Source: Daimler AG, Riccione/Stuttgart.

From 4 – 7 August 2011, 1,500 smart fans from 22 countries gathered in the Italian seaside resort of Riccione for the largest event of the smart community worldwide.

Over four days the fans – who came together in Italy instead of Austria for the first time after ten years – shared their passion for the small city car and connected with designers, tuners and experts. Next year the community will congregate in Belgium.

smart times has long become a firm date in the international event calendar for all fans of the small city car. And the participants are prepared to go to great lengths to attend. For example, a group of smart drivers drove an amazing 2,286 kilometres in order to attend the event in Riccione. It had the longest journey to the Italian seaside resort.

From beach volleyball on the beach in Riccione, to a visit to Aquafan, Europe’s largest aquapark, or a lap on one of Italy’s most famous racetracks – the Misano World Circuit – all the items on the programme of this year’s smart times proved very popular. A special highlight was the excursion entitled “smart meets Museo Ferrari” to the home of the world-famous red sports car. At the traditional smart times parade the fans set a further new record: more than 800 smart vehicles drove through the streets of Riccione to the delight of onlookers. Plenty of opportunities to take test drives, to talk at length with smart experts, parties every night and the annual smart flea market rounded off the programme. All the visitors had a great time at the event under the Italian sun and they are already excitedly looking forward to next year’s smart times.

In 2012 the international smart community will gather in Belgium.

Source: Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Jul 21, 2011

smart is continuing its series of exciting special models with the new smart fortwo pearlgrey. The exclusive graphite metallic paintwork in combination with a silver tridion safety cell and silver alloy wheels creates a classic and elegant appearance. The interior is most notably upgraded by the exclusive leather package in crystal grey (a standard feature). The smart fortwo pearlgrey is available as a coupé and a cabrio with prices starting from €14,490.

From young and sassy to sporty-casual – the multitalented smart shines in many roles. Now the new limited special model smart fortwo pearlgrey has donned a classic and elegant appearance. Exterior features include exclusive graphite metallic paintwork which forms an attractive contrast to the silver tridion safety cell and the silver alloy wheels with a 3-double-spoke design. The mirror caps and radiator grille are also painted in graphite metallic and the mirror triangles feature pearlgrey logos. The front and rear axles are fitted with wide tyres measuring 175/55 R 15 (front) and 195/50 R 15 (rear).

The interior also boasts an elegant design. The exclusive leather package is a standard feature and lends the vehicle an unusual and luxurious look with seats in a mix of crystal grey leather and fabric. It also comprises the top part of the instrument panel in black imitation leather with contrasting light grey seams, a knee pad in crystal grey imitation leather and door trims in a combination of crystal grey imitation leather and fabric. The smart fortwo pearlgrey boasts matt silver contrast components. Further standard features include dashboard instruments (cockpit clock and rev counter), an audio system and exclusive floor mats featuring edition lettering.

The limited model is based on the passion equipment line which means that it comes with the softouch automatic gear programme, electric windows, air conditioning with automatic temperature control and a transparent panoramic roof with sunblind among other features. The optional equipment available includes heated seats, the smart surround sound system and the smart audio system navigation/multimedia.

The smart fortwo pearlgrey is available as a coupé and a cabrio with a 52kW micro hybrid drive petrol engine or a 62kW petrol engine with prices starting at €14,490. The special model can be ordered from 21 July 2011 and the first vehicles will reach dealers in November 2011.

Prices in Germany start at 14,490 euro for the 71 hp coupe, 15,060 w/inline turbo (84 hp), including 19% VAT, for the cabrio editions you’re looking at 17,580 and 18,150.

Here’s the eye-candy for you to drool over:

300 zero-emission smart fortwo electric drive vehicles arrive in San Diego by the end of 2011.

(Source: Daimler, SAN DIEGO) – car2go N. A. LLC, a subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation, announced that San Diego will be the first North American city to have a 100-percent electric vehicle (EV) carsharing program. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N. A. LLC, and Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality, made the official announcement at a news conference at the El Cortez this morning.

“We’re proud that car2go has chosen to launch the first North American all-electric carsharing service in San Diego,” said San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders. “car2go’s launch here further supports our efforts to make San Diego the nation’s electric vehicle capital.”

The all-electric car2go program in San Diego is going to start operations before the end of 2011 with 300 smart fortwo electric drive vehicles.

