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Smart ForTwo owner misses point, swaps in big block V8

He's not actually a Smart ForTwo owner - he's a guy who built a custom chassis with a Chevrolet big block at the front that can fit a ForTwo body. And yes, there's almost nothing under that diminutive skin except a tube frame, an engine and a seat - the driver's helmet can't be more than a few hairs away from the back glass.
YouTube user Keith Pufahl shot video of white lightning at No Limit Raceway in Morocco, Indiana. In the video comments Pufahl says the builder is still dialing it in so he didn't set any records, but neverminding the run, did we mention there's a Smart ForTwo with a Chevy big block in the video below?

New Smart ForTwo ED charges faster and goes quicker

Two years after the reveal of the redesigned ForTwo, Smart has unveiled its electrified sibling in European guise. The ForTwo Electric Drive (ED) will once again be available here in coupe and convertible variants, and it does offer some improvements over the previous one. Smart also introduced an electric ForFour for the first time as well, but like its gasoline counterpart, it won't come here. The biggest improvement the new ForTwo ED has over its predecessor, besides the better looks and chassis, is a much faster charging time. The car now uses a system that allows for a full charge from a 240 volt household charger in just two and a half hours. The previous model took roughly six hours to do the same thing. The car itself is a smidge faster as well. The rear-mounted motor now produces 80 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque compared with the 74 horsepower and 96 lb-ft of the outgoing car. On paper, it is ever so slightly quicker with a claimed 0-60 time of 11.4 seconds for the coupe, which is one tenth quicker than the old coupe. The top speed is also up by 3 mph. View 12 Photos As for the all-important matter of range, Smart gave a rating of 99 miles on the European test cycle. Compared with the previous version's approximately 90 mile range, it has a 10-percent improvement. On the US test cycle, the old ForTwo ED has a range of 76 miles. So we can expect a range of about 83 miles assuming the 10-percent increase carries over to our test cycle. The new ForTwo ED also brings along other features from its predecessors. Once again, it will be available with exclusive Electric Green safety cell and mirror cap accents. Take note, however, that the Brabus appearance parts on the cabriolet pictured here are only available in Europe. The car will also be compatible with the Smart Control app. Not all of the features for the app have been finalized for the US yet, but, in its current iteration, it allows owners to find places to charge, monitor charging and adjust charging and climate control settings from a computer or phone. The climate control features allow the driver to set a departure time and temperature, and the car will adjust the cabin while plugged in instead of using precious battery power. The charging settings offer the option to let the car adjust charging based on peak usage, which could lead to a longer charge, but one that doesn't cost as much. One thing we don't know about the ForTwo ED is price, which Smart did not reveal.

Smart Forjoy bounds in ahead of Frankfurt

Smart has revealed its newest concept car, the jovial, four-seater Forjoy. The "joy" part of that sobriquet is rather obvious ­- with the doorless, roofless, rear-glass-free concept looking like a beach-wagon full of fun ­- but it's the four seats that might prove most prescient as far as Smart's future plans are concerned.
The German small-car maker goes as far as to call the Forjoy "the forerunner of a new smart generation" in its press release, saying that the concept car's proportions portend a lot about the appearance of a four-seat production car. That upcoming Forfour (most likely) should get an official launch at the end of 2014.
Of course, while there might be some production-car cues hiding in this wispy, white and pearlescent concept buggy, the detailing of it can be safely categorized as "concept car only." Polished bits of milled aluminum brightwork are shiny flights of fancy, as is the modern minimalist furniture that ornaments the airy cabin.