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Written by Tom Harrison
Say hello to the Smart Brabus, the hot version of Mercedes"s impossibly tiny city car. How hot are we talking? A meatier version of the standard Smart"s 898cc blown three-cylinder delivers 108bhp and 125lb ft improvements of nearly 20bhp and 25lb ft over standard. Handy.In the ForTwo (Coupe and Cabrio), 0-62mph is dealt with in 9.5secs, and it"ll run on to a top speed of 103mph. The ForFour is a second to slower to 62mph but its presumably slipperier aero helps it get a bit of extra speed, with a 112mph VMax. It certainly looks meaner than its tiddly two-seat siblings.Besides the power, you get stiffer suspension, retuned ESP and a sports exhaust, plus variable ratio steering with "increased return torque" for better feedback. Pity it"s auto only (the current car"s DCT is leagues ahead of the rather awful automated manual of old, mind), but Smart promises responses have been sharpened and ratios shortened for maximum sportiness. It"s even got launch control, which sounds reassuringly simple to engage (left foot on the brake, floor the accelerator and release). Good for the traffic light GP. Probably.
Date written: 24 Apr 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3129
Say hello to the Smart Brabus, the hot version of Mercedes"s impossibly tiny city car. How hot are we talking? A meatier version of the standard Smart"s 898cc blown three-cylinder delivers 108bhp and 125lb ft improvements of nearly 20bhp and 25lb ft over standard. Handy.In the ForTwo (Coupe and Cabrio), 0-62mph is dealt with in 9.5secs, and it"ll run on to a top speed of 103mph. The ForFour is a second to slower to 62mph but its presumably slipperier aero helps it get a bit of extra speed, with a 112mph VMax. It certainly looks meaner than its tiddly two-seat siblings.Besides the power, you get stiffer suspension, retuned ESP and a sports exhaust, plus variable ratio steering with "increased return torque" for better feedback. Pity it"s auto only (the current car"s DCT is leagues ahead of the rather awful automated manual of old, mind), but Smart promises responses have been sharpened and ratios shortened for maximum sportiness. It"s even got launch control, which sounds reassuringly simple to engage (left foot on the brake, floor the accelerator and release). Good for the traffic light GP. Probably.
Date written: 24 Apr 2016
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 3129