autoevolution
 

smart #1 Digitally Turns Into a Cute fortwo Successor, or Do We Say smart “#0.5?”

Once imagined as the Swatch of the automotive world, Daimler’s Smart brand has been reinvented (because of lackluster sales) into the new Smart Automobile joint venture between Mercedes and Geely. And, of course, their first product is not that little – or cute.
smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1 8 photos
Photo: sugardesign_1 / Instagram
smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1smart #1 fortwo rendering by sugardesign_1
For many of us, the nifty Smart cars will forever remain those automobiles that can be parked in pocket-sized spaces without any worries. But the company is trying to reinvent itself under German-Chinese guidance and has decided its first new product, smart #1, needs to keep up with battery-electric subcompact crossover SUV appearances.

That means it is just another B-segment five-door, five-seat high-riding model in a sea of competitors. The one thing to set it apart is the full EV treatment, but even that is hardly a reason to raise an eyebrow as the market is becoming riddled with such zero-emission models.

Naturally, Smart Automobile tried to play all the cards it could deal with five seats, a large 66 kWh battery pack, rear-wheel drive for sporty feelings, and no less than 272 ps/268 horsepower. Well, if they could have crammed all that – save for the five seats – in a footprint about the same size as the iconic fortwo, well that would have been a sight to behold. Also, a technical miracle from today’s real-world perspective.

However, across the virtual realm, such impossibilities are no hindrance to accomplishing one’s goals. As such, Sugar Chow, the virtual artist better known as sugardesign_1 on social media, takes another break from “Touring the world!” and is jumping into something little. A reimagined “smart #1 fortwo,” or – as a fan comment’s noticed – the potential “Smart #0.5!”

No matter how it is called, this wishful thinking depiction looks way smarter than the OEM deal, if you ask us. And – as a measure of one’s talent – the pixel master even manages to shrink everything down to a two-door level that would make it a worthy successor of the initial project’s golden desire to create a small yet stylish city car.


If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
About the author: Aurel Niculescu
Aurel Niculescu profile photo

Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories