In recent years, Smart has drifted far from its city-car roots. Ever since its 50:50 joint venture with Geely and Mercedes-Benz, the brand’s lineup has expanded into SUV territory. The Smart Concept #2, however, signals a return to the cute, compact cars it was once known for.
Designed by Mercedes-Benz, the Smart Concept #2 pays homage to the original Smart Fortwo from 1999. Its compact proportions, short wheelbase and upright stance all echo the classic city car.
At the front, the grille features a textured graphic, almost like textile patterns from French luxury brands, flanked by sporty-looking side vents filled with LED pixels. They may look like air intakes, but doubles up as fog lighting. The headlights retain the bubbly look of its predecessors, now with a more modern edge seen on Smart’s latest models.
Down the sides, bulbous wheel arches give the car a more planted stance, picking up where the Smart Fortwo left off in 2024. It also rides on oversized wheels, adding to its concept-car drama. A small tag on the door even notes it was designed by Mercedes-Benz — almost like the label on a t-shirt.
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Around the back, the number plate (though not shown here) will now sit on the lower bumper, leaving a cleaner, almost staring, rear face. Slim chrome side skirts run along the bottom, adding a touch of intricacy and a slightly more premium feel.
At just 2.79 metres long, it remains firmly in microcar territory just like its predecessors — slightly larger than the final-generation Fortwo, which measured at 2.69 metres. Smart also claims a very tight turning circle, reinforcing its focus on urban usability, just like its predecessor.
The Concept #2 rides on what Smart calls its Electric Compact Architecture (ECA). While full details are still under wraps, the brand claims up to 300 km of range (roughly double that of the Smart EQ Fortwo) along with 10–80% charging in under 20 minutes. It also supports vehicle-to-load (V2L), allowing it to power external devices on the go.
More details regarding its powertrain and interior will be revealed when the production model debuts this October in Paris. For context, the original Smart Fortwo started life with a tiny 600cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing around 50 hp. Later versions gained more power — and eventually went fully electric in EQ form, delivering up to 82 hp via a rear-mounted motor.
The Smart #2 is set to debut in Europe first, where it will go up against other compact EV hatchbacks like the Renault 5, Peugeot e-208, Fiat 500e and BYD Dolphin Surf (known as Seagull in our regions). Whether it will make its way to our market remains to be seen, but it would certainly make for a quirkier alternative to the Proton eMAS 5 (stylised as e.MAS 5).
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