CO2-Champion

The smart fortwo seems to be just what the doctor ordered: 770,000 of the diminutive cars are on European streets. The Museum of Modern Art added one to its collection. The German environmental research institute Öko-Trend recently certified the vehicle’s remarkable environmental friendliness. The smart is looking smarter than ever: The fortwo has established itself in a tough market, and its cdi model is the most successful – or rather the only – 3-liter car in the world (over 67 miles per gallon). Now the market is bracing for the new smart fortwo: It is 20 centimeters (8 inches) longer, even more economical, and an allround improvement on its predecessor.

The engineers who designed the new smart fortwo aimed to combine comfort, agility, and safety while continuing to enhance environmental friendliness – and succeeded. The cdi diesel version, which like the three gasoline-driven models sports an improved 5-speed transmission, achieves a fuel economy of 3.3 liters (67 mpg) over a distance of 100 kilometers. At 88 grams per kilometer, its carbon dioxide emissions are the lowest in any vehicle class. Despite their improved performance, the new model gasoline engines achieve 48 to 50 miles per gallon (between 4.9 and 4.7 liters of fuel per 100 km).

Even at maximum output, carbon dioxide emissions climb to a mere 116 grams per kilometer. For comparison: The European Union Commission has presented a strategy that would require average CO2 emissions of new cars sold in the EU to meet a target of 120 grams per kilometer by 2012. Improvements in vehicle technology will lower emissions to 130 g/km, with supplemental measures providing an additional 10-gram reduction. Late 2007 will see the launch of a 52-kilowatt model with an integrated start-stop system. It will cut fuel consumption in city driving by another 13 percent.

The principle of resource conservation finds application in structural features and manufacturing methods as well. The instrument panel boasts natural fibers from flax. The chassis is powder-coated, a process that avoids the use of lead and cadmium and produces neither solvent fumes nor hazardous waste. Exterior components of flexible plastic are extremely light and 100 percent recyclable. A comforting thought when driving in the city: In minor collisions, they bounce back without a scratch – and plastic has never been known to rust! The smart should appeal to Americans: The stubby runabout reaches U.S. dealerships in 2008.