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2015 Smart Fortwo, Forfour Concepts to Bow at Frankfurt Motor Show

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2015 Smart Fortwo, Forfour Concepts to Bow at Frankfurt Motor Show

Once the buzz of the auto industry, the Smart car is now as stale as the week old donuts the finance team left uneaten in the boardroom.

Long overdue, Smart will look to revive its sales next year with two all-new models, which will be previewed at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The first will be a concept for the volume Fortwo model, while the second will be a four-seater hatchback appropriately named the Forfour. Both will share the same basic structure and use a new direct-injection 900cc 3-cylinder engine co-developed with Renault with maximum output set at around 105 hp for turbocharged versions.

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A six-speed manual is planned, though unlikely for North America. Instead, US Smarts will make use of a new 7-speed dual-clutch automatic which replaces the much-criticized single-clutch version in the current car.

An electric powertrain will also be offered.

According to a new report the ForFour will be roughly three-feet longer than the current Smart fortwo, showing just how flexible the newly developed structure is. The style is expected to be inspired heavily by the Forstars concept (side), with rumors indicating another model (a crossover) based even more closely off the Forstars concept could follow.

[Source: Autocar]

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