Smart ForTwo set for #2 rebirth
Cult hero micro car is set for an all-electric rebirth, just not right awayFear not, lovers of oddball autos, Smart’s third-generation ForTwo city car may be winding up its production run, but the company’s new regime is keen to restore a tiny two-seater to its line-up at some stage.
After slow sales across the first two generations, the third-gen ForTwo bypassed our market entirely, but with the Smart brand now back in Australia with a pair of all-new compact SUVs, it’s been revealed a fourth-generation two-seater may be on its way.
“We’re selling out the last ForTwo, but I think, since it’s a core product, I would be very happy to bring one again, a ForTwo,” Smart design chief Kai Sieber told carsales at the #5’s global reveal last week.
Though Smart’s new era as a 50:50 joint-venture between former parent company Mercedes-Benz and Chinese giant Geely has kicked off with the #1 and #3 small crossovers – plus the #5 later in the year – the brand has reserved a spot in its future showroom for an ultra-compact.
Those worried Smart would forget its roots and instead make a wholesale shift to more popular – and profitable – SUVs should find some reassurance that the brand isn’t walking away from its city car origins.
“Why do you think we left a place open between #1 and #3?” Sieber said.
“Our small car is known as the ForTwo, right, so it makes sense.”
However, while Smart’s top brass have confirmed another all-new model will be revealed in 2025, it’s not going to be the #2.
According to Sieber, resuscitating the tiny two-seater wouldn’t be possible using any of Smart’s current floorpans seeing as the existing Smart #1, #3 and just-revealed #5 are all built atop Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture.
The packaging of batteries, powertrains, people and cargo – while also satisfying safety requirements – becomes challenging when cars get to the scale of the ForTwo, which in its final generation measures just 2695mm long.
A new compact platform would need to come first.
“Hopefully we will have the possibility to do the #2, but to be very honest with you, it’s not decided yet,” Sieber said.
“It is something we’d like to see, that’s something we hear even from our top management.
“The ForTwo is a core product, a brand shaper, and we would like to have it happen.”
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