Smart teases all-new SUV that will reboot brand

Smart has released design sketches of an all-new MINI Countryman-sized SUV that will reinvigorate the mini-car brand when it goes on sale in 2023.

It could also herald smart's return Down Under, although nothing is confirmed at this stage.

The drawings, released overnight, are said to preview a concept that will be officially revealed in September at the Munich motor show in Germany.

Following Chinese car-maker Geely purchasing 50 per cent of smart from Daimler back in 2019, the new SUV has been designed by smart's own in-house design team under the supervision of Mercedes' chief designer Gorden Wagener.

The first images reveal how the SUV will debut a new design direction for smart, ditching the current car's cuteness for what's claimed to be a "cool, sexy and grown-up" shape.

Beneath the skin though, the unnamed smart SUV will be based on Geely's all-new SEA pure-electric architecture, with a powertrain also designed and developed by the Chinese car giant.

Inside, the smart SUV will also debut an all-new infotainment system, however there's no word on whether it will be related to Mercedes-Benz's current MBUX.

There's no official details on the SUV's range, but it's been revealed that the SEA platform can package a battery large enough to cover up to almost 700km between charges.

That said, the small smart SUV is expected to offer around 350km between top-ups.

The same underpinnings also allow for a single-, dual- or even triple-motor configuration.

Charging, meanwhile, should be class-leading thanks to its 800-volt technology.

Inside, thanks to its flat floor architecture, space should be equivalent to a petrol-powered SUV in the segment above.

Created to slot into a price bracket beneath the current Mercedes-Benz EQA, the new smart SUV is expected to boost the perceived quality of its cabin to match its price premium over other mainstream rivals.