Daimler has finally found a partner for the development of the next generation smart cars - the company has agreed to start a collaboration with the Renault-Nissan alliance to create the a new smart by 2014, as Automobile Magazine reports.
The new vehicle will have three versions, one for each brand to market. Daimler plans to keep the current rear engine & rear drive layout and the smart’s steel tridion substructure with added composite material panels chassis-body design is also expected to be kept.
As clean motoring plays an important role in the current era, the next smart will also have an electric version, with its powertrain expected to come from Renault. The mainstream versions of the car will be powered by one of the three expected gasoline engines: a new turbocharged 1.0 liter three cylinder unit featuring direct injection (this will be developed through the new tie-up), and a duo of 1.3 and 1.5 liter four-cylinder engines.
According to the aforementioned source, the smart line-up will include four models: the Fortwo coupe, the Fortwo cabrio, the ForFour hatchback and a ForMore small van that will use sliding doors.
Daimler has had a hard time trying to establish a tie-up for the development of the new smart range. Before reaching the agreement with Renault, Daimler unsuccessfully tried to convince BMW/MINI to enter this game. The company also failed to convince the PSA Peugeot-Citroen Group to collaborate with it for this project.
The new vehicle will have three versions, one for each brand to market. Daimler plans to keep the current rear engine & rear drive layout and the smart’s steel tridion substructure with added composite material panels chassis-body design is also expected to be kept.
As clean motoring plays an important role in the current era, the next smart will also have an electric version, with its powertrain expected to come from Renault. The mainstream versions of the car will be powered by one of the three expected gasoline engines: a new turbocharged 1.0 liter three cylinder unit featuring direct injection (this will be developed through the new tie-up), and a duo of 1.3 and 1.5 liter four-cylinder engines.
According to the aforementioned source, the smart line-up will include four models: the Fortwo coupe, the Fortwo cabrio, the ForFour hatchback and a ForMore small van that will use sliding doors.
Daimler has had a hard time trying to establish a tie-up for the development of the new smart range. Before reaching the agreement with Renault, Daimler unsuccessfully tried to convince BMW/MINI to enter this game. The company also failed to convince the PSA Peugeot-Citroen Group to collaborate with it for this project.