2008 Smart Fortwo by Lorinser

Daimler Group tuning specialist Lorinser has taken it upon itself to tweak the lilliputian second-generation Smart Fortwo. Lorinser’s tuning package combines power upgrades for all engines along with exterior and interior enhancements. Engine-wise, the 84 PS version of the 3-cylinder unit is uprated to 104 PS, the 71 PS to 77 PS and the 61 PS to 71 PS. -Continued after the jump

Lorinser’s body improvements include wide bumpers, side skirts, a new grille and the addition of a four chrome exhaust pipes, complemented by new alloy wheels. Inside, the Lorinser treatment attempts to offer a sporty note to the Smart Fortwo’s cabin with the addition of aluminium details.

Via: Motorpasion , Source: Lorinser

Euro NCAP: 2008 Smart Fortwo Gets Four Star Rating

Smart’s all-new 2008 Fortwo has received four out of five stars in Euro NCAP’s latest adult occupant protection rating. The miniscule two-seater also obtained a mediocre 2-star rating in pedestrian safety. Since the Smart ForTwo has no rear seats, consequently it wasn’t assessed by Euro NCAP for child protection. Comparatively, the Fortwo’s predecessor, the City Coupe had received a three out of five stars in Euro NCAP’s 2000 tests. -One more pic after the jump

What A Bully: Smart Fortwo by Cobra

We have to admit that if we ever happened to own a Smart Fortwo, equipping it with a bullbar wouldn’t be among our first priorities. Getting rid of that retched semi-automatic gearbox that makes you look like you acquired your driving license a couple of hours ago, maybe, but bullbars, no way. And if a bullbar wasn’t enough already, Cobra also offers a set of rocker panel guards with a tube diameter of 48 mm (0.2-inches) and a rear bumper guard. According to the Cobra, all accessories EU guidelines for pedestrian protection thus meaning that buyers wont have to take their vehicle in for a technical inspection with subsequent amendment of their vehicle registration papers. -Continued after the jump

Flybo EV: Chinese Electric Smart Fortwo Clone Arrives In The U.S.

Knock (off), knock (off) – who’s there? It’s one of the -God knows how many, Chinese clones of the Smart Fortwo. So what else is new? Well, this Chinese carbon-copy has landed on the U.S. shores with sales kicking off within the next few weeks. For the time being the electric powered Flybo 6000ZK will be sold exclusively by the Great Lakes Auto Sales in Saginaw, Michigan with prices starting at $9,500. The Saginaw dealership was supposed to start sales of the Chinese made mini EV this summer but licensing negotiations with the distributor of the car Wuzheng North America, held up its arrival. –Continued after the jump

The 6000ZK is a two-seater EV that’s powered by a 72V 6500W electric motor. According to Flybo, the 6000ZK can achieve a top speed of… 25 mph (40 km/h) and it runs for about 70 miles (112 km) before its batteries drop dead. When that happens you simply plug it into any ordinary household electric outlet for about 8 hours to recharge the batteries. Can’t wait to hear what Mercedes-Benz / Smart has to say about this.

Via: Treehugger , Source: Saginaw News

Frankfurt Show: Smart Fortwo Edition Micro Hybrid Drive

We read the press release once, we read it twice and then we gave up and picked up the phone; turns out that word “Hybrid” is extremely misleading –to say the least, as the Fortwo Micro Hybrid Drive (MHD) isn’t a hybrid in the Toyota Prius sense. It’s a Fortwo fitted with a Start-Stop-System that automatically shuts the engine down when the driver brakes and the vehicle's speed falls below 8 km/h. Smarty pants… -Continued after the jump

Anyway, according to Merc, the Fortwo MHD consumes 8 percent less fuel in the combined cycle, and 19 percent less fuel in urban traffic compared to the standard model while there is also a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions from 112 grams to approx. 103 grams per km. At the Frankfurt Show, Smart will launch a special edition version to mark the production start of the…hybrid model.

Based on the Pure Coupe variant with the 71 hp engine, the Edition Fortwo MHD is distinguished by the silver tridion safety cell combined with crystal white bodypanels and silver door mirror caps and radiator grille. It also come equipped with more standard features than the Pure Coupe. According to Smart, the special edition Fortwo MHD costs € 10 490 while the prices for the other models with micro hybrid drive start at € 10 350. You can go ahead and order it now, but mind you, it won’t be available before the end of October 2007.

