Order stop at the end of April
Unfortunately, it was foreseeable, but it's still a pity when the time has come: The current generation smartEQfortwo is coming to an end. The small city runabout will soon no longer be available to order and production will then cease in mid-2024. The production of the forfour has already stoped at the beginning of 2022.
In the meantime, smart has been newly established and built up as a joint venture. The brand's first vehicle will be the smart #1 with a realistic range of 370 km. An SUV with 5 seats and up to 315 kW (428 hp). You can find out more about him in my review. With the founding and structuring of the new smart company, the fortwo and forfour where passed into the hands of Mercedes in 2019. Unfortunately, the smart was never liked there and they practically see it as a abandoned project. At the end there is not even a dignified special edition, a press release or anything else. Just silence and a halfhearted response to my press inquiry.
smartEQ fortwo "final EDITION"
The German dealers have decided to design a special edition on their own initiative, and there are also two of them on display in Munich. This unofficial special edition is limited to 150 vehicles and is available as both a convertible and a coupé. The vehicles are the fortwo in the Prime line with an Exclusive package and fully loaded. the convertible costs € 31,740.49 and the coupe € 28,695.49. (before deduction of premiums)
What is special about these vehicles is only a subsequently applied sticker on the mirror triangle and an altered shift knob.
According to information from several dealers throughout Germany, what speaks for the vehicles is that they are immediately available. A tragedy. Nobody buys a special edition because it is an immediately available vehicle. But because they are beautifully designed and have a special occasion.
The so-called "final EDITION" have no special color, no special rims, no add-on parts, no special interior, no beautiful floor mats and no special features. As commendable as the efforts of the dealers are to grant the smartEQfortwo a dignified exit, this is more embarrassing than not making an edition. You could at least have stocked and attached components from the smart BRABUS GmbH. I thought that's why they had already started planning these vehicles in the summer of 2022?
The price also shows that they are no special vehicles. This corresponds to regular vehicles with this equipment. In addition, it is also stored in the Daimler system for the chassis numbers that there are no special editions. (“PXX No Ltd. Edition/No Special Edition”)
Italy much more affectionate
After the German market, the Italian market in particular has always been a big fan of microcars. It doesn't matter whether it's a Fiat 500 or a smart fortwo, small vehicles also enjoy a lot of recognition there. It is therefore not surprising that the dealers there have made a lot more effort and are offering 250 fortwos in a special finish. Still not a special edition, but definitely nicer than what we get here. This matt version of charming red is called racing red. 200 of the vehicles come with a 22 kW charger (€30,695.80) and the remaining 50 vehicles come with the 4.6 kW charger (€30,195.80) and otherwise fully equipped.
They even went to the trouble of holding a press event in Italy, there is information online on the Mercedes site and pictures can also be found. Many thanks to the reader who brought this to my attention.
In addition, the mattrunner, limited to 200 vehicles, will be available in Italy at the end of May in matt silver Gemenbar on BRABUS rims. From April 200 in racingrey, also on BRABUS rims in asphalt gray and from the beginning of 2023 150 in racingold, a matt gold beige variant.
The future of the fortwo
There will be a successor, the fortwo is not dead. People at the smart company keep emphasizing that and there will definitely be one. The relevant people were taken over from the old smart company in the joint venture with Geely. But a new fortwo will have a hard time. Safety requirements favor SUVs and make small cars more and more expensive. I have already discussed here what a future fortwo could look like.
Another hurdle will be that the current #1 platform does not support microcars. A new platform is needed. Personally, I could well imagine a cooperation with Volkswagen and technology from the upcoming ID2. But such a cooperation is pure wishful thinking on my part. In any case, the new fortwo must then also be introduced into the #-family. I still suggest #1/2 would be an awesome name.
However, there will initially be a dry spell between the current and the future fortwo. From 2022 to 2024, smart will present a new model every year and a fortwo is not yet planned. But a hatchback variant, the smart #3. A new fortwo cannot be expected until 2025 at the earliest.
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