“The launch of an all electric vehicle fleet marks a new era in carsharing in North America,” said Nicholas Cole, President and CEO of car2go N. A. LLC. “San Diego is a forward-thinking city determined to meet future transportation demands of its residents. Our goal is to complement the existing transportation infrastructure by providing an emission- free carsharing service for short and spontaneous one-way trips.”
All smart fortwo electric drive cars will be equipped with the latest car2go telematics technology, allowing fully automated, easy and convenient rental operations. As the world’s first free-floating carsharing service, car2go provides its members with the possibility to rent the cars spontaneously without having the burden to commit to a specific return time or location.

The car2go program is already very successful in four cities with a total of more than 40,000 members and 1,000 smart fortwo vehicles with low-emission gas engines.

Right from the beginning, the smart fortwo was designed for electric drive and that now shows,” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “I love driving the smart electric drive and I am convinced that the car2go members in California will enjoy using this forward technology to get around their home town San Diego – a new method of transportation both pleasing to the ear and the environment.”

The smart fortwo electric drive is powered by a 30 kW electric propulsion system. It is economical, quiet and emissions-free. In San Diego, the high-efficiency lithium-ion batteries can be recharged at designated EV charging stations. On a single charge, the car can travel up to 84 miles. Battery recharging time from 20 percent to 80 percent of battery full capacity is just three and a half hours. Recharging a completely discharged battery takes no more than eight hours, which makes it possible to recharge overnight. Past experience shows that this is seldom necessary, as the daily stretch covered by car2go drivers in urban areas rarely exceeds 6 miles.

“By being the first to make an all-electric network of vehicles easily accessible for thousands of people, we are revolutionizing carsharing and creating the future of the urban transportation,” says Cole.
The electric car2go vehicles will be charged at Blink EV charging stations developed by California-based technology provider ECOtality. The company is currently in the process of siting and installing the charging stations, and approximately 1,000 Blink commercial charging stations are expected to be installed by end of 2011 for public use in San Diego.

“Innovative carsharing programs like car2go’s service are pivotal to encouraging the mainstream adoption of electric vehicles,” said Jonathan Read, CEO of ECOtality. “As we deploy approximately 1,000 Blink charging stations in the San Diego region as part of The EV Project, we are creating the robust public infrastructure necessary for car2go’s program to succeed. Together, we will show that EVs are a perfect fit for the lifestyle of San Diego drivers.”

The electric car2go service in San Diego will be operated by car2go N. A. LLC. Further details of the service such as business area, parking and charging concept as well as start of customer registrations will be announced in the near future.

And now, of course, the eye candy:

[Excerpt from Source: Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Jul 06, 2011]

More driving pleasure in high mountain regions: Daimler fields seven electric cars for the 2011 Silvretta electric car race.

Electric cars of the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands drive emission-free through the Montafon region, as well the Stuttgart automaker (again) had the biggest lineup of electric vehicles at the start of the Silvretta electric car rally.

Following last year’s successful debut, from 7 to 9 July 2011 the second Silvretta electric car rally takes place in the Montafon region of Austria. This time Daimler AG is competing with a total of seven electric cars of the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands. At the start for the second time: the smart fortwo electric drive and the B-Class F-CELL. A first-time participant this year is the battery-electric A-Class E-CELL. The highlight of the rally is again the highly efficient super sports car SLS AMG E-CELL, whose market launch is scheduled for 2013.

Speed is not of the essence in the three-day rally that leads through the Vorarlberg mountain landscape, but regularity and skill. Covering a total distance of almost 300 kilometers and a total difference in altitude of 5500 meters, the electric car rally is almost twice as long as the premiere in 2010 and, as a comparison of the courses shows, far more demanding. Gradients of up to 14 percent must be negotiated with precision. The driver teams are put through various trials in which hundredths of seconds count in the scoring. But they will be rewarded with views of the picturesque Montafon mountains. The rally takes the locally emission-free, noiseless electric cars through the Austrian provinces Vorarlberg and Tyrol.

Vorarlberg province is one of the biggest model regions in Europe for the introduction and development of electric mobility. The Austrian energy supply company illwerke vkw, a partner of the Silvretta electric car rally, supports the model region under the name VLOTTE – an artificial coinage from Vorarlberg and Flotte, the German for fleet. Illwerke vkw is steadily expanding the necessary infrastructure for electrically powered vehicles in the region and in this way promotes the emergence of a proper electric mobility network.

