Fashion designer Jeremy Scott gives Smart Fortwo Electric some wing bling [w/video]

Thu, 29 Nov 2012

If you were to gaze upon the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive and ponder what you might add to sort of, you know, set it off a bit, you probably wouldn't consider adding a pair of wings. That's because you are not Jeremy Scott. He, on the other hand, would do exactly that. And has.

That's right, that winged wonder you see pictured above is not some sort of Redbull-induced hallucination. Rather, it is the result of a creative collaboration between Mercedes-Benz Cars Advanced Design Studios and the aforementioned famed fashion designer called, appropriately enough, the Smart ForJeremy. And, it has just made its debut at the LA Auto Show.

Besides the faux-feather flourishes that light up when the brakes are applied, the outward appearance of this 2013 limited special edition is tarted up with a custom set of propeller-inspired wheels with just enough shiny to balance the chromed finish of its tridion shell, mirrors and, um, "eyebrows."

Likewise, the interior is not exactly a study in subtlety. An aeronautical art deco theme is in full effect within the confines of the white, nappa-leather-swathed cabin, with its yoke-like steering wheel serving as the dominating focal point. If that's not enough to remind that you are in a road-going flight of fancy, it also boasts custom four-point seat belts and enough chrome trimmings scattered about to require sunglasses for safe piloting.

While we can't say exactly what kind of flap it will cause in showrooms – we estimate a price tag ranging somewhere from "Are you freaking kidding me?" to just north of "Would you have any Grey Poupon?" – we don't expect more than a very small flock to be offered for sale.

Scroll down below for all the available details in the official press release, along with video including footage of the Smart ForJeremy on the wing. As it were.

Fashion designer Jeremy Scott designs smart fortwo electric drive
Jeremy Scott gives smart wings

Los Angeles/Stuttgart – An electrifying encounter between the internationally renowned fashion designer Jeremy Scott and the smart fortwo electric drive has produced a fascinating smart fortwo. An electric car, ready for lift-off into a new era of mobility – full of lightness and joie de vivre. The unique smart forjeremy has wings – a familiar trademark of the American star designer. The wings light up like igniting rockets to form avant-garde rear lights. The smart forjeremy showcar, which will be launched next year as a limited special edition, was unveiled on the eve of the LA Auto Show at Jim Henson Studios in Los Angeles, with music provided by the artist M.I.A..

"We were totally enthusiastic about the first sketches that Jeremy presented to us", said Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart, during the world premiere. "Both smart and the wings represent a bit of freedom on the crowded streets of major cities. In their respective disciplines, both the fashion designer Jeremy Scott and the smart brand are pioneering trendsetters, venturing into uncharted territories and challenging the status quo."

Wings – the symbol for carefree driving fun

True to form, the cooperation itself was out of the ordinary, smart being the first car brand to permit a fashion designer to make changes to the vehicle's body. As Head of Mercedes-Benz and smart design Gorden Wagener explains: "Cooperations with fashion designers are normally limited to selecting interior materials and interior and exterior colour schemes. With Jeremy Scott, however, we wanted to go one step further and integrated the typical wings as a central design element in the vehicle body. This was quite a challenge, because it was not just a case of creating a showcar, but rather of creating a near-series study with the potential for licensing it for road use in the future."

Wings are one of the recurring design elements used by Jeremy Scott to great effect. Be it sweatshirts, sunglasses or sneakers, winged motifs crop up again and again in his collections. "For me, wings mean freedom, a sense of weightlessness. Because of this, I definitely wanted to have them for the smart electric drive in order to convey the way it frees the environment of noxious emissions and symbolises the new lightness of mobility", explains Jeremy Scott, who, in addition to his fashion collections, also creates unique costumes for pop stars such as Lady Gaga, Madonna, Katy Perry and Rihanna.

smart forjeremy – an electrifying love story

Within eight months, Jeremy Scott had developed the smart forjeremy together with designers of the "smart Design Division" at the Mercedes-Benz Cars Advanced Design Studios in Carlsbad, California. Gorden Wagener says: "Working with Jeremy was fantastic – he is a veritable fireball of creativity". With the typical stylish design of the smart fortwo to inspire him, the international fashion giant came up with a whole host of visionary ideas.

All of which results in an avant-garde and futuristic smart with loving details based on the overriding wing theme. The smart forjeremy is painted in bright white, against which the chrome-plated tridion cell glistens like a jewel. On either side of the vehicle is a wing made of transparent fibreglass and decorated with rocket-shaped elements that light up red, serving as rear and brake lights. "Transparency was a very important factor for me, since it represents lightness and space", explains the designer.

The vehicle's dynamic, self-assured look is further enhanced by means of wider rear tyres and wider rear wheel arches. The wheel rims are shaped like aeroplane propellers, giving the impression that the electric smart might take off at any minute. With the elegantly curved "eyebrows" above its front headlights, the smart forjeremy conveys both untamed curiosity and unbridled joy. Complementing the tridion cell, the eyebrows are bright chromium plated, as are the top half of the mirror caps and the frame around the radiator grille.

Luxurious interior – a dream in white

The exclusive and elegant marriage of white and glistening chrome accents is continued in the interior of the vehicle, creating an undeniably luxurious look. Together with interior designers of the "smart Design Division" in Sindelfingen, Jeremy Scott chose fine white nappa leather for the instrument panel, seats and door trim. Whilst the instrument panel features minimalist seams, the seat insert areas and the centre panels in the doors boast extravagant diamond stitching. The gleaming chrome surfaces of the main door trim and typical smart elements such as the closing handles, the side boomerangs of the instrument panel and the characteristic rings on the dashboard instruments form an elegant contrast to the matt white.

Shaped like a jet engine, the bright chromium plated side air inlets complete the wing theme on the exterior. The white steering wheel with two chrome spokes is open at the top, further enhancing the sporty, sweeping impression of lightness.

"We will also launch a limited special edition of the smart forjeremy in 2013", Winkler said. "And I really look forward to cruising the city in this item of haute couture."

Exciting and stylish driving fun – without any emissions

The smart forjeremy is based on the current production version of the smart fortwo electric drive. With its 55 kW electric motor the smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 - 60 km/h in 4.8 seconds, and with a maximum speed of 125 km/h driving pleasure is also guaranteed on urban motorways. The 17.6 kWh lithium-ion battery enables the urban two-seater to travel approximately 145 kilometres in city traffic without producing any local emissions.

Further information from smart is available on the internet:
www.media.daimler.com and www.smart.com

By Domenick Yoney