The german premium automobile manufacturer Mercedes Benz is planning to introduce ‘Smart’, the compact car brand into the Indian Market after having recently conducted a feasibility study for the same. It is rumoured that the Mercedes Smart will make its presence in India by early 2014 and may also depend on its global partners like Renault-Nissan for support. The company is also not ruling out the possibility of sourcing components and engines in future from its alliance partner’s plant in Chennai.
The Smart For-us is one of the best affordable small cars across the world and if you want a small car for navigating through the city traffic with a seating of two, the Smart For-us is a good option. However one must be willing to compromise on cargo space, standard interior features as well as performance. With a lively and robust design the new Smart For-us, makes a more powerful statement when compared to its previous model, the Smart Fortwo. The car measures 3547 mm in length, 1506 mm in width and 1701mm in height, and with these dimensions the vehicle could almost go unnoticed anywhere.
The interior of this Mercedes Smart car is also pretty decent with comfort and design combined to create an inviting interior with an unexpected feeling of spaciousness. The instrument panel gets a new styling with fabric covering and numerous reworked details to convey a harmonious, high quality overall impression and a new sense of lightness inside. Also the car gets a 16.5 cm touch screen, navigation, Bluetooth hands-free calls, iPod interface and CD/ DVD player.
The Smart Fortwo has a 3 cylinder inline engine with a total displacement volume of 999cc. Net power produced by the engine is 70 hp @ 5800 rpm, whereas a net torque of 68 lb-ft is produced at 4500 rpm. The car can reach a top speed of 145 km/hr and can accelerate from 0-100km/hr in 13.7 seconds. Also the Smart for-us gets a 55 kW magneto-electric motor with zero emission which makes the vehicle agile and lively to drive.
The Smart cars to be introduced in India could be priced between Rs 12-15 lakhs and could target the A2 segment cars for competition like the Maruti Swift, Ford Figo and Volkswagen Polo.
