L.A. Auto Show: Smart Fortwo gets in tune
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Not content with wooing young urban hipsters and middle-aged empty nesters, Smart Fortwo is now going after the tuner crowd. Make that the eco-tuner crowd.
The Smart’s U.S. distributor, a subsidiary of Penske Automotive Group, unveiled a tuned version of the popular two-seater today at the L.A. Auto Show tricked out by Brabus design shop. Brabus is known for its up-gunned versions of various Mercedes models. (Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler also owns Smart.)
The tuner version of the Smart features the usual accessories for the fast-and-furious crowd: 15- and 17-inch alloy wheels, sport suspension and exhaust system (including chromed tailpipes), front and rear skirts and a roof spoiler.
Low-rider touches notwithstanding, Smart USA President David Schembri spent much of his time talking up the car’s green pedigree. It features the same compact three-cylinder, 70-horsepower engine that ‘powers’ the original version of the car, which means it also delivers the same EPA fuel economy of 41 mpg on the highway. You only need one hand to count the number of vehicles widely available in the U.S. that can top that.
Some of that economic advantage goes out the window by way of the sticker, however. The Brabus coupe starts at $17,990 (not including destination charges), and the convertible starts at $20,990. That contrasts with $13,990 and $16,990 for the comparable versions of the Smart Fortwo.
The Brabus car, which will be available in the U.S. next year, comes in two colors –- silver and black (which might appeal to Raiders fans, if there are any left) -- and will be offered first to consumers already on the reservation list for an untuned Smart.
Executives for the automaker said demand for the tiny vehicle remained strong despite the sharp drop in gasoline prices and the precipitous decline in auto sales worldwide.
Sales increased 30% in October compared with September (year-over-year results aren’t available because the car has been sold in the U.S. just since January), and dealers currently have an eight- to 10-day supply of the cars, Schembri said. Even the Toyota Prius has seen its so-called days-to-turn rate climb to more than 20 days.
Daimler is road-testing a number of battery-powered versions of the Fortwo in London, but Schembri said there was no timetable for when the electric vehicles might be available in the States.
-- Martin Zimmerman