Smart SUV (Notizie)

[Pandino]

With 4WD

It seems Mercedes-Benz is bringing back to life plans of launching a Smart SUV/crossover.

It was the year 2005 when Mercedes-Benz played around with the idea of launching an SUV based on the Smart platform. Known as ForMore, the model never got to see the light of day but things may change in the next few years as a new report indicates the Smart lineup will be expanded with a sport utility vehicle sometime in 2016.

What we known so far is that it will come with an increased ride height, body cladding and a four-wheel drive setup (possibly optional). It will most certainly be based on the second generation of the ForTwo which is expected to go on sale in 2014, following a reveal later this year.

[Guglielmi]

a malapena riuscirono a non far ribaltare la prima, figuriamoco ora se la fanno rialzata

[Pandino]

Si vocifera di farlo sulla piattaforma della Forfour...

Can we interest anyone in the idea of a rear-engined SUV? Because that's what Daimler is reportedly considering for its Smart brand.

According to Autocar, a crossover could be the next addition to the Smart lineup. It'd be based on the same architecture as the Smart Forfour and Renault Twingo, which are built on a rear-engined platform that gives the steering rack up front more range of motion to provide the vehicle a tight turning radius.

Because the Smart and Twingo don't share much with other products in either automaker's stable, they're said to be eagerly looking for ways to make the most of their investment, and spinning off a sport-ute variant could be just the ticket.

The resulting crossover could end up a little longer than the Forfour and Twingo, owing to more rugged bumpers, but would likely pack the same three-cylinder engines (in atmospheric and turbo guises) and choice of five-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch transmissions. Whether the platform could be modified to accommodate all-wheel drive as well remains a big question mark, but we'd point out that Audi managed to squeeze its Quattro system into the A1 even though the VW Polo platform on which it was based was never designed for it.

Renault could prove eager to get in on the project as well with a version of its own, giving both automakers a worthwhile challenger to the nimble little Fiat Panda 4x4. The bigger question is whether it would ever make its way to US showrooms. Currently the smaller Fortwo is the only Smart being offered in North America, with the Forfour not earmarked for these shores – and Renault of course doesn't market here altogether.

Autoblog.com

[Ospite]

[Cosimo]

a me questa piaceva

[nucarote]

A me piaceva la forfour 1.0.. ma questo prototipo di SUV aveva solo le carreggiate, le gomme sono più da corsa.

Curioso di sapere se la cosa diverrà una sorta di Panda 4x4 o una 500X.

[Kippur]

Smart Suv?

[Guest EC2277]

[Closer]

Bitch please.