Before Smart goes all-electric next year, Daimler plans to offer “an exclusive and strictly limited special edition” model as a farewell to its combustion-engine vehicles. Designed by Konstantin Grcic, a man known for designing mass-manufactured minimalist furniture, the automaker says these limited-edition cars are for the “most ardent collectors only.”
Presumably, Daimler is referring to collectors in the general sense, as we’ve never heard of anyone with a devoted throng of Smart cars.
While it may sound like a bit of a turd, the company also said Brabus’ involvement was essential in developing the 21 models slated to roll off the assembly line in August of this year. That means more grunt and improved noises coming out of the back end — something we can all appreciate, be it in the bedroom or out on the open road.
Brabus already builds the Ultimate 125 Cabrio, which is essentially a Smart ForTwo on steroids. However, the thing about steroids is that they can only take you so far from where you started. The 125 uses the standard 900cc Renault-sourced three-cylinder turbo, resulting in 123 horsepower and a 0-60 time of 9.2 seconds. Not exactly blistering, but quicker than the base car and probably fun enough to enjoy on a nice day thanks to its open top. Unfortunately, it’s too expensive to rationalize at the European equivalent of $65,000.
That could be the story with the #21 Final Collector’s Edition, too. We imagine affixing Grcic’s name to the project cost Daimler something (and already know that Brabus’ work doesn’t come cheap). However, there’s no word as to what will power the last 21 Smart cars equipped with an internal-combustion engine. Daimler devoted most of its announcement to praising Smart as a forward-looking green brand.
“In 2020 smart will become the first automotive manufacturer in the world to have uncompromisingly switched its entire portfolio over from combustion engines to electric drives,” Daimler said in the official announcement.
We suppose that’s worth mentioning, even though there are now countless automotive startups across the globe with electrification being their primary goal. Yet it doesn’t help give us a real sense of what this car is actually all about. The trendy designer, who decided that a miniaturized Fast and Furious theme was the way to go with the car, was similarly unhelpful.
“[The number] 21 commemorates something special, celebrating 21 years of smart. For me, it also symbolizes much of what being 21 is about: being free, breaking boundaries, breaking out, showing your rebellious side,” said Grcic. “The Final Collector’s Edition brings this essential idea to life as we take our leave of a piece of automotive history.”
Whimsical.
[Images: Daimler AG]
ridiculous, absolutely
Yeah, I want my car to look like someone tried to peel off the paint and only half-succeeded.
Literally no one cares. Whoever wrote that Daimler announcement has their head so far up there arse they aren’t even able to think on the same plane as the rest of the world.
Hmm, I could have swore I edited my comment to correct there to their.
Maybe they ran out of yellow paint.
Brabus exhaust/sex noise simile?
I know the atomic anal sexfart wasn’t your intended imagery— butt that’s all I got.
Who said it wasn’t?
“I’m not who you think I am. My real name is Peg. And I’m a hardcore lesbian. I’m into leather play, butch white girls, skunkin’, pullin’ the blinds, and poodle balling. Whatever you got, I’ll eat it, snort it, or ride it, baby.”
You tickled me, Mr. Posky.
Its ok, if you want to permanently look like one of those people who leave their track day numbers on the car while driving around town.
The color scheme is ridiculous, but the car itself is a very practical city car. And I would be the perfect consumer for this urban vehicle. I have a beater 1992 Renault Twingo which I exclusively use for city driving. Nimble and easy to park everywhere. The Smart ForTwo would be even more practical and more fun to drive than the uninspiring Twingo; that is if I cared about fun. I do not, not really.
While I have driven the current Smart ForTwo and found that it is actually a well-made vehicle and certainly very fun to fling around, it is just too overpriced for what it is. For that kind of money a Volkswagen Up! (Or the Seat/Skoda derivatives) offer more value and practicality without being too big for their own European urban usage good.
This company has made many “special editions” with big press releases that nobody reads and increased price tags. The cars sit for months or years until they are sold off with massive discounts to buyers that have no idea what it is (or was) and the next owner knows even less. The next time you’ll read about one will be when it surfaces in a junk yard and a post is made about it.
Never read so many stupid and meaningless words in one article. What Smart proved? Absolutely nothing. Nissan Altima is more green and forward looking than any model made by Smart. And besides Tesla is a first auto company who was devoted 100% to EV. And there are bunch of Chinese and American companies that are far ahead of Smart in that area. And any subcompact Japanese car is light years ahead of Smart in any aspect of automotive engineering. Well add there also Renault.
Light years ahead? Try driving a kei car into a brick wall at 30 mph, and you would discover that the Smart Car/Twingo had some body engineering in it that the Japanese have never considered with their one inch thick doors. It passes the relevant tests both here and the EU – you can’t buy a tin can kei car outside Japan because it doesn’t meet crash standards. Is that advanced engineering?
Your comment is ridiculous.
That doesn’t mean that the Smart Car is a delight to drive, and I have no interest in the thing, but opining off the top of your head without a moment’s thought seems to be something you’re adept at.
Pretty sure he’s talking about the honda fit, nissan versa, toyota yaris etc that all cost the same or less than the smart and offer superior room, driving dynamics, reliability and fuel mileage.
Exactly. Never saw kei car sold or driven in USA. In Japan they can commit suicide if they wish but it will not pass safety tests in US.
They’re saying that smart is the first manufacturer to switch from ICE to all-electric.
I’m not sure who enjoys grunting and noises coming out of their back end in the bedroom and I’m pretty sure I don’t want to.
I mean, I like dutch-ovening someone as much as anybody, but it ain’t because of the noise.
Send-off? I’d rather see tons of them going off a cliff, like that Roadkill episode they shot in Alaska. But then these probably wouldn’t be as entertaining as an old BOF GM B-Body going off a cliff.
That paint scheme wouldn’t appeal to me if it were free. But it doesn’t look like the car was assembled from junkyard parts like the Volkswagen Harlequin series awhile back. The first time I saw one I was convinced it had a salvage title.
Corey, there’s a Rare Rides candidate if you run out of more worthy iron to write about.