Smart Forspeed Concept will be displayed at 2011 Geneva Motor Show
By Steph, 21 Feb, 2011. 0 Comments
Smart Forspeed Concept
To show how much fun a green car with zero emissions can be, Daimler AG's Smart microcar brand created the Forspeed study for an electric roadster. Set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show, the concept has a range of 135km (84 miles) and is powered by a 30 kW electric motor fitted at the rear of the car. There are currently no plans to produce the Forspeed but the concept offers an outlook on the brand's future design language. Smart boss Annette Winkler told Automotive News Europe that some design elements will be seen in series production models. She added that the Forspeed strengthens the positioning of Smart as a “think tank for the electric mobility of the future.” The Forspeed, which has no roof or side windows, is made from lightweight glass fiber-reinforced plastic.
The Forspeed doesn’t have a windshield. Instead, it features a low wind deflector with integrated photovoltaic cells that provide solar power to the on-board electrical system. To protect against bad weather, the car's interior has a stretchable cover. Also, the concept doesn’t have door handles. The doors can be opened with an interior grip. Gorden Wagener, head of design at Smart parent Mercedes-Benz, said that the Forspeed is a new interpretation of the former Smart brand slogan "reduce to the max."
Wagener said that the concept is "young, trendy, puristic, but beautiful" and it has modern features that make it similar to an "iPhone on wheels." Its interior takes inspiration from an aircraft cockpit with the driver and passenger seated in front of separate instrument clusters. A smart phone is seen on the passenger side. This phone can be swiveled by up to 90 degrees in its holder toward the driver who can then view the navigation system display. The Forspeed can sprint from zero to 60kph in 5.5 seconds and it can reach a top speed of 120kph (75 mph). [via autocar]
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