The basic principle of the smart fortwo is brilliantly simple: space for two passengers and their luggage – that's enough. The developers of the second generation smart fortwo also succeeded – in a vehicle measuring just under 2.70 metres in length – in creating a deceptively spacious interior offering maximum safety and comfort.

An outstanding aspect of the smart fortwo is its feeling of spaciousness comparable with that of a standard-size saloon. Prospective customers getting behind the wheel of a smart fortwo for the first time never fail to be surprised at how easy it is to get in and out of the car and just how spacious the smart fortwo is inside. This is thanks to intelligent solutions such as the slightly staggered passenger seat that offers the passengers optimum shoulder room.

Given its compact outer dimensions, it is impressive how much fits in the luggage compartment of the smart fortwo: 220 litres are more than enough for everyday shopping. By filling the available space right up to the roof, the luggage capacity can be increased to a princely 340 litres. The level loading space is particularly user-friendly. The twin-section tailgate is a practical feature in tight parking spaces. The folding rear door can also be used as a surface to put things on. For the coupé, additional stowage space is incorporated in the bottom section of the tailgate and is accessible via a lid. On the cabrio version the roof bars can be quickly and securely stowed in this tailgate storage compartment.

The smart fortwo is seen as a real trendsetter in terms of safety equipment in small cars. The tridion safety cell protects its occupants like the hard shell around a nut. It is additionally reinforced at strategically important points with high-strength steel, covering more than 50 per cent of the cell in all. The tridion safety cell’s longitudinal and transverse members activate the crumple zone of the other vehicle involved in the accident and distribute the impact energy evenly over the car’s body. And in case of a collision, the wheels also take on the function of crumple zones. When this happens, the front wheels are supported by the side members.

In this way the smart fortwo also complies with American crash requirements and it attains top ratings in US-SINCAP and EuroNCAP (four stars). Over and above this it meets the extremely strict standards of Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Thanks to the sandwich-type construction and the raised seating position, the passengers are usually somewhat above the direct danger zone in the event of
a side impact, resulting in better protection than in most other small cars. All interior trims have been optimised to prevent injuries to occupants.

Every smart fortwo comes with full-size airbags for driver and passenger as standard. The passenger airbag is located at the top of the instrument panel, to enable it to intercept passengers who are not perfectly in position in the car. If a child seat is fitted, the passenger airbag can be deactivated with a separate key-operated switch. Head/thorax side airbags are optionally available to protect both the head and the upper body. Belt tensioners and belt-force limiters are standard features in the smart, as are safety seats with integral seat belts with a modular sheet steel structure.

esp® also comes as standard in the smart fortwo. This is not even available for an additional charge in many small cars. esp® also includes an integrated hill start assist function. This prevents the vehicle from rolling backwards as it moves off on an uphill slope. Another feature of the esp® package is the anti-lock braking system (abs), which prevents the wheels from locking during emergency braking. This reduces the braking distance and ensures that the smart remains steerable. A hydraulic brake assist function is also included in the standard specification. It automatically triggers controlled emergency braking as soon as the electronics register that the driver has pressed the brake pedal quickly, but not firmly enough.

The smart fortwo is fitted with an automated manual five-speed transmission (softip) as a standard feature. This means there is no clutch pedal. To shift up a gear, the shift lever on the centre console merely requires a brief tap forwards, while pulling it back shifts down a gear. Optionally, gears can be changed using steering-wheel-mounted gear shift paddles (standard in the pulse equipment line).

The passion version features the softouch automatic gear programme, which enables the driver to switch from manual gear shifting (softip) to automatic by pressing a button on the gear knob.

A kickdown function allows the driver to use the accelerator pedal to immediately shift down two gears at once, in both manual and automatic mode. Incorrect gear changing and over-revving are ruled out, because the electronics will only accept logical gear changes.

State-of-the-art compact three-cylinder petrol engines with a capacity of 999 cc are installed at the rear of the smart fortwo. In Western Europe customers can currently choose from two naturally aspirated engine versions with mhd (micro hybrid drive) technology delivering 45 or 52 kW (61/71 hp) respectively, and a turbo engine rated at 62 kW (84 hp). A 72 kW (98 hp) three-cylinder turbo engine is also at the heart of the smart fortwo BRABUS. The engine range is rounded off by the smart fortwo cdi turbo engine rated at 33 kW /45 hp.

