Smart has spent the past several years rebooting its brand. Thus far, we’ve seen a flurry of all-electric SUVs, a sedan, and even a hybrid powertrain. Yet, weirdly, Smart hasn’t done anything with the car that started its whole journey, the Fortwo. Smart’s tiny city car died two years ago with no successor in sight. That changes today. Smart is showing off the concept for the upcoming Smart #2 city car for the first time, and I’m irrationally excited for the world’s coolest city car.
The original Smart Fortwo died in 2024 without fanfare. It was a sad end to the car that launched Smart in 1998. When Smart started its rebirth in 2019, it started with the #1 crossover that went on sale in 2022. Then came the #3 crossover, the #5 crossover, and then the #6 sedan? But the Fortwo? It continued to sell with its old body until 2024. Smart didn’t even keep its famous Smartville factory in Hambach, France, and sold it to Ineos. The last Fortwos weren’t built by Smart, but by Ineos under contract. Then, the Fortwo was killed off without a successor in sight. Smart was a crossover brand, now.
Winds of change came in 2025 when Smart decided that the city car market in markets like Europe and China was growing, and thus, worth taking another swing at. Eventually, Smart became committed to bringing the Fortwo back under the new company’s “Hashtag” naming scheme. Since then, Smart has been secretive about the #2, only showing the public shadows and hints, but nothing to actually look at. Today, that finally changes. After two years of waiting, Smart fans finally get to see the Fortwo’s successor, and it’s a real cutie. It’s also slightly disappointing, but we’ll get to that.
The new Smart #2 looks stunning, but also departs from its three generations of predecessors in some ways. This comes down to Smart’s bizarre recent history.
Looking Smart
Back in 2014, Smart presented the third-generation Fortwo to the world. It was supposed to right many of the perceived wrongs of the second-generation model. Indeed, the new car finally ditched the single-clutch automated-manual transmission that so many people hated. In its place was a smooth dual-clutch transmission or the option for an honest three-pedal manual; the first in the history of the Fortwo. The Fortwo also got slightly wider to accommodate people with broad shoulders and softer to deal with harsh roads. It even got a two-box design that made the Fortwo look bigger than it actually was.
The awesome part about the new Fortwo was that it was most of a Renault Twingo III, but with the rear seats removed. Smart even brought the Forfour back for people who thought two seats were too few. That one was 70 percent of a Twingo, and mostly Smart in appearance. The new Smarts were even rather quick for tiny cars, though the fuel economy was still too low for many folks here in America.
After years of trying to sell these cars and even going all-electric, Smart’s parent, Mercedes-Benz, needed help. In 2019, Geely purchased 50 percent of Smart. Production and engineering of future Smart models would move to China, one of the places that still loves Smart. Today’s Smarts have all-electric platforms by Geely and styling by Mercedes-Benz.
So, the new #2 looks radically different from the Fortwo. The biggest change is that Smart’s characteristic “Tridion Safety Cell” is gone. One of the distinctive design traits of a Smart, which goes back to when the company launched production in the 1990s, was that the safety cage of the vehicle was also a visual element. It was a neat and unique way to display how safe Smarts were.
Smart ditched that design element starting in 2022 with the #1 crossover. Admittedly, I still held on to hope that the Tridion Safety Cell would return for the #2, if only for nostalgia’s sake. Alas, the designers at the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team had other plans.
The #2 looks a lot like the #1, but a #1 that spent too much time in the wash. It even has the same floating roof-style design. Smart says it’s a bit more than that, from the press copy:
Guided by the brand’s overarching design philosophy of “Love, Pure, Unexpected,” the Concept #2 is exclusively styled by the Mercedes-Benz Global Design Team. Adopting a unique “Function becomes Fashion” lens, it elevates the city car beyond mere utility. Reduced to its essence, the pure and compact silhouette serves as an effortless canvas for individuality. This is consistently brought to life through generous volumes, a striking matte white and warm gold two-tone palette, and fine leather hardware, while hidden, unexpected details playfully emerge beneath translucent surfaces. Engineered on smart’s all-new, self-developed proprietary Electric Compact Architecture (ECA), the upcoming series-production model smart #2 will represent the reinvention of the ultimate two-seater city car.
