Smart For-Us Pickup Concept

[HighestOfHigh]

Fresh from its win in last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, Smart has unveiled a funky electric urban pickup concept at this week’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show.

Yes, this tiny concept car is an open-top pickup complete with a sturdy tray, which Smart claims is ideal for holding a pair of bikes or whatever else the vehicle’s two passengers may wish to carry--along as it’s small.

The electric drive of the For-Us Concept is based on the electric drivetrain that will feature in the latest-generation Smart ForTwo Electric Drive due this spring.

It consists of an electric motor rated at 73 horsepower and 95 pound-feet of torque and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 17.6 kWh. In the For-Us Concept this zero-emission drivetrain will see the vehicle reach a top speed of 75 mph.

One innovative feature is the vehicle’s charging outlet in the cargo area. Smart suggests carrying a pair of electric bikes, so that any driver of the For-Us can also reach destinations that are out of bounds for cars--for example traffic-calmed zones in the city or isolated park trails.

While we don’t expect Smart to launch a pickup model anytime soon, we can envisage the For-Us Concept’s open-top design featuring on a sporty new roadster model. Following the success MINI has enjoyed with all its variants spun-off the basic Cooper hatchback design, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Smart follow the same route using its next-generation ForTwo as the basis.

- Smart For-Us Pickup Concept Debuts At 2012 Detroit Auto Show

 

[Sayyaaf]

when Smart for none is coming ?

 

[Monster]

Reminds me of this..

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/515/isuzuvehicross.jpg/


Judging by this concept, I think MB has no idea about what to do with the Smart brand.

 

[Wolfgang]

there's a rumor the concept might be the basis for:


Renault May Reinvent Le Car

and:

http://www.germancarforum.com/smart/31288-new-smart-four-2.html

 

[mini_cooper4]

A new R5 sounds tempting!

 

[Wolfgang]

smart is rumored to be thinking about a small SUV, just 4.2 meters long?

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de

 

[Centurion]

^^
Hmm a white and green shoe box on wheels that can toppl over in banke corners.

 

[Wolfgang]

that can toppl over in banke corners.

Comes with standard ESP.

Many single-vehicle crashes involve rolling over, and ESP
effectiveness in preventing rollovers is even more dramatic. It
reduces the risk of fatal single-vehicle rollovers of SUVs by 80
percent, 77 percent for cars.

http://www.iihs.org/externaldata/srdata/docs/sr4105.pdf

 

[Levi68]

I liked the Smart Roadster. Bad they don't do it any more. This concept looks similar. It is important for a Smart to be short, but I would like them to be lower. I have no interest in drivng toilets. This concept looks low. I quite like it.