Electric cars from Mercedes-Benz and smart

By taking part in the electric rally, Daimler demonstrates once again how practical and reliable its electric cars already are today. The higher demands of this year’s rally pose no obstacle to the competing vehicles.
The vehicles made available for the tour show just how varied the Daimler range of electric cars with battery or fuel cell already is today. With the smart fortwo electric drive, the ideal battery-electric urban car takes the start in the rally. With a range of 135 kilometers the electric smart delivers loads of driving pleasure in urban settings.

The Mercedes-Benz B-Class F-CELL runs on hydrogen and has a locally emission-free range of about 400 kilometers. Just recently Mercedes-Benz demonstrated its workaday practicality and technical maturity in the F-CELL World Drive: from late January through early June, three Mercedes B-Class F-CELL cars drove round the world, covering more than 30,000 kilometers through 14 countries on four continents. The vehicle thus suggests itself especially for use over longer distances and can be completely refueled in less than three minutes. Also, for the first time the A-Class E-CELL is competing in the electric car rally. It offers lots of space, variability and utmost comfort – combined with zero emissions. With an operating range of over 200 kilometers it is well-suited for locally emission-free urban and interurban travel. All models are fully up to production standard and already are available to selected customers.

A highlight of the electric rally is the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL. The development mule for the car that will come out on the market in 2013 proves on the winding Alpine course that dynamic driving pleasure in combination with an electric drive is not a contradiction at all. The fascinating gullwing car with the emission-free high-tech drive featuring a peak output of 392 kW and peak torque of 880 Newton meters clearly is the trendsetter in the super sports car market segment.

Want some pics? Sure you do, here they are:

[Source: Daimler, VANCOUVER, B.C., Jun 16 2011]

car2go, the world’s first free floating carsharing service, announced today that a fleet of 225 smart “car2go edition” vehicles will be ready for “on-demand” rentals beginning on June 18th in Vancouver.

On April 27th, car2go Canada Ltd CEO Nicholas Cole and Mayor Gregor Robertson announced Vancouver, British Columbia as the first Canadian city selected to launch the innovative carsharing service, where cars have no reservations time limits, and members are allowed to make one-way trips instead of returning cars to their pickup location. Since the announcement, approximately 2,000 Vancouverites have registered and received their membership cards. Members will be able to drive the vehicles starting Saturday June 18th.
Following the overwhelmingly positive response, car2go has extended the free registration period (which represents a $35 value) until July 3rd. Vancouver residents can register at www.car2govancouver.com, or in person at the car2go office at 45 Water Street in Gastown.

To further celebrate the launch, car2go is also extending an open invitation to special events held at four neighbourhood coffee houses in Vancouver on Saturday June 18th. Between 10am and 5pm, residents can register in person, receive their membership card on-site, take a car2go for a short drive and enjoy a free coffee at the following four local iconic coffee houses:

Waves Coffee, 2588 Main Street,
Kits Coffee Co, 2198 West 4th Avenue
Delany’s Coffee House, 1105 Denman St
Bean Around the World in Yaletown, 1002 Mainland St.

As a sustainable transportation option, car2go is pleased to be playing a role in the City of Vancouver’s goal to become the “greenest city” in the world by 2020. Members can rent a car2go “on-demand” or reserve a vehicle up to 24 hours in advance. The car2go vehicles that are readily available to be driven can be viewed on the internet or with a smartphone app, and can be driven for as long as needed without committing to a return time. Just simply end the rental by leaving the vehicle at any “permit only” on-street parking spot in downtown or residential neighbourhoods within the defined business area, or in one of the specially marked car2go parking spaces.

Members pay for what they use by the minute with discounted rates for hourly and daily use and are only charged for the time they use the car2go. Rates include fuel, parking, mileage, insurance, maintenance and GPS navigation.

car2go now has a global network of more than 40,000 members and 1,000 smart vehicles. Based on its impressive success, car2go will further expand in other North American and European cities in 2011.

Now if they can only help Vancouver with that Stanley cup thing.. hehe..

[Source: Daimler AG, Stuttgart/Riccione, Jun 06, 2011]

After ten years in Austria, this year the world’s largest gathering of smart fans is taking place in Italy for the first time. From 4 – 7 August 2011 the European smart community will come together in the seaside resort of Riccione on the Adriatic coast. In future smart times will take place in a different country each year. This reflects the continuously growing importance of the event for

the smart brand. In the space of ten years smart times has evolved from a small gathering to a large European event. More than 4000 smart enthusiasts from 22 countries, some with individually designed vehicles, are expected in Riccione where they will celebrate their passion for smart cars together and connect with designers, tuners and industry experts.