One of the more subtle differences between this concept and previous Fortwos is that the doors are rather square. In the past, they followed a half-circle and were so big that the doors had two windows. This time, the doors are shaped like the ones on the Scion iQ, and terminate before what appears to be a false second window.
Some nods to the past carry over. The #2 concept has a two-box body that is shaped roughly like a third-generation car, and the concept also has afterburner-style taillights that look like an evolution of the pre-facelift third-generation Fortwo’s taillights.
Keeping It Small
Smart does not show any images of the interior of the concept, but does provide some useful information. The concept vehicle measures about 9.16 feet long (2792mm), or only slightly longer than the 8.8 feet (2,695mm) of the previous two generations. That’s only a 3.8-inch difference!
As for what’s under the body, Smart is saying that the car will have a range of up to 186 miles, DC fast-charging, the ability to top up from 10 percent to 80 percent in under 20 minutes, and Vehicle-to-Load capability. Smart is not revealing any other specs at this time. However, what we do know already is that the new car will have more than double the range of the old electric Smart.
The production version is due to launch at the Paris Motor Show in October 2026. So, this is real, and it’s happening!
I’m So Stoked
Honestly, I’m almost irrationally excited. The Fortwo has been neglected for so long, and it’s oh-so-awesome to see Smart going back to its roots. I’m sure the crossovers are great and bring much-needed cash to Smart’s coffers, but Smart without a Fortwo would be like Porsche without a 911. It just didn’t feel right. Now, it’s like Smart is getting the gang back together.
The last time I was this excited for a Smart was when the brand was teasing the concepts that would lead to the third-generation model back in the 2010s. Today, just like I did back then, I’m obsessing over every little detail. I even like the stupid little leather door pull with the wash symbols on it. I hope that doesn’t make it over to the production car, but on a concept, I like it!
But I’m still disappointed that Smart abandoned the Tridion Safety Cell. Of course, this car will probably be safer than any Fortwo of the past, but using safety as a visual element made Smart stand out in what used to be the crowded market of city cars.
I’m also saddened that Smart still shows no plans to come back to America. If there’s any time that Smart could do better in America, it would be now. It has a lineup of crossovers, a sedan, and now even a hybrid powertrain. A revived Smart USA could make money on the hybrid and the crossovers, then sell the #2 to the dozens of us who remain diehard Smart fans. But if Smart wanted to come back to America, it would have to dig into the quagmire of political tensions between America and China. So, I’ll have to continue to enjoy Smart from afar.
I’ll do just that, too, because I can’t wait to see this new car, even if I won’t be able to buy it. Does the world have room for another city car? I have no idea, but Smart thinks so. Either way, I’m going to be counting down the days until October!
Top graphic image: Smart
I actually like the look of this concept, but this has all the hallmarks of a half-assed attempt from Smart.
Without all the concept car flair, this will end up looking like the previous one. This is fine, but there’s no innovation.
The specs are garbage. I’m assuming that 186 mile range figure is WLTP, which makes this car totally useless. Smarts have never been super cheap, and the Honda e unfortunately proved you can’t charge a high price with low range, even on a city car.
The new Twingo is equally disappointing, range-wise, but it will at least be dirt cheap and offer 4 seats…
If it comes back here then they need to fix some major problems. Fuel economy and hopefully a better transmissions than whatever the last one had. I also do not see this succeeding in the US if it ever makes it back. Toyota even tried briefly with their own “smart” car. And it too didn’t sell very well and given that the reliability of those Toyotas was likely scores better people still didn’t buy em’.
I see the Slate succeeding where this won’t. Maybe it will do well in the EU but I can’t see it here.
I take it you’ve never driven a third-generation model? That one had two perfectly normal transmissions. Regardless, that doesn’t matter anymore since this is going to be a BEV.
I guess backing up a bit… I simply really never got the entire Smart brand. To me its one of those “could have been” type brands where they got most of the way there but not quite. Maybe its due to Mercedes Benz’s involvement but yeah… There is absolutely a market for small, cute and easily parkable cars. Smart just never got their MO all the way there.
