We say goodbye to the forfour hatchback and roadster models and welcome the all-new fortwo models…  It will be launched out in UK this coming September 15, with its platform the ‘green’ bandwagon.  The coupe versions will have a starting price of £6,900 and £9.240 for the cabrio variants.  According to motortorque.askaprice.com, “Prices announced this week for the higher performance Brabus versions, which go on sale in the first quarter of 2008, see the coupe at £13,520 and the cabrio at £15,470.”

In 2008, the fortwo is expected to have 88g/km CO2, 85.7 mpg, diesel engine, a 71bhp petrol stop-start power unit and an all-electric version as additional features.

Back in the 1980s was when Mercedes Benz developed their first two-seat city car, and of course the automaker also equipped it with the best Mercedes parts including Mercedes catalytic converter.  However, it was not before 1994 that they decided to establish the smart brand, when they also taken over the Swatch micro-car project.  By 1998, the smart city-car/fortwo went on sale as their core product.

Early those times, cars being environmentally friendly were not a big issue.  If it was not the least, it was a low priority perhaps.  For that fact, people bought the fortwo mainly because of its look rather than its environmental credentials.

According to Ian Dutfield, marketing director for the Mercedes Car Group in the UK, “We see the present day going down in history as a ‘tipping point’, as a ‘green tipping point’, a point in time where there has been a significant rise in customers who want to lead energy conscious lifestyles without sacrificing individuality, mobility, comfort and safety.  Driving with fun and painlessly green is the central theme here.”  He further said, “The smart operation will now focus on coupe and cabrio models and we have no plans to expand the model range.  The business model for smart was initially wrong.  Now we have brought smart back to the market as it was intended – a city car, but greatly improved thanks to the input of the Mercedes-Benz and it now devotails into the Mercedes brand of models.”

Since green cars are in demand in the present time, they are opting to put the smart models in line.  “If people want more than two seats they will buy something else but the market place is moving towards cars of this nature due to congestion and ‘green’ issues,” said Dutfield.  “Because the residual values of the new generation fortwo models will improve, like for like they have more space, improved specification, better performance and a low group one insurance rating, so the new cars are a much better proposition than previous smarts.”  It shall be will more occupant room, more luggage space, more power, a new automated manual transmission and improved driveability.

Product executive for smart in the UK Andrew Gellatly said, “The world has changed now and small cars are the smart option.  This sector of the UK market has grown by 33 per cent this year.  Like-for-like the new smart models are cheaper than the ones they replace although they offer more in every area…”

More has been discussed in the site I have mentioned earlier.  You might observe that they are really in the good interest to make the smart cars well suited for everyone’s preference.