Smart Forfour to be smallest in class
* 2014 Smart Forfour to be smallest car in its class * Around 50cm shorter than its rivals * Will still be a premium product...
Smarts new Forfour four-seater supermini, due in 2014, will be the most compact car in its class, company boss Annette Winkler has revealed to What Car?.
Our four-seater has to be the most compact car for four people as the function of Smart is to make cars for the city she said.
The all-new car is being jointly developed with Renault and will share most of its mechanicals with the next Twingo. Like the current Fourtwo, it will have an unusual rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive layout, which enables it to be shorter than conventional superminis. Its expected that it will be around 3.5 metres long, around 50cm shorter than most rivals.
Winkler also revealed that the new car will continue to be a premium product and have similar levels of personalisation to the current Fortwo, but it will be competitively priced. The Forfour has to be competitive, not just on price but also on value with features, she said.
However, Winkler would not be drawn on rumours of the Smart range being increased with a small SUV to rival the Nissan Juke. A concept called Formore was originally shown in 2005, but the project was then cancelled.
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