Ironically the Chevy Spark fulfilled pretty much all of those things and then some and all while costing less than $13k loaded. I can’t help but feel there’s something sorta’ honest and no bullshit about something like that.
Anyway, I work in design and marketing and so this shit fills my brain. Smart needs to figure themselves out more.
There’s a big size difference between a Chevy Spark and a Smart Fortwo if you’re in, say, Manhattan. Beyond that, a key part of Smart pitch was that you got Mercedes level crash safety in a tiny package, which no other small US market cars delivered – certainly not a Spark.
That’s not much of a brand strategy. And the Spark has just as high a crash rating as the Smart. Except its a lot cheaper and doesn’t have some weird ass transmission. They didn’t push it far enough.
As long as it still has the sunroof, I would absolutely buy another eD. Especially with 180+range! I love love loved mine.
You don’t commonly hear folks saying they want ED again.
This couldn’t be any more twee if it was wearing a houndstooth beret and blasting Belle and Sebastian. Hoping the production version tones it down considerably.
In the few hours since I first seen this, it’s grown on me. I wanted to hate it but honestly it’s the quirkyness that I say we need more of. This feels very cheap and fast fashion to me, but I appreciate that it’s fun.
Oof. That is FUGLY.
I like that you can see the smart car x panda car. I hope they make a fur ball version for the shows like the panda cars have been doing. Too bad they didn’t put styled by Mercedes Benz in Shanghai on the tag.
I can think of a certain someone who expressed interest in small cars for America who will be chuffed by all that gold.
At almost 74″ wide, they have totally lost the script, though.
That has to be a typo or with the mirrors, It’s about the wheelbase of the old one, and I would guess it might just be that number.
You know what? I like it. I’d rock it. It looks iconic and a bit counterculture, just like the rest of the Fortwo lineage.
I’m just mildly annoyed on your behalf that no one consulted you during product/concept planning, Mercedes, as the world’s foremost Smart expert.
This article dropped almost concurrently with The Other Site’s take on the car, but I have too much respect for you Mercedes to read anyone else’s take on it.
It gives me Halliburton briefcase vibes.
I think Elizabeth Smart has done a better job reintroducing herself publicly with her new body design.
…this should look way better as a regular car. The white and gold is just profusely gaudy. Reminds me too much of a Gucci handbag, which for a car like this is very gendered. Which is sad, because if I squint it has kind of a retro minicar look. Kinda Fiat-coded. The text is gaudy concept stuff, as are the tires.
Show me red with silver or black detailing and tires that don’t look like they’d be chalky to drive on and we’ll talk.
(anyone ride a bike with white tires as a kid? Like a sister’s hand me down? Definitely felt like less grip)
Carbon black was added to tires for that reason as well as durability and UV resistance. I got white tires for my 1912 bike and they turned tan in a few years and started cracking even though the bike is kept out of direct sunlight when not being ridden. Rubber preservative has restored them to a surprising degree, but I have the original radial tires for my Miyata 1000 and they’re in better shape with 25 additional years on them (the gumwall got stiff, but rubber preservative helped them, too). At least it almost makes them look like they could be original 1912 tires even if the original tires were likely black. The other colors I have fare better (gray, olive green, blue, and brown), though black is still more UV resistant and grips better (I prefer the colors, anyway).
Fair enough. My only experience with white tires was on cheap girls’ BMXes my grandparents got – probably used – for when the grandkids showed up to visit. Fun to jam the coaster brakes and slide those things, but I always thought the cheap white tires felt chalky.
I imagine the #2 will have black tires in production, but seeing white tires on the car reminded me of that experience.
Hopefully they have an optional gauge cluster like this:
https://images-stag.jazelc.com/uploads/theautopian-m2en/toptoptopo.jpg
https://www.theautopian.com/here-are-some-wacky-dashboard-gauges-that-every-car-should-have-cotd/
“The #2 looks a lot like the #1, but a #1 that spent too much time in the wash.”
–Mercedes Streeter
I don’t know about you, but my #1 looks NOTHING like my #2.
