The New smart fortwo cabrio: Summer in the City
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STUTTGART -- August 28, 2015:
The countdown has started
for the new fortwo cabrio, a particularly iconic variant of the new model
series. The open-top two-seater will have its world premiere in September
at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The new
smart cabrio will be available for ordering from mid-November and the first
models will reach dealers in February 2016.
Three cars in
one: at the touch of a button the new smart cabrio is transformed from a
closed two-seater into a car with a large sliding canvas sunroof, or a
fully fledged cabriolet with the soft top completely open. This enables the
fresh air driving experience to be adapted to the weather or the driver's
mood. This flexibility offered by the "tritop" folding soft top and the
removable roof bars is a special feature – and not just in this
segment. At the same time, the new smart cabrio is the only true cabriolet
in its vehicle class.
"Our new smart
cabrio really exudes joie de vivre in the city – which is what our
brand stands for", says Dr Annette Winkler, Head of smart. "I am sure that
we will delight our present 220,000 cabrio customers and win lots of new
fans with this successful lifestyle icon."
The new smart cabrio (length/width/height: 2.69/1.66/1.55
m) is clearly recognisable as a member of the new smart generation. The
third model also embodies the smart design philosophy of FUN.ctional
design, defined by two poles - the heart and mind. The design idiom is
clear, purist and very progressive. This includes the typical silhouette
with ultra-short overhangs, the clear lines, shapes and surfaces and, of
course, the tridion safety cell. With the grille in a fading honeycomb
design and the rhombic headlamps, the face is unmistakably smart. The
B-pillar is narrower than on the closed variant and the styling of the
tridion safety cell is more progressive, giving the smart fortwo cabrio an
even sportier and more forward-focused look.
Prospective customers can choose between three different
colours for the "tritop" fabric soft top: blue denim
(jeans look), red or black. The headlining is always grey. The removable
roof bars that can be stowed in a compartment in the tailgate come in the
tridion colour.
Soft top: opens
within twelve seconds
When the sun peeps out from behind the clouds, smart fortwo
cabrio drivers can react quickly: the fabric soft top can be opened fully
automatically in twelve seconds – even when driving at top speed.
With the 3-button key the soft top can also be opened from outside the car
by remote control.
Removing the side roof
bars enables a full-blown cabrio experience. The roof bars can be stowed on
the inside of the tailgate. This stowage compartment in the tailgate also
offers additional stowage space for small items, for example fluorescent
jacket, first-aid kit or warning triangle.
With an area of 1.8 m2 the "tritop" fabric soft
top is approximately four percent larger than its predecessor. The outer
covering is made of a particularly lightfast polyacrylic fabric and the
inside features a polyester/cotton mix. There is a rubber layer in the
middle. The soft top has a total thickness of 20 mm. The rear windscreen is
heated and is made of glass.
Safety: occupant protection space validated in
roof-drop test
The new smart fortwo cabrio is the most rigid smart cabrio
ever. The torsional strength has been improved by around 15 percent
compared with the predecessor. The material mix comprises a high proportion
of ultra-high strength hot-formed steels and maximum-strength multiphase
steels.
In addition, the cabrio has been
specifically reinforced in decisive places in comparison to the coupé. The
modifications include a large steel cross under the vehicle, two torsional
bulkheads under the vehicle at the front and rear and an inner tube in the
A-pillars made of high strength hot-formed steel.
As well as meeting the requirements of mandatory crash
tests, the new smart fortwo cabrio – with a safety concept that
includes the tridion safety cell typical of the brand for efficient energy
absorption – also passes additional Mercedes-Benz crash tests that
often have much stricter requirements. This includes the "roof-drop" test.
Here the body falls at a slight angle from a height of 50 centimetres onto
the roof structure and the vehicle hits one of the two
A-pillars.
Advanced assistance systems
which were previously the reserve of higher classes of vehicle help to
prevent accidents. These include the latest-generation ESP® with
Crosswind Assist and hill start assist (standard), forward collision
warning (option) and Lane Keeping Assist (option).
Model versions: two engines, two transmissions,
three lines
The
new cabrio will initially be available with two state-of-the-art
three-cylinder engines rated at 52 kW/71 hp and 66
kW/90 hp. Both engines can be combined with the five-speed manual
transmission or the fully automatic twinamic dual clutch transmission.