Latest generation common-rail direct injection provides for a combustion process that is more efficient than that of the well-proven cdi engine from the predecessor model. It builds up high injection pressure of up to 1600 bar (previously 1350 bar), even at low revs, and injects the fuel into the combustion chambers with new seven-hole injectors. The power and torque have each improved by 10 percent. At the same time, fuel consumption is reduced by 13 percent. Depending on the driving situation and engine load, up to 60 percent of the previously cooled exhaust gases are returned to the combustion chambers.

Like the Mercedes-Benz CDI engines, fuel injection in the smart fortwo cdi is carried out in two phases: a few milliseconds before the main injection a small quantity of diesel is injected into the combustion chambers where it ignites and preheats the cylinders. This results in a noticeably quieter combustion noise level than an engine without this pilot injection. The electronic "brain" of the cdi engine – a high-performance micro-computer that controls the whole engine system – calculates how much fuel is needed and the interval at which pilot injection and main injection take place.

The quick response of the cdi engine is first and foremost thanks to the compact turbocharger that is housed in the exhaust manifold. Its compressor wheel has a diameter of just 33 millimetres, yet it rotates at up to 280 000 rpm and builds up maximum charge pressure of approximately 1200 millibars at an engine speed of 1800 rpm. This enables the three-cylinder engine to develop impressive torque, even at low revs: 85 Newtonmetres are available even from 1500 rpm – more than three quarters of the maximum torque. This torque curve plays an important part in the fun behind the wheel that drivers experience with every kilometre driven in a smart fortwo cdi. The new smart fortwo cdi therefore offers a combination of agility, economy and environmental compatibility that is unique in this class.

To further reduce petrol engine CO2 emissions, the smart fortwo mhd (micro hybrid drive) with an intelligent start/stop system and a 52 kW/71 hp engine has also been available to customers since the autumn of 2007. It automatically shuts down the engine whenever it is not needed, for example in stop-and-go traffic. The principle is simple yet ingenious: when the vehicle approaches red traffic lights, for example, the micro hybrid drive shuts down the engine as soon as the car falls below a speed of 8 km/h and the brake pedal is pressed. The engine starts again as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal. This guarantees an immediate response. The system has been perfected for the smart fortwo's automated manual transmission and is fully automatic, i.e. no gear shifting or clutchwork are necessary and the driver does not need to do anything out of the ordinary. If required, the start/stop function can be deactivated at any time with a switch on the centre console in front of the shift lever.

In conjunction with the automated manual transmission that comes as standard, the new start/stop technology guarantees comfortable and straightforward driving with reduced fuel consumption. The new technology pays off, because studies have shown that in everyday traffic, vehicles come to a stop every 1.3 kilometres on average.

In conjunction with slightly modified gear ratios, the start/stop system in the
new smart fortwo mhd leads to a fuel saving of approximately eight percent in accordance with the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC combined). The standard consumption is reduced by approximately 0.4 litres – from 4.7 litres to around 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres. There is also a corresponding reduction in the average CO2 emissions from 112 grams to approximately 103 grams per kilometre. And depending on the traffic situation, much higher fuel savings are even possible – for example in heavy slow traffic.

At the heart of the start/stop system is a belt-driven starter generator. This replaces and does the work of both the conventional starter and the alternator.

The belt-driven starter generator supplies the vehicle's electrical system with voltage and also has a secondary function as a starter to start up the petrol engine particularly quickly. From October 2008 both the 52 kW/71 hp smart fortwo and the petrol version with a 45 kW/61 hp engine will be fitted with the user-friendly start-stop system as standard.

The smart fortwo ed with "electric drive" is totally emission-free. In addition, electric drives are particularly quiet and efficient. At the end of 2007 smart started a pilot project in London with the smart fortwo electric drive. Together with selected customers, smart is testing 100 vehicles with electric drive there to gain real-world experience. As a zero-emission car the smart fortwo electric drive enjoys tax advantages and is exempt from local restrictions such as the congestion charge that applies in the British capital. This makes it a particularly interesting and environmentally friendly alternative in urban population centres. Series production of an electrically driven smart of the current generation with lithium-ion battery technology is planned for 2010. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries, including extremely compact dimensions, much higher performance, a long life and high reliability.

