Following yesterday’s leaked photos, Smart has released the official press release and photo gallery of its Frankfurt Motor Show concept car, the Fourjoy. According to the Daimler-owned company, the four-seater is the forerunner of a new Smart generation – very likely the next ForFour.

The study features no doors, no rear window and has an open roof so that showgoers can get an unobstructed view of the futuristic interior that includes a lounge-style rear bench.

The dimensions of the four-seater Fourjoy qualify it for the B-segment at 3,494mm long, 1,978mm wide and 1,494mm tall (137.6-in / 77.9-in / 58.8-in respectively). As we anticipated when we first saw the photos, Smart says “the exterior proportions already reveal a lot about the appearance of our four-seater production Smart which will be launched at the end of 2014.”

The design is unmistakably Smart, featuring cues like the pronounced polished aluminum tridion safety cell, extremely short overhangs and wheels positioned on the four most outer points, among others. The “friendly” looking front end of the car is due to the shape of the LED headlights and honeycomb grille, while the rectangular-shaped LED taillights are integrated in the tridion cell, as with the first generation Smart ForTwo.

On the inside, the Fourjoy features two sculptural white front seats and a rear bench, which seem to float as the floor of the car is black. Made of transparent, illuminated plexiglass, the instrument panel support gives the impression of depth, while the design of the spherical instrument cluster and the single-spoke steering wheel remind of the original Smart. The car features two smartphones mounted on the dashboard and on the centre tunnel at the rear for connectivity and entertainment for all four passengers. It also has two electrically driven skateboards fastened on the roof, helmets under the rear seats and a removable high-definition camera.

The study is powered by 55kW (74hp) magneto-electric motor positioned at the rear and based on the current ForTwo Electric Drive. The unit is linked to a 17.6kWh lithium-ion battery that takes up to 7 hours to fully charge at a household socket or charging station. However, charging time at a wall-box or public charging station can be shortened to less than one hour with the 22 kW on-board charger and a rapid charging cable. 

By Dan Mihalascu

PHOTO GALLERY

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