2014 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Coupe Passion Ev on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Smart Fortwo gets Twinamic dual-clutch transmission

When we drove the new Smart Fortwo and Forfour back in November, Daimler was still working out the kinks in its dual-clutch transmission. But a few months later, the German automaker has apparently finished tinkering with the automatic, and now Smart is introducing it as an option on the new Fortwo in its home market. The six-speed DCT - dubbed "Twinamic" - is being rolled out initially on the 71-horsepower version of the 1.0-liter naturally aspirated inline-three, netting a 0-62 time of 15.1 seconds. That's slow, but it's a solid 0.8 seconds quicker off the line than the same engine with the six-speed manual. Top speed (not exactly a city car's forte) remains pegged at 94 miles per hour. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures remain virtually unchanged, quoted at the same 4.1 liters per 100 kilometers (57 mpg converted from the more lenient European cycle) and a slightly worse 94 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer (instead of 93 with the manual). The first Fortwos with the DCT are slated to be delivered in March, available on the base model for an extra 1275 euros, tax-in (equivalent to $1,500 at today's rates) or 1000 euros ($1160) on the Passion, Prime and Proxy trim levels. Shifting is actuated automatically or can be controlled by the gear selector, but opt for the Sport package and you'll get shift paddles as well. Either way, it promises to deliver a much smoother experience than the widely lambasted robotized gearbox on the outgoing model. We suspect North American buyers will get this transmission at some point, but thus far, it remains unconfirmed. We've reached out to Daimler officials and will update this story if we hear more. smart fortwo now available for ordering with twinamic dual clutch transmission: Hands-on or automatic gear shifting As the first model of the new smart generation, the smart fortwo rated at 52 kW/71 hp is now available for ordering with the twinamic dual clutch transmission. This enables gear shifting to be carried out either fully automatically or manually. Manual shifting is possible using the selector lever in a separate gate or by means of the shift paddles included in the Sports package. The additional charge for the twinamic in Germany in the standard version is 1275 euros (RRP, incl. 19% VAT); in combination with the passion, prime and proxy lines 1000 euros (RRP, incl. 19% VAT). The dual clutch transmission is available in combination with the passion, prime and proxy equipment lines.

Next-gen Smart ForTwo, ForFour will be even smaller

As expected, the new four-seat vehicle that Daimler AG's Smart division is will start selling later this year will still be pretty darn short. Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche, speaking at the Mercedes-Benz parent company's annual press conference, disclosed a few details about both the next-generation Smart ForTwo and the new Smart ForFour, according to World Car Fans. The next-generation ForTwo will shrink by about six inches. The ForFour, which the German automaker should unveil this summer before starting sales in Europe by the end of the year, will be tidy 3.5 meters (137.8 inches) long. That's about nine inches shorter than the standard-issue Mini Cooper (we're not even going to compare it to the Clubman) and almost two inches shorter than the Fiat 500. It's also shorter than the original ForFour, which Smart sold from 2004-2006 and was 147.7 inches long. Additionally, Zetsche said the next-generation ForTwo will shrink by about six inches from the current version to a comically short 105.5 inches long. Smart's US sales were just south of the 10,000-unit mark for 2013 (9,264, to be exact), and Smart chief Annette Winkler said last month Daimler was unlikely to sell the Smart ForFour in the US because of domestic automotive regulations and the additional investment it'd take to bring the model stateside. Last February, a new Smart ForFour prototype was spotted being tested in the cold-weather climes of Sweden. Featured Gallery Smart Fourjoy Concept View 11 Photos News Source: World Car FansImage Credit: Smart Green smart smart forfour fortwo

Smart to discontinue sales in U.S., Canada

UPDATE: A Mercedes-Benz Spokesperson responded to Autoblog with the following statement: "After much careful consideration, smart will discontinue its battery-electric smart EQ fortwo model in the U.S. and Canadian markets at the conclusion of MY2019. A number of factors, including a declining micro-car market in the U.S. and Canada, combined with high homologation costs for a low volume model are central to this decision. "Mercedes-Benz will carry forward its electric strategy in the U.S. and Canada with the arrival of the new EQC in 2020. MBUSA and Mercedes-Benz Canada will continue to provide owners of gasoline powered and electric smart fortwo models with access to service and replacement parts via smart and authorized Mercedes-Benz dealers." The original post follows: Smart, the Daimler brand responsible for those little city cars you see all over the place in European cities, but rarely in American suburbs, has been on an interesting ride in recent years. A couple of years ago, the Smart went electric-only in the U.S. and Canada, where small car sales are waning and EV sales have yet to take off — though it continues to sell internal combustion versions in other markets. Most recently, we heard rumors of a possible demise of the brand before Daimler confirmed that Smart would live on through a joint venture with Geely, and that the next generation will be built in China. Now, as TechCrunch reports, Daimler plans to stop selling the smart brand in the U.S. and Canada after the 2019 model year. Autoblog has reached out to Daimler for confirmation, and will update this story when we hear back. According to TechCrunch, a spokesperson told the outlet, "After much careful consideration, smart will discontinue its battery-electric smart EQ Fortwo model in the U.S. and Canadian markets at the conclusion of MY2019. A number of factors, including a declining micro-car market in the U.S. and Canada, combined with high homologation costs for a low volume model, are central to this decision." The report states that Daimler will continue to support current Smart owners in the U.S. and Canada for both gas and electric markets through their Mercedes-Benz dealerships, which will provide service and parts. According to sales tracking site GoodCarBadCar, sales of the Smart Fortwo in the U.S. have dropped from 6,211 units in 2016 to 1,154 units in 2018. It reports just 231 sales in the first quarter of 2019.