds up to more efficiency and fewer emissions. The second of the two videos below, which we first found over at Sploid, explains Duke's axial engine. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Gallery Smart Roadster Patents Related Gallery Mercedes-Benz E400 Hybrid and E300 BlueTec Hybrid: Detroit 2012 Photos View 13 Photos News Source: Carscoops, What Car?, Sploid via World Car Fans Green Mercedes-Benz smart Fuel Efficiency Technology Emerging Technologies Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Videos recharge wrapup diesel hybrid smart roadster