- The Smart SUV concept sketch previews a model that will be shown in Munich this summer, ahead of expected launch in 2023.
- The SUV model could receive EV powertrain from half-owner Geely, as part of brand's electrification plans.
- The Smart brand is positioning itself for the age of electrification, following the debut of the EQ ForTwo.
A new pocket SUV concept from Smart is headed to the Munich motor show late this summer, and this is our first look at the brand's first entirely new model in what seems like a long time. The automaker, 50 percent of which is now owned by Geely, plans to capitalize on the popularity of subcompact crossovers and SUVs primarily used in dense cities, just at a time when traditional hatchbacks are seeing the first real retreat in decades.
Smart's answer, judging from these sketches, appears aimed pretty directly at Mini's lineup, which will also take a sharp turn toward pocket SUVs in the coming years. But unlike Mini, Smart is no longer offered stateside.
But if there's one thing notably missing in the sketches of this model, it's an obvious grille. The concept, therefore, could well preview an electric model, since launching a purely gas-engined offering would not present anything particularly new to the European or Chinese markets, especially the latter with its New Energy mandate. A production version is rumored to receive a battery-electric powertrain developed by Geely, rather than using underpinnings headed for the Mercedes-Benz EQA electric pocket SUV.
Slated to debut in production form in 2023 the Smart model is expected to pull the company away from its two-door upright hatch roots, allowing itself a longer wheelbase and four doors given the drop in the popularity of two-door models in multiple markets.
The small SUV, whose official name hasn't been revealed yet, could finally give Smart's lineup and image a boost after years of questions about the long-term potential of the brand. A turn toward more conventional bodystyles has been discussed for some time now, and could now be forced simply by the need for a larger footprint to house electric batteries under the floor. Whether the ForTwo will be able to hang on in the lineup given these pressures remains to be seen, but the company may find that greener pastures await with just a bit more practicality.
We'll see the Smart SUV in concept form later this September in Germany.
Log in and tell us what you think of the latest from Smart.
This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io
"smart" - Google News
May 20, 2021 at 04:01PM
https://ift.tt/3hFW4DX
Smart Previews SUV Concept That Could Be an EV - Autoweek
"smart" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2P2kUhG
https://ift.tt/3febf3M
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Smart Previews SUV Concept That Could Be an EV - Autoweek"
Post a Comment