2006 smart crosstown Concept

Inspired by the Jeep Wrangler or Mini Moke?

In the days leading up to the IAA, the air in Frankfurt (and the automotive community) was electric, as usual. It was crunch time for manufacturers, as they were on a mad race to put the finishing touches on secretive vehicles that were to be released at the very last second.�

One such vehicle that typifies short-lead development is smarts crosstown (lower case intentional), a new concept car that takes urban automotive fashion trends down to a diminutive level for a totally unique kind of inner-city transportation.

Life for this particular concept started out in a creative workshop where smarts designers were asked to conceptualize what the successor of the firms original fortwo city car might look like. Working up from ideas

smarts designers were asked to conceptualize what the successor of the firms original fortwo city car might look like. (Photo: smart)

to blueprints, and then quarter scale clay models before crafting a fully operational example, the crosstown gained many new and unique features. It was decided by officials that smart would use this fortwo experiment as a show car, and work began on the full-size version earlier this year.

The crosstown, like most other smarts is a tiny vehicle, working to further the reputation of the company as a leader in micro cars. At 105.5 inches in length, with a 74.8 inch long wheelbase and equal width and

By comparison, its only slightly larger than the fortwo, which is 98.4 inches long. (Photo: smart)

height of 62.2 inches, the crosstown is perfect for traffic-logged city centers. By comparison, its only slightly larger than the fortwo, which is 98.4 inches long, with a wheelbase of 71.3 inches, a width of 59.4 inches and a height of 61.0 inches. Miniscule overhangs of 15.7 inches up front and 15.4 inches in back would make the crosstown an easy vehicle to park. After canning the forfour-based formore, it seems likely that smart stylists still had a little bit of SUV-blood left over from the project still pumping through their veins. And while the crosstown has a low ride height and road tires, it embodies the look and feel of the popular and somewhat

From nose to tail the borrowed ideas are countless, like the flat-surfaced hood, round headlamps, retractable windshield and exterior-hinged doors. (Photo: smart)

nostalgic Jeep Wrangler. Or maybe the tiny Mini Moke? From nose to tail the borrowed ideas are countless, like the flat-surfaced hood, round headlamps, retractable windshield and exterior-hinged doors (OK, the Mini Moke didnt have doors but the Jeep does). Theres even a convertible roof, though the crosstowns fabric cloth roof is electrically retractable.

But dont let this boxy baby fool you. Unlike the prehistoric Wrangler, the smart is a thoroughly modern and technologically advanced vehicle. As with all other smarts, the crosstown features the very smart Tridion safety cell system which mates a high-tensile steel structure to lightweight polymer panels, resistant to accidents as well as dings and scratches - both commonplace in the city. The

Structural changes made to enhance passive safety as well as the dynamic driving character of the vehicle - a department where the original was lacking. (Photo: smart)

result is a small car with the passive safety of a big car, plus the unique opportunity for owners to customizing their vehicles by replacing the polymer panels.

And while stylists were requested to visualize what the second-generation fortwo would look like, theres good reason to believe that the next generation fortwo chassis and components are lurking underneath the matte metallic green and titanium finished shell. The rear-engine layout is still kept intact, but increases in all dimensions signal important structural changes made to enhance passive safety as well as the dynamic driving character of the vehicle - a department where the original was lacking.

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