The new 220 km/h smart forfour BRABUS

Smart and BRABUS

smart models have always represented more than just a mode of transport from A to B: they are an expression of innovation and joie de vivre, of intelligence and high functionality. They have long since achieved cult status. smart owners identify with their make more so than drivers of other vehicles. It's fun to drive a smart, and the smart world is fun. This can be seen from the fact that many buyers choose to go beyond the standard equipment in order to personalise their vehicles.

This discovery resulted in the establishment of smart-BRABUS GmbH in March 2002. The aim of this company was to develop products that raised the smart range to a new dimension. A comparison might be drawn with the successful AMG models from Mercedes-Benz. Like AMG, the smart BRABUS models are also aimed at sophisticated buyers who are enthusiastic about design and technology, and who place great emphasis on individuality and the high quality of materials.

Technology and design thus also represent the main fields of activity for the developers in Bottrop, Germany. First of all they increased the performance of the 698 cc, three-cylinder engine in the smart fortwo to 55 kW / 75 bhp, and that of the smart roadster / roadster-coupé to no less than 74 kW / 101 bhp. That means that this sporty pair of roadsters can now reach top speeds of 190 and 195 km/h, without their fuel consumption or their suitability for everyday use suffering in the slightest.

For the four-seater smart forfour with the 1.5 l engine, BRABUS has developed a kit for boosting performance. This increases the standard 80 kW / 109 bhp to 90 kW / 122 bhp, while also increasing torque. The kit essentially consists of new camshafts and reinforced valve springs, together with new software for the engine electronics - and it can even be retrofitted in any smart forfour with a 1.5 l petrol engine.

The “pièce de resistance” of the engine programme is the new turbo engine for the smart forfour BRABUS, which delivers no less than 130 kW / 177 bhp. Like the standard engine, it has a capacity of 1.5 litres, but it is not quite the same. With a top speed of 221 km/h and acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 6.9 seconds, it provides a driving experience like that of a sports car – though it is also entirely suitable for day-to-day use, and still consumes just 6.8 litres of fuel per 100 km, a figure in line with modern standards.

smart-BRABUS’s second main activity is the production of custom components and accessories for the vehicle body, inside and out – from front and rear spoilers to a sports steering wheel, from special wheels to a sports exhaust system, and many other details. These supplement the standard equipment to lend any smart model a dynamic, elegant appearance, and a unique one, too: for the smart forfour series alone the range of equipment, colours and materials makes more than 6,000 combinations possible. And the choice of equipment is just as big for the other models. The smart-BRABUS range even increases these figures many times over: every smart is one of a kind, tailored precisely to the customer’s wishes.

Production of the BRABUS models has been incorporated into smart’s production and distribution processes. Limited special models, however, are customised in Bottrop. These too can be ordered from smart centers, which will also take care of matters such as warranties, servicing and repairs.