gavriil

Smart Forfour For four For 2004

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Spy-Photo and photo text Copyright: Bild Further preparation for the web by MBSPY
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Smart wants to sell 80.000 "Forfour" per year
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German daily newspaper "Bild" had the above photo on their front page on April 25th 2003

The First Photo of the Smart with 4 Doors

Caught! That is the big brother of the little Smart. It is called "Forfour", will officially be presented at the IAA and comes in 2004. The photo was taken in Copenhagen ((Denmark)) at the shootings for a commercial with Robbie Williams (circle). The 3,75 metre long compact car has space for four grown-ups. It is a joint-development with DaimlerChrysler affiliate Mitsubishi, which on the same platform builds their Colt. Prices have not been released yet.

End of translation from "Bild" - translation by MBSPY




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Spy-Photo Copyright: Brenda Pridy Further preparation for the web by MBSPY Spy-Photo Copyright: Auto Bild Further preparation for the web by MBSPY

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German car magazine "Auto Bild" reports in January 2003:
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Smart lifts name secret
Fun and space "for four"

The new four-seater Smart which will come onto market in 2004 is named "forfour"


15.01.2003 - Boeblingen The Smart gets a big brother which will roll onto market in 2004. Its name: "Forfour". Roughly 80.000 units of the 3,75 metre long four-seater shall be sold every year, said DaimlerChrysler member of the board Juergen Hubbert.

The new car will officially be presented in September 2003 at the IAA in Frankfurt. At the first glance of the shortly undisguised car in Boeblingen an impressively grown-up Smart showed up which will keep the typical Smart-Design. Prices were not yet mentioned. Hubbert sees the newcomer to play in the class of VW Polo and Ford Fiesta.

The Smart Forfour is the first complete joint development with DaimlerChrysler minority partnership Mitsubishi. On the same platform the Japanese produce their version of the car from 2004 on in the joint Smart/Mitsubishi plant in Born, Netherlands.

End of translation from "Auto Bild" - translation by MBSPY
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Spy-Photo Copyright: Auto Bild Further preparation for the web by MBSPY Spy-Photo Copyright: Auto Bild Further preparation for the web by MBSPY
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MBSPY adds:
Rumours say that the Forfour will be the first Smart to enter the North American market.
Clear seems to be that the NA-headed Smart will be built in Brasil at the Juiz de Fora plant.
But it also could be possible the Forfour gives only the platform and basic components for a different model aimed specially at the US market. This in terms of design and technique shall have characteristic features for this purpose, but would also be sold in other markets.
Nothing so far is known if and which other Smart versions - City Coupe, Roadster - will be available in NA, too.
As some time ago DC officially announced the next A-Class W169 will also be built in Braziel for the NA market it seems DC strongly thinks to have a big market in NA for these relatively small cars.

bkknight369

looks craptacular

any word on pricing?

Red Nj-s

:whocares:

Python2121

seriously, if its not gonna be out here.....

btw that would never catch on here. you would total it when being hit by some fucking 16 year old girl in her fucking land cruiser or 4 runner or if you live around scarsdale, LX470

gavriil

About the last 2 posts. Yes and no. Yes, most people might not care, but I think at the end we will be surprised at a new trend that we will see in this country. And this trend is hatchbacks and small cars in general. USAmericans will start buying them more than ever before. Look at the facts: VW/Audi is bringing to the USA for the first time ever, the A3. VW also is bringing the Golf with the 3.2 liter V6, something which will continue with the next gen. Golf coming out next year. Mercedes is bringing the Smart. BMW is bringing out the 1 series which will be identical to the milimeter to the BMW 2002, supposedly the first true sports sedan in the world (of course the 1 series will not be a sedan). Mazda has already come out with a hatchback and there is a new small car, the Mazda 3 that might come here. There is a trend here. I hope it wont work, cos it's all Europeans that are betting on this. I think it was also driven by the high oil prices they were expecting we would get ourselves into due to a complete failure with the Iraq case (of course they were wrong on that, but that was one of the reasons).

One thing I know for sure. If hatchbacks catch on, USAmerican companies are ready to answer. They have a TON of them sold in Europe and elsewhere. They only thing they have to do is adjust production to bring them here. I just dont see that much demand though. I think we will start seeing a lot more of them, but not as many as to need one or two from every manufacturer.

gavriil

bkknight369

Cheapo hackbacks are one thing...merc. hachbacks are something else...first the forementioned ones look MUCH nicer. Second they dont have the merc. label, which naturally brings about the high-prices. Take for example the C couple...the base has no basic luxaries...but still starts in the mid 20s. But that doesnt stop people from buying them...I'm just presenting my opinon and conjecture on this car

Zoot

somebody has a need to show off.

Zapata

That'd be GREAT for the cities!!!!!! Think about the reduction in polution!

Red Nj-s

yea. Since current small cars pollute so damn much.

With today's exhaust resrictions cars are almost pollution free. How much lower can you go?

Zoot

dumbest comment of the year.

heyitsme

the only prob with these luxury mark compacts is that they can't compete with none luxury companies price wise and thats the whole point of buying a compact, value and features.

Zapata

You have to be the most ignorant person i have EVER had conversation with. Go live in NYC or LA and tell me that pollution isn't a problem. :shakehd:

SilverBulletCLS_RENAMED

flossy... for a golf cart