The world’s smallest cabriolet gets a revamp

One look at the car and you will know this tiny cabriolet is part of the Smart family. Set to be unveiled at the Frankfurt Motorshow this month, Smart has given their innovative and FUN.ctional Smart Fortwo Cabrio a revamped in terms of safety and rigidity. The tiny cabrio, that measures at 2690mm in length, 1660mm in width and 1550mm in height, is the third car to join the new Smart Generation philosophy of FUN.ctional design.

Smart has made improvements all round but their proudest improvement for the Cabrio is the soft top that can be stowed and deployed within twelve seconds. Smart calls it the Tritop, owners can pick from either black red or blue denim. The area top is now 1.8m2 four per cent larger than the previous generation, the outer covering is made of a lightfast polyacrylic fabric and the inside features a polyester/ cotton mix that conceals a rubber layer in the middle.

The 20mm thick soft top will stow away into a compartment in the tailgate that still offers additional stowage space for small items like a first-aid kit. The roof bars can also be stowed away into the tailgate as well to give owners a full cabrio experience.

Another new improvement on the Smart Cabrio is the new rigid body. Smart has improved the torsional strength by 15 per cent compared to its predecessor. Other than creating a unique mix of material, Smart has also reinforced strategic locations in comparison with the Smart Coupe. Notable modifications also include a large steel cross under the vehicle and two torsional bulkheads under the vehicle at the front and rear.

Two engines will be available for the fortwo Cabrio measuring at 71bhp and 90bhp that will be mated to a choice of either a five-speed manual or five-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Owners can choose from three lines (Passion, Prime and Proxy) and the long list of optional safety and comfort safety including the Mirrorlink option.

If you’re wondering about safety, rest assured that the Smart Cabrio has been put through tough “abusive” testing and, as if that is not enough, the car was also put through the extensive testing programme that was designed for all open-top Mercedes-Benz Cars as well. Smart designers have even put the car through the Mercedes-Benz wind-tunnel to make sure the Cabrio has a draught-free interior!

It’s been 15 years since Smart introduced the cabrio version, and the company hopes to see the small car open top cult character grow more with the introduction of this refreshed Fortwo Cabrio.

Stay tuned to our coverage of the Frankfurt Motorshow on our social media pages!

Jerrica Leong