Needless to say, the smart fortwo cabrio has the agility typical of the
brand – at 6.95 m (from kerb to kerb) and 7.30 m (from wall
to wall) turning manoeuvres are extremely simple.
In addition to the three lines passion, prime and proxy,
customers can choose from a large range of safety and comfort features
– including the new features added in the latest facelift such as
smartphone integration with MirrorLink®
(standard in combination with the smart Media-System) or the Urban Style
package (including black wheel arch linings and lowering kit). The
high-quality and charming interior of the smart fortwo cabrio corresponds
to that of the closed variant with standard features including two sun
visors with make-up mirrors, a centre console with drawer and coat hooks at
the rear on the crossbar. A wind deflector is optionally available. The
interior styling is sure to delight and is characterised by a "dynamic
loop" as a signature feature throughout the interior - emotional sweeping
lines which feature on the dashboard and doors, for example.
The new models at a glance:
smart fortwo
cabrio |
52 kW |
66 kW |
Number of
cylinders/arrangement | 3/R | 3/R |
Displacement (cc) |
999 | 898 |
Rated output (kW/hp) | 52/71 | 66/90 |
at rpm | 6000 | 5500 (6200) |
Rated torque
(Nm) | 91 | 135 |
at rpm | 2850 | 2500 |
Combined fuel consumption (l/100 km) | 4,3 (4,3) | 4.3 (4.2) |
Combined CO2
emissions (g/km) | 99 (99) | 99 (97) |
Efficiency class | C (B) | B (B) |
Acceleration 0-100 km/h
(s) | 14.9
(15.5) | 10.8
(11.7) |
Maximum speed (km/h) | 151 (151) | 155
(155) |
Figures
for vehicles with twinamic in brackets.
Endurance
testing: extensive testing in laboratories and on the
road
The testing programme for
open-top vehicles from Mercedes-Benz Cars is extensive – and
identical for all models: The new smart fortwo cabrio was therefore
subjected to the same rigorous tests as, for example, the S-Class Cabriolet
from Mercedes-Benz. For example, in an endurance test the opening and
closing of the soft top was simulated over the whole vehicle life cycle. As
well as this component test, which comprises 20,000 cycles, the soft top
and the soft top mechanism must also prove themselves in the climatic
chamber. Because perfect functioning must also be ensured at temperatures
between –15 and +80 degrees centigrade. In addition, an "abuse test"
is performed at – 40 degrees centigrade with a completely iced roof:
in this case overload protection protects the motor of the soft top
drive.
The car wash test ensures that
smart cabrio passengers always stay dry. At 500 cycles, the requirements
correspond to those for the coupé. In addition to this testing in the
development phase, every single smart cabrio is also tested for
leak-proofness: at the end of the production at the Hambach plant every
vehicle is sprinkled with a standardised amount of water for seven
minutes.
The developers tested the
maintenance of a draught-free interior in the Mercedes-Benz wind tunnel
with the help of the dummy "Tanja". She is fitted with a total of 16 speed
sensors on her neck and arms which allow the flow speeds of the wind in the
interior to be measured.
In addition,
there is extensive overall vehicle testing on testing grounds and roads of
different quality around the world.
smart cabrio: a car with cult character for 15
years
At the International Motor
Show in Frankfurt in 1999 smart surprised the world public with a number of
new model studies. A cabrio version was presented that was based on the
smart city-coupé. This model opened a whole new dimension to the "closed"
micro car community by opening up the roof. The smart cabrio
offers pure joie de vivre. From the spring of 2000 the world's
smallest production cabriolet rolled off the production line and onto
European roads. Since the first model change in 2006 the soft top has been
fully automatic. For the third generation available from 2010 new soft top
colours in red and blue expanded the range of colours.
But this is not the only model i ving experience. A special
vehicle variant that was launched on the market in 2002 offered a true open
sky feeling: the smart crossblade. It had no doors, no
roof and no windscreen. Its drivers were able drive through the countryside
under open skies with the wind in their face for an incomparable driving
experience. A narrow, tinted wind deflector was all that was stretched
across the cockpit area to reduce the headwind. A year later smart decided
to introduce a small series of the vehicle onto the market.