Smart Forfour

Smart Forfour
Overview
Manufacturer	Smart (Daimler AG)
Production	2004–2006
Assembly	Born, Netherlands (NedCar)
Body and chassis
Class	Supermini
Body style	5-door hatchback
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Mitsubishi Colt
Powertrain
Engine	1.1 L I3 12-valve (petrol)[1] 1.3 L I4 16-valve (petrol) 1.5 L I4 16-valve (petrol) 1.5 L I3 Cdi (diesel)
Transmission	5-speed manual 6-speed semi-automatic (Softtouch)[2]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,500 mm (98.4 in)
Length	3,752 mm (147.7 in)
Width	1,684 mm (66.3 in)
Height	1,450 mm (57.1 in)

The Smart Forfour is a supermini car produced by the Smart division of the German manufactuer Daimler AG, between April 2004 and June 2006 and available only in Europe. Unlike the other models of the marque, the Forfour was a more conventional five-door hatchback with a relatively roomy interior, available as a four/five-seater.

First Generation

smart forfour BRABUS (2005-)

Smart Forfour Brabus

It is a version of smart forfour with a turbocharged Mitsubishi 4G15 engine rated 130 kW (177 PS; 174 hp), 27 PS (20 kW; 27 hp) more than the Mitsubishi Colt CZT. The Brabus Forfour requires higher than standard octane fuel to develop full power. It can reach a maximum speed of 221 km/h (137 mph) and accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.9 seconds. The Forfour was to be sold in the United States along with the revived Smart Formore vehicle.^[3] However, due to slow sales, the Forfour has been phased out from production.^[4]

Engines^[5]

The 1.5 L (92 cu in) common direct injection (cdi) diesel engine, is a three-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine derived from the four-cylinder used in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, and is available with either 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp) or 95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp).

Transmissions

Production

The car was produced at the NedCar factory in the Netherlands in conjunction with Mitsubishi Motors. This is the same factory that produced Volvo 300 cars in the 1970s and 1980s and the Volvo V40s in the 1990s. To save production costs, the Smart Forfour shared almost all of its components with the 2003 Mitsubishi Colt. This includes the chassis, suspension and a new generation of MIVEC petrol engines, ranging from the three cylinder 1.1 L (67 cu in) to the four cylinder with power up to 80 kW (109 PS; 107 hp).

Marketing

The sales brochures state that the interior "is designed around the concept of a lounge"; to test this, Top Gear presenters spent 24 hours inside the Forfour. They said they would not buy the car due to its high price and poor driving dynamics compared to its rivals.

Following Smart's initial success for the fortwo in the US, and due to a surprisingly high popularity in the Forfour, former Mercedes-Benz exec Rainer Schmückle revealed that officials were considering relaunching the car.^[6]

Expected second generation

Initiated by Penske Automotive Group Inc. (the company previously holding the rights to market and distribute smarts in the USA), and due to perceived customer demand, a second generation Forfour was set to begin production in 2012. It was going to be based on the latest generation of the Nissan Micra due to a joint venture between Daimler AG and Renault-Nissan in 2010. The 2012 model would have been available only to the USA as a stop-gap to a possible true second generation Forfour rumoured to be coming in 2014–2015. However, after Daimler AG cancelled its agreement with Penske, thus assuming direct control over the Smart brand and its dealerships in the USA, the Micra-based Forfour was formally cancelled and will now not be built.

New Smart Fortwo and Forfour models built on a Renault base, rather than the Mitsubishi, are scheduled for 2013–2014.^[7]

smart fourjoy concept (2013)

smart fourjoy concept includes Smart's signature tridion cell in polished full-aluminium, tail lights integrated in the tridion cell, spherical instrument cluster, raised smart lettering milled from aluminium on the side skirts, pearlescent white on the bumpers, front bonnet and tailgate; headlamps without a glass cover, U-shaped daytime running lights, LED front and tail lights, transparent petroleum-coloured moulded wind deflector at the top of the front windscreen, on the A-pillars on the sides and on the rear roof spoiler; rear dark chrome seats, a piping-like line with the same petroleum colour as the plexiglass accents on the exterior, instrument panel with convex surface and touch-sensitive operating functions, spherical instrument cluster, single-spoke steering wheel, two smartphones mounted on the dashboard and on the centre tunnel, 55 kW magneto-electric motor, 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery, 22 kW on-board charger, two electrically driven skateboards on the roof, helmets under the rear seats, a high-definition camera.

The vehicle was unveiled in 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show (without doors and roof).^[8][9]

Electric version

A Smart Forfour has been converted into a plug-in hybrid by Lithium Technology Corporation^[10] and Zytek Systems. The lithium-ion battery can propel the vehicle up to 84 mph (135 km/h) and last on its own for up to 20 miles (32 km). The engine is a combination of a 68 hp (51 kW; 69 PS), 1.5 L (92 cu in), three-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine and two high-efficiency permanent-magnet electric motors. It received an award from the Energy Saving Trust for the “Ultra Low Carbon Car Challenge” project.^[11]

Daimler has confirmed it will produce an electric version of the Smart Forfour during the second generation of production. Production is expected in 2014, as a 2015 model year.^[12]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Smart Forfour.

• Smart Forfour technical forum