2016 Smart Fortwo Prime on 2040-cars

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Limited edition Smart Fortwo Citybeam on sale this month, at dealers in April

It ain't exactly a Pontiac Trans Am and the Screaming Eagle, but Daimler is trying to get a little sportier with its Smart Fortwo vehicle line. On January 15, Smart will start taking orders for the Citybeam limited edition Fortwo in Europe. The starting price is 14,490 euros (about $20,000) and the special version of the little-bitty two-seater will start deliveries to European dealers in April. No word on when or whether they'll grace our highways, but many limited editions like this one have been Euro-only in the past. Exterior colors for the Citybeam include light blue, silver metallic and matt anthracite (that's black to you and me). The headlamps will be titanium-colored. Looking for three-double-spoke alloy wheels and extra wide rubber on the road? Check. There will also be upgraded seats and an improved instrument panel. Daimler, which also owns Mercedes-Benz, unveiled the Smart ForTwo Citybeam at the Brussels Motor Show on Friday. The Citybeam will be available as both a coupe and convertible in both in both gas and electric versions. The gas version includes a regular 70-horsepower and a turbocharged 82-horsepower version, while the electric delivers 74 horsepower. Check out Smart's press release below. New special model smart fortwo edition citybeam: Short, sporty and exclusive Stuttgart/Brussels, Jan 10, 2014 A dynamic exterior and a sporty, elegant interior: the new special model smart fortwo edition citybeam makes a sporty statement with bodypanels in metallic or matt paintwork, tridion safety cell in silver and three-double-spoke alloy wheels with wide tyres. In the interior the exclusive black seats in leather optic with crystal grey fabric inserts in the backrest and crystal grey stitching catch the eye. Ordering of the smart fortwo edition citybeam starts on 15 January 2014 with prices from ˆ14,490. The special model is available as a coupe and a cabrio and will reach dealers in April 2014. Customers can choose between either a combustion engine or an electric motor. The latest smart fortwo special model that celebrates its premiere at the Brussels Motor Show on 10 January 2014 has been christened "edition citybeam". The smart citybeam is an individual model from smart with a distinctive character at attractive prices.

Daimler chairman agrees with German Greens on reducing emissions

Daimler Chairman Dieter Zetsche spoke at a Green Party congress in Germany earlier this week and said he agreed with the party's urge to dramatically cut transportation-based greenhouse-gas emissions by expanding plug-in vehicle sales, Reuters says. Zetsche stopped short of backing the Greens' suggestion to ban gas- and diesel-powered vehicles by 2030, though. The man must keep his job, after all. Zetsche did say that reducing greenhouse-gas emissions from the transportation sector was "necessary," and his company has made plans to do just that. Daimler representatives said at the Paris Motor Show earlier this year that Smart and Mercedes-Benz both planned to debut more than 10 electric vehicles within the next decade, and that plug-ins may account for as much as 25 percent of Mercedes-Benz's sales by then. Moreover, Dr. Thomas Weber, Head of Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development, said in June that Mercedes could be selling as many as 100,000 EVs a year by the end of the decade. Last month, Mercedes-Benz announced that its EQ electric-SUV concept would go on sale by 2020, and that the Bremen factory that's producing the model will broaden its plug-in vehicle production further. Zetsche's cautious support notwithstanding, the German government appears to be doing its own part to reduce emissions from the country's light-duty vehicles. Earlier this year, Germany enacted a plan that provides as much as 4,000 euros ($4,270) in perks for people who buy new electric vehicles, with German automakers agreeing to foot about half of the estimated $1.4 billion bill. German lawmakers had also floated the idea of a 10-year moratorium on electric-vehicle taxes for cars purchased before 2020. Related Video: News Source: Reuters via Automotive News Europe-sub.req.Image Credit: Ralph Orlowski / Reuters Government/Legal Green Mercedes-Benz smart Electric

It's been a year, and nothing has changed with Smart ED launch

A full year ago, Smart said that the updated version of the all-electric ED version of the quirky two-seater would not arrive until late 2016 or early 2017. The 2016 release was later rumored to be pushed back, so we thought we'd stop by the Smart booth as the Detroit Auto Show and see what the deal was. The current word on the street is that the late 2016 date is back in play, so we're back to where things were at the last Detroit show. We also learned that the new ED will likely be available in roughly the same markets as the current electric Smart Fortwo. That means that you'll easily be able to get one in California and other plug-in friendly states. You will also be able to order one anywhere that you can get a standard Smart. In other words, steady as she goes. In other possible news, the electric vehicle may get three new colors for the Tridion steel safety shell: Stop Light Red, Titania Grey Matte, and Lava Orange Metallic. These colors will be available on the gas-powered Smarts first, with the Lava Orange already reserved for a special edition. Smart's assistant product manager, Keith Edwards, told AutoblogGreen that was still to be determined if the ED will get the variety of colors available or if it will get a unified look like the green-white of the previous version. Edwards said that the ED will launch in Europe at roughly the same time as it does in the US. This is because all of the EDs are made at the same plant and, since it's done making the previous model, the new ones will be rolling off the line at some point. Either in late 2016 or early 2017. Featured Gallery 2016 Smart Fortwo Cabriolet View 30 Photos Green Detroit Auto Show smart Electric exclusive smart car smart ed