New Smart #2 could be the ForTwo’s spiritual successor, balancing price and quality

The UK boss of small-car specialist Smart has weighed in on whether the brand should launch a successor to its famous ForTwo city car, telling Auto Express that it would need to deliver the right balance of affordability and premium feel, to embody what the marque stands for today. 

As far as we’re aware, the next-generation city car – which is likely to be called the Smart #2 – hasn’t received a green light yet, but European CEO Dirk Adelmann promised us earlier this year it has the potential to “define the A-segment”. Similarly keen on the idea is Smart’s head of design Kai Sieber, who told us: “The ForTwo is the core of our brand. It’s still our very clear intention to bring it back into the range.”

If it gets the thumbs up from the top brass, we would expect the new ultra-compact runabout to arrive before the end of the decade and cost around £20,000. However, Smart isn’t looking to make a cheap, bargain-basement EV to rival the likes of the Dacia Spring’s forthcoming successor that’s due next year. 

We discussed the possibility of a ForTwo successor with Smart UK CEO Jason Allbutt in an exclusive interview, who said the return of the cult-favourite city car could “help almost bring the brand together in a way, and I think it definitely could be a positive if it were to happen”.

Allbutt acknowledged that cost will be key for an entry-level model like this, however while “starting price is certainly important, I wouldn't say it's the be all and end all”. He added: “We still want to make sure we've got a premium product, and of course, one that has got a good range for a small electric car. It's not going to have 300, 400 or 500 miles range for sure, given its size.”

The UK boss pointed out that the original ForTwo wasn’t created to be a bargain-priced model, and it would be a similar story with a #2. “We're not necessarily looking to have the cheapest car available in the market, but we are looking to make sure that we're affordable enough to generate enough volume, then not move too far away from our heritage or what we stand for,” Allbutt explained. “I don't necessarily see a difference completely between affordability and premium – I think you can be both.”

He added that a key consideration for Smart would be delivering “some of the premium elements that you would expect to see with us”.

Smart’s move away from city cars

While Smart may have started out as a maker of dinky city cars, the smallest offering in its range is currently the nearly 4.3-metre long #1 small SUV, while the all-new Smart #5 mid-size SUV that’s about to launch measures more than 4.7 metres long – almost twice the length of the original ForTwo. 

While the possibility of a Smart #2 is still up in the air, there are plenty of lease deals available on the Smart #1 through our own Find a Car service, and you can buy a used model for less than £25,000.

Regarding the brand’s new direction, Allbut told us: “Smart has 25 years of heritage, and what are we known for? Absolutely a city car, but as with all things, and you've seen it with other brands, can we remain just a city-car brand? Absolutely not.

“We saw the progress essentially that was required and also what customers are demanding right now, which essentially is those larger vehicles. So for us, it feels like a very natural progression.”

We asked if still being so closely associated with city cars was an issue, and Allbut replied: “Customers see Smart as a trusted brand, in terms of quality, premium and innovation. So I think they definitely see that part, and then they can see that replicated in the cars that we're providing today.

“And obviously, there are other brands that have moved on from their heritage. I mean, MG, interestingly enough, is nothing like an MG used to be. Some customers probably don't even realise that an MG is built in China. So we're not alone in this transition, and for us, we very much feel that we carried those core values across to our new products.”

Smart #2 design and interior

A Smart #2 will most likely retain the compact footprint and spacious interior of its predecessor, but won’t double down on retro design, according to the company’s European CEO. Asked whether he and his team are keeping a keen eye on the new Renault 5, as well as established remakes such as the modern MINI and Fiat 500, Adelmann said: “I really like the R5 from a design perspective; when you sit inside – cool, cool, and cool.

“But if we come back with a vehicle that is significantly smaller in size than #1 and #3, then we will make sure it's a true Smart. That doesn’t have to be retro; Smart doesn’t usually do retro – we are looking at what’s next,” he said.