The sporty character of the smart fortwo BRABUS is apparent at first glance. For example, it comes with bright-finish "Monoblock VI" alloy wheels with wide tyres measuring 175/50 R 16 at the front and 225/35 R 17 at the rear, a sports exhaust system with centrally positioned stainless steel tailpipes and a body that has been lowered by ten millimetres. In the interior, cockpit instruments with specially designed dials, BRABUS stainless steel sports pedals and a three-spoke leather steering wheel with shift paddles underline the exclusiveness of this model. The transmission and suspension also have a sporty setup.

The smart fortwo BRABUS Xclusive lives up to its name with additional equipment details such as projection headlamps with a titanium-coloured background, a front spoiler with enlarged air inlets, striking side skirts and a rear apron painted in the colour of the body. The seats are covered with fine leather and are heated. The aluminium-look trim components on the leather-effect instrument panel add an exclusive touch.

At the heart of the smart fortwo BRABUS and BRABUS Xclusive is a turbo engine that has been improved in numerous details.From capacity of one litre, the three-cylinder engine now develops 72 kW/98 hp at 5500 rpm and lends the 780 kilogram (coupé) two-seater car remarkable agility. The weight/power ratio is just 7.8 kg/hp – 24 percent lower than that of the predecessor version.

The turbo engine develops maximum torque of 140 Newtonmetres at
3500 rpm. The BRABUS variants of the smart fortwo sprint from zero to 60 km/h in 4.1 seconds and reach an electronically limited top speed of 155 km/h.

With combined standard consumption of 5.2 litres per 100 kilometres the smart fortwo BRABUS and BRABUS Xclusive are among the most economical cars in their size and power category. Carbon dioxide emissions stand at 124 grams per kilometre.

The second generation smart fortwo also features the two-colour concept typical of smart. In addition to the tridion safety cell which is available in black or silver, customers can choose from six colours for the bodypanels. The basic colours are black, red and white. The metallic colours blue, grey and silver are available subject to an additional charge.

The pure equipment line is the entry-level variant. It comes with everything that makes a smart a smart. The exterior of the pure is characterized by a black grooved plastic roof and steel rims. It comes with a black tridion safety cell and black door mirror caps and radiator grille. The two-spoke steering wheel is a further feature of the pure. The seats come in a tasteful grey. The interior also features fabric elements on the instrument panel and contrast components in pearl grey. The lower part of the instrument panel (knee pad) and the door trim are made of grained black plastic.

pulse equipment line: a dynamic response and a sporty look. The pulse also features a black tridion safety cell; however, this is also optionally available in silver. Its six-spoke alloy wheels with wide tyres (175/55 R 15 at front, 195/50 R 15 at rear) give it a beefy appearance and the fog lights integrated in the front apron round off the sporty appearance.

The interior of the pulse features an upholstery colour exclusively available for this equipment line and matching fabric elements for instrument panel, knee pads and door trim which create a pleasant atmosphere. A glance upwards shows the sky through a new transparent roof made of polycarbonate. A black infinitely adjustable blind provides sun protection. The sporty character is emphasized by the rev counter and clock and a three-spoke leather steering wheel including steering wheel gearshift plus a leather gear knob. Electric windows are a further standard feature.

passion equipment line: the elegant and extensively equipped passion can always be identified by its silver tridion cell. The door mirrors and radiator grille are also painted silver. Further features include a panoramic roof made of polycarbonate and twelve-spoke alloy wheels (front tyres 155/65 R 15, rear tyres 175/60 R 15).

Like the pulse, the fabric elements on the instrument panel, knee pad and door trim match the colour of the upholstery. Three different colours with a special fabric design are available.

Further standard equipment includes air conditioning with temperature control, a 2-spoke leather steering wheel with leather gear knob and the softouch automatic gear programme. Like the pulse, the passion features electric windows and also a luggage compartment cover including a net bag.