Smart Fortwo grows up

Mercedes is planning its cleverest Smarts yet and we have the pictures to prove it. Captured by our eagle-eyed spies, these images show a mule of the next-generation Fortwo city car carrying out some hot-weather tests in the south of France.

Our sources have also revealed that the new Fortwo will form the base for a lager, stretched Smart, currently known as the Fortwo+2.

Limited by its lack of space, the Fortwo has seen itself fall behind more practical rivals such as Toyota’s iQ, and with more premium vehicles on the way, including Audi’s A1 and the rumoured BMW Isetta, Smart has begun work on its own four-seater. The new Fortwo+2 will also get rear doors.

The standard Fortwo will remain a strict two-seater though, with both new cars continuing to be rear-wheel-drive, and housing the engine below the floor at the rear. The added length for the extra seats in the Fourtwo+2 coming from the longer wheelbase.

The Fortwo is expected to arrive in showrooms late next year with the four-seater arriving by 2012. Both cars will be available with a wide range of engine options, and will likely include a hybrid and an electric version.