Given the separation Smart has created between the visually similar #1 and #3, and the new, boxier #5, we expect the firm’s designers to take the new city car in a different direction stylistically.

That said, there are certain non-negotiables, according to Adelmann. “We will definitely have some Smart-family elements, Like frameless doors or the space concept,” he told us. “We'll put the wheels in the corners. That we will keep, if we go in that direction.”

The European boss went on to list important features that any future ForTwo successor should have. “Interior space, functionality and versatility are essential,” he said. “Depending on the segment, also the turning circle, parkability and so on. 

“If we are going in that direction, then of course we try to not lose those values, but maybe find another step of enhancing those values.”

Our exclusive images therefore preview how the new car could look. At the front, while the overall design is unique, elements such as the full-width lightbar have been carried over from other Smart models. There’s another lightbar at the back, plus a near-vertical rear window and tall roofline to boost interior space.

Inside, expect the same two-seat layout as before, with plenty of head and legroom. The car isn’t likely to raise the stakes when it comes to significant boot capacity, but the tech offering should get a decent uplift – likely using an updated version of the twin-screen layout found in the #1 and #3. Quality should sufficiently justify the proposed price tag, without surpassing the larger, more expensive models in Smart’s product range.

The new car’s shape was all but confirmed by a revealing sketch posted on social media by design boss Sieber in October last year – showing what looks to be the vehicle’s side profile; the upright stance of the original ForTwo doesn’t appear to have been significantly diluted, carrying over that car’s short overhangs and abrupt rear end. Beneath it, Sieber has also drawn a more conventional supermini shape – presumably a successor for the ForFour and a future rival for Volkswagen’s forthcoming ID.1.

Even though it will be significantly smaller than the #1 SUV, we suspected the fresh city car will be called the #2, rather than reviving the more familiar ForTwo moniker. 

Adelmann told us the upcoming #5 halo car apparently does not represent “the end of [Smart’s] portfolio strategy”. He said: “We have #1, 3 and 5, so there is still some room for the even numbers. There is more to come.” 

If the two-seater does take the #2 badge, we can only assume Smart is saving #4 for an ID.1 alternative – much like we saw with the now-defunct ForTwo and ForFour, which ended production last year after a decade on sale.

Smart #2 platform, range and hot Brabus version

Little is known about what might power the next-generation ForTwo, but Adelmann confirmed that Smart is committed to being an electric-only brand. “If you want to take the traffic decarbonisation seriously, you have to do electric,” he told us. “I'm 100 per cent convinced that we go that direction – all of us in the industry”.

Adelmann said that to build a new city car, Smart would “need an investment into a new platform”, suggesting that, as with its ForTwo predecessor, the new model would be considerably smaller than anything else in the maker’s product range. This platform is unlikely to be created completely in-house, but could be developed with help from parent company Geely. Since 2019, Smart has been jointly owned by Geely and Mercedes.

However, while Smart has moved the goalposts with its #5 by fitting a hi-tech 800-volt electrical architecture and ultra-rapid 400kW charging speeds, it’s likely things will be kept more modest for the #2. Peak speeds of around 100kW would keep things competitive, given the car’s urban focus, while anything more might be considered superfluous.

As with other models in the Smart range, there’s even the possibility of a racier Brabus model, with more power and bespoke drive modes. Don’t expect the 400bhp-plus you get on the #1 Brabus, but even 150-200bhp would ensure peppy performance without too much compromise on range or efficiency. As with the firm’s existing Brabus cars, the go-faster #2 would almost certainly get bigger wheels and a subtle bodykit, plus red detailing inside and out.

While Adelmann did keep emphasising the word “if” in his comments about a city-car successor to the ForTwo, he insisted his team is “working on it” becoming a production reality. If the boss thinks he can make it financially viable, we could see further sketches over the next 12-18 months, before the inevitable concept car and full reveal later down the line.

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