“smart times is a fantastic event, where thousands of smart fans come every year from all over Europe to share their enthusiasm and love for the brand, experience road trips and concerts and present their wonderful, resourcefully designed cars at the smart parade” says Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart. “In future smart times will take place in a different country each year to increase the appeal of the get-together for the smart family.”

In Riccione attendees can look forward to a private beach with a stage and a varied programme comprising sport, fun and entertainment with a focus on the smart fortwo plus a very special highlight: the “smart meets Museo Ferrari” excursion to Maranello.

An overview of smart times 2011
1 – 3 August: smart times on vacation
To get into the mood for the event the community can congregate in Riccione three days before the official start of smart times. smart fans will have an opportunity to take part in outings to the hinterland and the Po delta where they can get to know each other and enjoy a holiday feeling as they cruise through the picturesque countryside of Emilia Romagna.

4 August: smart meets Museo Ferrari
To kick off the smart times weekend with its competitions, shows, action, innovations and exchange of information the participants will be able to enjoy a very special highlight in the form of a visit to the home of the famous red sports car: “smart meets Museo Ferrari”.

5 August: beach volleyball and smart times contest
On day two beach volleyball and the smart times contest will provide plenty of variety and excitement. At the smart times contest a jury will rate the tuning, design and performance of the various smart models. The programme will be rounded off by test drives and an “after party” every evening.

6 August: smart times parade
At 10 a.m. the starting signal will be given for the traditional smart times parade. In the afternoon smart experts will be available to answer all questions relating to the brand. In the evening smart will invite the fans to Piazzale Roma where the secret “smart times 12 goes to …” will be revealed.

7 August: smart flea market
The event will come to an end with the traditional “smart flea market”. Fan articles and all kinds of used parts will come under the hammer. Then it’s time to say goodbye and see you next year in …

smart times networking
A virtual get-together is already taking place in the run-up to the event at www.facebook.com/smarttimes For example, the regular live chat “smart times TechTalk” offers fans an opportunity to compare notes with smart experts and like-minded people and to become actively involved in the smart community.

All information on the event can be found on the website www.smart.com. Attendance at smart times is free of charge. However, accreditation (Editor’s note: I think they mean, registration?) is a prerequisite – also at www.smart.com .

[Source: Daimler AG, Stuttgart, Mar 15, 2011]

Surprisingly different: Mirror, mirror, on the road…

smart presents an electric two-seater in a glitzy ‘disco-ball’ look in Berlin. This smart fortwo electric drive is completely covered in reflective glass tiles from the roof to the hub caps and the windows also feature a mirror finish. The one-off model was conceived by the experimental artist formation ‘Apparatjik’ to be used in a film titled ‘Pixel City’, realized for their current installation at Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin. The project is brought to a climax by two very unusual live performances on the 26th and 27th of March.

[ part of our smart at the Geneva Motor Show 2011 coverage ]

A smart fortwo with a truly unique voice. Showcasing its “smart personal sounds” concept car, smart is demonstrating how fortwo drivers can use sounds to personalise their vehicles even further. For example, when ?drivers apply the handbrake or operate the windscreen wipers, they will hear a sound that they personally selected. As with mobile phone ring tones, customers could download these sounds online and install them in their smart fortwo.

Even now there are barely two smarts that look exactly alike. But for an even greater degree of individualisation, drivers of the popular smart cars may be able to choose personal sounds as well in future: the smart personal sounds concept produces individual sounds in response to specific ?driver actions. These small MP3 sound files are freely programmable and interchangeable. For example, having had the doors open to the sounds ?of a Doors guitar riff, a driver might decide that he or she would like to ?be greeted by Joe Cocker’s guttural growl in future. In the same way, for ?instance, an independent sound profile could be created for the light switches, indicators or heated rear windows. It is conceivable that these sounds could be available for downloading online in the same way as mobile phone ring tones are.

The technical implementation for the concept car is based on the fact that many of the actions performed by the driver and the vehicle activate signals in the internal vehicle communication system. With smart personal sounds, ?a predefined selection of these signals will be read out and linked with the sound files via special software. When an action is performed, the allocated sound is sent to the smart fortwo’s audio unit and can be heard via the ?vehicle’s loudspeakers.

The original idea for smart personal sounds came from the young employees in the CAReer trainee program, who were given the task of describing and developing an innovative business idea. CAReer is Daimler’s group-wide programme aimed at providing practical experience for university ?graduates and career newcomers. It prepares participants for later ?specialisations and for possible managerial functions.

