Designing for a smarter future
By Mark Smyth2022-05-30T15:59:00
Smart has relaunched and its first model is the #1. Mark Smyth spoke with Henryk Strojwasiewicz of the design team
Smart is back and while it’s still part-owned by Mercedes-Benz, it’s now underpinned by the Chinese automotive giant, Geely as it embarks on a new chapter as a joint venture between the two companies. In 2019 it became the first established OEM to go all-electric and will continue to make the electric ForTwo that started it all for the brand, but there’s a new Smart in town and it’s wearing a hashtag.
The Smart #1 is the first model to come from the re-launch and it’s bigger and, if you’ll excuse the pun, smarter. It’s more connected than ever, with more tech, more driver assistance features and more space. It now sits on Geely’s open-source SEA platform that sees Smart move into the compact SUV realm.