Although they recently officially announced a return to their roots, with the launch of the Smart #2 model as a direct successor to the ForTwo model, Smart plans to expand its range at the other end as well – with the imminent introduction of the first sedan. From the Chinese Ministry of Industry and IT, the first photos and specifications of the model called Smart #6, the first limousine version of the brand’s car, have leaked.
Smart #6, as far as can be seen, marks a radical turn for the brand and is also the biggest model in the history of Smart. It also represents a departure from the strategy of complete electrification, so it gets a new plug-in hybrid drive. According to the first information, it develops a total of about 430 HP, and under ideal conditions it records a declared combined range of about 1,800 kilometers according to the Chinese standard CLTC cycle.
Almost as big as the E-Class
The new Smart #6 EHD is designed as a sedan with fastback silhouette, an LED light bar across the entire width at the front and back, and hidden handles and side cameras that emphasize aerodynamic purity. The body is 4,906 mm long, 1,922 mm wide and 1,508 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2,926 mm, making it larger than the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class, and close in dimensions to the Mercedes E-Class. At the rear, the active rear spoiler and slightly retracted trunk lid stand out, while the car is offered as standard with 19″ or 20″ rims and the possibility of personalizing numerous details.
At the heart of the drive is an Electric Hybrid Drive (EHD) system that combines a 1.5-liter turbo gasoline four-cylinder with an electric motor and a three-speed hybrid transmission, with the system designed for strong but economical acceleration. The total power reaches 429 hp, and the lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery enables up to approximately 285 km of purely electric driving according to the CLTC standard, with an average consumption of about 3.9 l/100 km. With a full tank of fuel and battery, Smart claims a combined range of approximately 1,810 kilometers, which positions the #6 among the most durable plug-in hybrids on the market.
From the outside, visible roof lidar and cameras point to advanced driver assistance systems and a higher level of semi-autonomous driving. The interior has not yet been fully revealed, but sources say that the Smart #6 will get a digital cockpit with a large central screen and a voice assistant supported by artificial intelligence. According to available information, Smart #6 will first be launched in the Chinese market, probably during the next year.