[part of our "smart at the Geneva Motor Show 2011" series.. scroll to the bottom for some awesome photos of this car]

Proving that electric mobility can be fun

smart forspeed: zero emissions, great fun to drive and a cool design

smart is presenting an unconventional study at the Geneva Motor Show: the forspeed combines contemporary urban mobility with the fun factor typical of smart. The two-seater has no roof or side windows and it features a low wind deflector instead of a windscreen in the style of a classic propeller aircraft. The result is an incomparable fresh air driving experience. The responsive electric drive that has been further developed and features a boost function also guarantees driving pleasure. A look forward at the next generation is particularly exciting as the era of electric mobility has already started at smart.

No roof, minimal windows and a responsive and zero-emission electric drive at the rear: the smart forspeed combines responsibility and emotional appeal in a new and pleasurable way. Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart says “The smart forspeed is a completely new take on how much fun it is to drive electric: it boasts a superb design with a powerful drive system and, needless to say, locally emission-free. And if you put the smart forspeed next to our ebike, escooter and smart fortwo electric drive you’ll see that smart has realised all kinds of variations of electric driving – demonstrating that smart is not just a practical city car, but a great idea.” The smart forspeed boasts an extremely innovative and self-assured design. Prof. Dr. h. c. Gorden Wagener, Head of Design says “The smart brand has always taken an unconventional approach with bold design. The forspeed now carries purist sportiness to extremes and in terms of form it is also a pioneer for a new paradigm of mobility.”

Powerful and environmentally friendly electric drive with an extra boost

smart is a pioneer in modern electric mobility. The second generation smart fortwo electric drive has been delivered to customers since the end of 2009. It is been proving its suitability for everyday use in 18 countries including Germany, Italy, Spain, England, France, Switzerland, the USA, Canada and further countries in Asia. Due to the high demand production figures have been increased to 1500 vehicles. Thanks to this experience smart has already collected extensive customer feedback that has been integrated in the development of the smart forspeed’s electric drive. With its improved performance and charge management the concept vehicle offers a look at the performance potential of future generations of the electric smart.

For example, the smart forspeed accelerates from 0 to 60 km/h in just 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 120 km/h. A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the smart forspeed and the vehicle concept provides an immediate powerful response from stationary. Pressing a button in the centre console activates a boost function which provides an extra 5 kW of power for a short time and is ideal for overtaking manoeuvres on urban highways, for example. The smart forspeed is powered by a lithium-ion battery that delivers 16.5 kWh of electrical energy. It is simple to charge at any conventional 220 Volt socket. The charging device is located in the third brake light behind the smart logo and features a simple push/push opening mechanism. A fully charged battery is sufficient for 135 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). Quick charging from 0 to 80 percent takes just 45 minutes.

The forspeed developers have integrated a further clever way of charging in the wind deflector: photovoltaic cells feed solar power to the on-board electrical system. As with the smart escooter this lengthens the battery life of the smartphone, for example.

Unconventional exterior

With its high-gloss white metallic paintwork the smart forspeed also builds a bridge to the two-wheel escooter and ebike studies that were presented at the Paris Motor Show.

The front and rear lamps have a very striking design. The outer rings are illuminated by a large number of rod-shaped LEDs whilst the centre of the lamps is white. The indicators seem to push outwards like arrows – like drops on the cockpit window of an aeroplane as it takes off. In the front and rear bumpers numerous holes with a honeycomb structure serve as air inlets and create an interesting progressive pattern. At the same time this pattern gives the forspeed a particularly wide appearance and a powerful road stance. The smart forspeed is fitted with front tyres in size 205/35 R 18 to match its dynamic look. On the driven rear axle the tyres measure 235/30 R 18 for full grip.

Purist and sporty interior

The exterior and interior of the smart forspeed are designed as a formal unit. This is manifested in numerous details: the tridion safety cell flows from the outside behind the roll-over bars towards the front to the cockpit and forms the centre tunnel as a load-bearing part. The outer and inner door sections connect seamlessly to form a single component, just like the floor and side walls. The leather seats also have a one-shell design and are a modern interpretation of purist sportiness.

The air inlet in the wind deflector ends in the central outlet in the centre console and can provide even more fresh air for the interior when needed.

The high-gloss white of the exterior paintwork also dominates in the interior. It is accentuated by green elements such as the sporty four-point seat belts for driver and passenger or the large horizontal shelf under the cockpit that provides stowage space. All the control elements that the driver uses particularly frequently, such as the gear lever, door openers or steering wheel come in natural brown leather. By contrast, load-bearing structural components such as the tridion safety cell or the curved trims on the instrument hoods are in matt platinum silver. Functional elements such as the steering wheel buttons and the shift lever with gate are painted in silver shadow.