Imagine driving a brown #2. It would be worth it just to have the custom plate SHTCAN
MRHANKY
DeuceCp
HI D HO
I dramatically increased my “Vehicle-to-Load capability” when I installed a toilet in my garage.
That reminds me — this is the perfect car for that seat/toilet combo that Torch reported on to make its debut with!
If your #1 looks anything at all like your #2, you need to drink more water.
Who does #2 work for?
Can’t embed images but just imagine Tom Arnold in the next toilet stall.
It looks like a proper smart. And it’s perfectly reasonable to be unreasonably excited when one of your favorite cars gets a new lease on life.
“dig into the quagmire of political”
White with gaudy gold embellishments?
It Trumps your Smart Car.
Beautiful. Nobody’s Ever Seen This Before!
If you flip it backwards and made the whole hatch glass, be a pretty perfect modern Isetta.
I was thinking the back would be a better front too.
The taillights are very cool.
“Did I do thaaat?”
Theres a lot to love… but more to hate. :/
I get that it’s a concept – but some of those details are just idiotic:
Leather tab door handles?
Digital signs in the fake brake vents and “exhaust” openings?
A duffle-bag stuffed and strapped into the vestigal grille opening?
Go-Fast strakes and splitters on a city car?
Someone needs to be fired from MB design – oh, wait – he’s already gone.
Thank goodness.
Maybe I’m not enthusiast-ey enough, but this does not look radically different to me. Different, for sure, in a “look how newey-newer it is” way. But it still screams smart to my eyes.
I donno, gimme a side-by-side pointing out the differences and convince me I’m wrong.
For me, the biggest departure is simply the deletion of the tridion cell. It’s the first time that’s happened since 1998, at least on a Fortwo.
I’m also willing to concede that I’m just an obsessive Smart nerd and most people won’t notice or care. 🙂
I do love your obsessive Smart nerdness. Please never change.
How about a ForSix? With the back four facing each other? Cute little limo!
Maybe The Bishop can start designing.
…or the California edition of the ForTwenty
I really hope this car doesn’t end up like the Fiat 500 where they made it electric for the sake of being electric without making it useful for the real world.
The electric Fiat 500 is plenty useful in the real world, it’s just that its compactness made it even more unsuitable to North American conditions (long distances at high speed on freeways, no charging available in apartments) than previous gas versions.
The millions of minicars like the Wuling Hongguang MiniEVs, Geely Xingyuans, and BYD Seagulls sold in China every year are proof that they’re perfectly viable when the government can carrot + stick apartment complexes into providing L2 charging for their tenants. Tbh I don’t even know if there was much stick given, since the rental market is competitive enough in China that apartments need to offer charging access to attract tenants. But the govt definitely streamlined the process of permitting and getting grid access from utilities.
The 500E has been a massive flop in all of the western world, not just North America. The reason why mini EVs succeed in China is because they’re heavily subsidized by the government, the population has good public transit reducing the need for large seating capacity vehicles, and because their range is reflective of the price they are sold for(if you can believe the CLTC cycle).
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2024/sep/12/production-of-electric-fiat-500-halted-lack-of-european-orders-stellantis
The 500’s problem in Europe is that it’s simply overpriced compared to European competitors like the Renault 4&5, which have simply better specs for the same price but are a bit larger. And the buyer who likes the 500’s smaller size doesn’t currently have good access to a home charging solution, like streetside AC charging.
I’d argue that Chinese people use minicars as a direct replacement for public transit, because they’re used as secondary vehicles to the bigger ‘real’ car the family already has. Also, they’re cheaper not just because of subsidies (which were significantly cut back a few months ago), but also because there’s a crash safety exemption for them, similar to kei car’s JNCAP and a proposed new EU category.
Kinda looks like the angry Smart Car to me…how are they *not* offering this here in America??
the front looks like it has a designer handbag stuffed and strapped in it’s mouth.
It’s a Bag-Gag
who needs a frunk when you can have a bag-gag instead for front storage.
I can’t un-see that now. Thanks, I hate it!
lol, it was my immediate first thought I couldn’t unsee either
Wait, was that not their intention?
it would be wild if that wasn’t at least some of the intention, but it wasn’t mentioned here, still it’s a pretty strange design decision.