Edition smart fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd): Less petrol, less CO2, more comfort, more equipment

smart will be launching an exclusive special model to mark the production start of the new smart fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd). Its tridion safety cell gleams in silver, the bodypanels shine in brilliant crystal white and the charming two-seater zips along on stylish nine-spoke alloy wheels. Equipped with the new start/stop function, the new model consumes 8 percent less fuel in the combined cycle, and 19 percent less fuel in urban traffic. Like the other smart fortwo micro hybrid drive models, the exclusive edition can be ordered now.

The new edition smart fortwo mhd is based on the pure coupé equipment variant with a 52 kW/71 bhp engine. Several exclusive features make the edition smart fortwo micro hybrid drive a real eye-catcher: the exclusive silver tridion safety cell combined with crystal white bodypanels give it a fascinating, fresh look. Like the tridion safety cell, the door mirror caps and the radiator grille are also finished in silver and contribute to the attractive appearance. 15 inch alloy wheels with a nine-spoke design and tyres measuring 155/65 R 15 at the front and 175/60 R 15 at the rear give the exterior a stylish finish.

Micro hybrid drive: Why use petrol when you are not driving?

The exclusive variant of the new smart fortwo micro hybrid drive (mhd) demonstrates that clever technical concepts enable smart solutions to be developed that make driving even more pleasant, comfortable and environmentally friendly. The micro hybrid drive technology now available for the smart fortwo makes this possible. When the driver brakes and the vehicle's speed falls below 8 km/h, the engine shuts down automatically without the driver having to do anything. In conjunction with the slightly modified gear ratios of the automated manual transmission, this leads to a fuel saving of 8 percent in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The standard consumption is reduced by 0.4 litres – from 4.7 litres to 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres. There is also a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions from 112 grams to approx. 103 grams per kilometre.

To achieve this, the new smart fortwo micro hybrid drive automatically shuts down the engine completely whenever it would normally be combusting fuel unnecessarily in idle position. As soon as the driver releases the brake pedal, the engine restarts automatically and the journey can continue immediately without a noticeable delay. The driver doesn't need to do anything out of the ordinary. In conjunction with the automated manual transmission that comes as standard, the new start/stop technology thus guarantees comfortable and straightforward driving with reduced fuel consumption.

At the heart of the start/stop system is a special belt-driven starter generator. This replaces and does the work of both the conventional starter and the alternator. When the engine is running, it generates electric current for the vehicle's electrical system, and when the engine needs to be started this is done smoothly in a fraction of a second.

Extensive range of standard equipment

The extensive standard equipment of the edition smart fortwo micro hybrid drive includes front airbags, seat belts with belt tensioners and belt-force limiters, safety seats with integral seat belts, esp, abs and integrated brake assist. Further standard features include H7 headlamps featuring projection technology, central locking with radio remote control, an exterior temperature indicator, comfort windscreen wipers with speed-sensitive interval wiping and indicators with lanechanger function.

A wide range of attractive options is also available to customers, for example:

Automatic gearshift programme softouch

smart radio 9 (RDS radio CD player, incl. 2 loudspeakers)

smart sound system (two tweeters, two mid-range speakers, subwoofer, smart MP3 interface)

Panoramic roof (incl. sunblind)

Air conditioning with automatic temperature control incl. dust and pollen filter

Electric windows

Glove compartment, lockable

Head/thorax side airbags

ISOFIX child seat fastener including manual airbag deactivation

The edition smart fortwo micro hybrid drive costs € 10 490 (including VAT). The prices for the other models with micro hybrid drive start at € 10 350 Euro ( including VAT ). The limited edition can be ordered now and will be available from the end of October 2007

2008 Smart Fortwo Brabus: 97Hp Versions Go On Sale

Following the 2008 Fortwo Brabus' Geneva Show premier back in March, Smart announced the European launch of it's pimped Fortwo which will be available in two body types -Coupe and Cabrio, both of which will be offered in two trims, the basic Brabus and the Brabus Exclusive. The later boasts additional standard equipment like a front spoiler with enlarged air inlets, a special rear apron and heated, leather sport seats.