The open two-seater has been deliberately designed without an outer door handle – an interior grip is all that is needed to open the door. The control for the electric parking brake is particularly convenient to operate and also has a simple and functional design: the switch on the centre tunnel is reminiscent of the lever used to pull in the landing gear of aircraft.

There is a block with ten LEDs in the middle of the instrument panel. When the forspeed is started the LEDs shine through the translucent paint and show the battery charge status of the electric smart. When switched off nothing is seen of the charge indicator except its outline.

Weatherproof thanks to tonneau cover and coating

The whole interior of the smart forspeed can be protected against rain and sun when necessary with a tonneau cover. It is an easy matter to stretch it over the interior and fasten it to the body with the straps. It can be divided in the middle with the help of a zip to free the driver’s seat only, for example.

But even without weather protection a downpour will not lead to any serious problems. Water drainage channels in the vehicle floor ensure that water is channeled outside. The seat surfaces also have water drainage channels and all interior equipment has a waterproof coating for fun behind the wheel regardless of the weather.

Smartphone as a communication centre

The purist sportiness of the interior is also reminiscent of classic aircraft construction: the driver and co-pilot sit in front of two separate round turbine-like instrument clusters. Whilst the driver has the speedometer firmly in his field of vision, the passenger is responsible for communication and navigation: this area of the cockpit features a smartphone. It can be swiveled by up to 90 degrees in its holder and towards the driver so that the driver can also take a look at the display of the navigation system.

As in the production models from smart, the smart drive app for the iPhone® has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, navigation with a special smart touch and a Car Finder that guides the driver back to the parked car.

Intelligent lightweight design, optimised aerodynamics and state-of-the-art LED technology

With its body made of glass fibre-reinforced plastic the smart forspeed is a real lightweight. The low power-to-weight ratio is conducive to driving pleasure. Moreover, the dynamic two-seater boasts excellent aerodynamics: round, taut forms, a deliberate lack of joints (for example on the single-piece front module), smooth, handleless surfaces on the doors and rear lid and the design of many details based on aircraft construction reduce aerodynamic resistance.

State-of-the-art LED lighting technology contributes to active safety. Furthermore, it is controlled intelligently: daytime running lamps are automatically activated during the daytime. The Citylight system also senses when the forspeed driver turns night into day: photoelectric sensors monitor the brightness and give the command to automatically switch on the low-beam headlamps when necessary.

[Source: Daimler AG, Stuttgart.]

With the claim “A big idea for…” smart is launching a new international brand campaign which focuses on the uniqueness of the vehicle’s concept in an unusual way. Five different stories are the common denominator for all communication activities. Each story demonstrates a feature of the smart fortwo, accompanied by humorous illustrations. They tell how this innovative vehicle improves the quality of life in pulsating cities. As a whole new vehicle concept ahead of its time right from the start, the smart is showing that it is the real city car. Compact, agile and individual as well as economical and with electric drive – all assets of the smart are addressed in the campaign. For example, the smart fortwo is a big idea for “…the city” because it fits in every parking space or for “…more uniqueness” because the individual program smart BRABUS tailor made offers endless possibilities for a unique and individual design and equipment.

Dr. Annette Winkler, Head of smart says “Right from the start smart was ahead of its time: Not just the perfect car for the city with a trendsetting design – it was also “a big idea”, a strong vision and a solution for the ever-increasing mobility and environmental problems in growing cities around the world. Almost 13 years after the first smart rolled off the production line approximately 1.25 million vehicles have been sold and it is a familiar part of the city roadscape. Not later than today we have the situation that moved the inventors of the smart to design this most consistent of all city cars that was far ahead of its time.

Now the time for the big “smart” idea has finally come, including the electric drive for which provisions were made right from the start – that’s what we want to demonstrate with our campaign.”

Marc Langenbrinck, Head of Sales & Marketing says “Our new campaign confidently communicates the leadership claim of the brand in the typical smart tongue-in-cheek manner as the inventor of the microcar segment and the best in class. The campaign clearly shows: The smart was, is and will be an icon, a big idea and a benefit for urban quality of life.”

The integrated campaign covers all communication channels – from print ads, posters and online banners to TV, online and cinema spots, a Facebook application and trade and dialogue marketing activities. It will also be integrated on the website www.smart.com and on smart’s mobile portal.

Need the visuals? Yup, here they are:

One of the new vids here, at smart’s YouTube channel: