Speaking to journalists during a media event in Italy last week, Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche reiterated that the A-Class will remain the smallest model in Mercedes-Benz’s passenger car range, but he pointed out that Smart could produce a sub-compact model instead to rival vehicles like the VW Polo, Audi A1 and Renault Clio.
“We had a long debate about whether we should expand Mercedes into the B [subcompact] segment and we decided this is not going to happen,” said Zetsche, according to an Autonews Europe report. “There is a possibility that Smart could expand into the subcompact segment, but we have not decided that yet,” he added.
The Smart brand will introduce two new models this summer, the next generation ForTwo and the ForFour, ahead of their world premieres at the Paris Motor Show in the fall.
Sharing its underpinnings with the latest Renault Twingo, the 2015 ForFour is a four door, A-segment hatchback that measures approximately 3,500mm (137.8 inches) in length and competes against the Fiat 500. A B-segment model from Smart would be notably bigger at around 4,000mm long (+157 inches).
Given Daimler’s evolving partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance, we wouldn’t be surprised us if the two groups joined forces again for the development of a new Smart supermini. It wouldn’t be a first for Smart, as Daimler’s small car brand briefly offered the first generation ForFour sub-compact from 2004 to 2006 (pictured below), which was based on the Mitsubishi Colt, with the two cars built at the NedCar factory in Holland.
By John Halas
PHOTO GALLERY