Equipped with a turbocharged one litre three-cylinder engine developing 72 kW/98 bhp / 97 Hp at 5500 rpm, the Fortwo Brabus sprints from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 9.9 sec and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 155 km/h. Prices in Germany range from –hand onto something, € 16,490 to € 22,430 which translates to $22,500 to 30,600... -Press release and high-res pics after the jump

New smart fortwo BRABUS and BRABUS Xclusive: 30 percent more power than before with fuel consumption of just 5.2 litres

A combination of sportiness and exclusiveness: The BRABUS models of the new smart fortwo are ready to hit the road. With a reengineered 72 kW/98 bhp three cylinder turbo engine the smart fortwo BRABUS and the smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive continue to boast low fuel consumption of just 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres, yet they have 30 percent more power than the predecessor model. CO₂ emissions stand at 124 grams per kilometre. The sporty two-seater accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds and reaches a top speed of 155 km/h. Prices in Germany range from € 16,490 to € 22,430 (ex factory) depending on the equipment line and body type.

The sporty character of the new smart fortwo BRABUS is apparent at first glance. For example, it comes with bright-finish "Monoblock VI" alloy wheels with wide tyres measuring 175/50 R 16 at the front and 225/35 R 17 at the rear, wider rear wheel arches, a sports exhaust system with centrally positioned dual tailpipes in the specially styled rear apron and a body lowered by ten millimetres. The transmission and suspension also have a sporty setup. In the interior, cockpit instruments with specially designed dials, BRABUS stainless steel sports pedals and a new BRABUS leather steering wheel with shift paddles underline the exclusiveness of this model. The panoramic roof with sun blind is a standard feature. The new smart fortwo BRABUS is available in all colors.

The smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive lives up to its name with additional equipment details such as H7 projection headlamps with titanium coloured surrounds, a front spoiler with enlarged air inlets, striking side skirts and a special rear apron. All body styling parts are painted in the car's exterior colour. The seats are upholstered with fine leather, heated, and feature head/thorax side airbags as standard. The leather-effect instrument panel boasts aluminium-look trim components.

Both BRABUS model variants of the new smart fortwo are available as a coupé or a cabrio.

Three cylinder engine with turbo power: 72 kW/98 bhp and 140 Newton metres of torque

At the heart of the new smart fortwo BRABUS is a turbo engine with electronically controlled fuel injection that has been improved in numerous details. From capacity of one litre the three-cylinder engine now develops 72 kW/98 bhp at 5500 rpm and lends the 780 kilogram two-door car remarkable agility. The weight/power ratio is just 7.95 kg/bhp - 24 percent lower than that of the previous BRABUS version.

The turbo in-line engine develops maximum torque of 140 Newton metres at 3500 rpm. The new smart fortwo BRABUS sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 9.9 seconds and reaches an electronically limited top speed of 155 km/h.

With combined fuel consumption of just 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres the two-seater is one of the most economical cars in its size and power category. Carbon dioxide emissions stand at 124 grams per kilometre.

The prices in Germany (ex factory) of the new BRABUS models at a glance:

smart fortwo BRABUS smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive

Coupé € 16,490 € 19,490

Cabrio € 19,430 € 22,430

DaimlerChrysler Recalls 1.650 Smart Fortwo Microcars

DaimlerChrysler-soon-to-be-called-just-Daimler announced it’s recalling 1.650 units of its recently introduced 2008 Smart Fortwo due to a possible defect with the steering. In particular, DC stated that it ordered the recall after receiving reports that a locking ring was not affixed properly but noted that no accidents or injuries were reported. DaimlerChrysler spokesman Hubert Kogel said the all the cars had been recalled, repaired and were being returned to their owners. Since the second generation Fortwo went on sale in May, Smart has sold 12.200 units of its microcar.

Via: The Star

Smart Fortwo - Shelby Mustang GT500 Eleanor Replica!

What will they think of next; Fiat 500's dressed as Porsche's and Smart Fortwo's like Nicolas Cage’s 1967 Shelby GT500 Eleanor in the movie “Gone in 60 seconds”! Ok, agreed; this is more like “Circumcised in 60 seconds” but this mini would definitely score triples AAA’s in a head turner contest. Entitled Smart Eleanor GT 50% the prototype was created in 2004 by Thalondesign, a tuning company based in Stockholm, Sweden. And no, Thalondesign didn’t proceed to any mechanical alterations leaving the stock, 60Hp 0.8-liter 3cylinder turbocharged engine safe and sound in the rear deck. -Click “Read More…” below for more images along with a video

Source: Thalondesign , Via: Caradisiac

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