Smart #2 exposed by Chinese regulator as Melbourne mural teases Geely EX2, Picanto and 500 production rival

The reborn Smart is about to reintroduce its defining model, with the Fortwo revival, now simply the ‘#2’, breaking cover this month.

Sort of. While a street mural in Melbourne proclaimed “IT’S BACK” above a hand-painted red #2, the real deal was outed in detail by the Chinese patent office.

It reveals clearer production specification of the concept version unveiled at this year’s Beijing Auto Show, where Chasing Cars reported that an electric Fortwo reboot was “80 per cent likely” to eventually come to the Australia market.

Big news on little car

The #2 looks set to reclaim its crown as the shortest car on the road, measuring 2764mm long, 1555mm tall and 1669mm wide. Though another archetypal small car, the Fiat 500, is even narrower and lower, it remains a substantial 80cm longer than the new Smart.

The latest Smart is a strict two-seater, whereas the Fiat has back seats, as does fellow mini-car the Kia Picanto.

Regulatory filings unearthed by Car News China reveal that at this stage there appears to be just one powertrain for the #2. 

A 60kW rear-wheel-drive motor is powered by a 35.7kWh lithium-iron-phosphate battery, with a claimed range of around 300km (WLTP).

Meagre as the motor and battery specs sound, the entire car weighs only 1130kg, so more impressive outputs are probably unnecessary.

The basic dashboard layout also emerged from patent filings. It may not be as touchscreen-dependent as its larger Smart stablemates, the #1 and #3, if we’re correct in assuming the inclusion of buttons between the air vents and the screen.

Mercedes-Benz founded Smart as a joint venture with Swatch, the watchmaker, in 1994. Nowadays Mercedes’ partner is Geely, owners of Volvo; the #2 will use Geely’s Electric Compact Architecture.

Street art Smart

While Smart’s local arm has confirmed that its Smart #5 midsize SUV is “coming soon to Australia” last this year, there’s no such assurance as yet for the #2. 

However, evidence that it is comes in the unusual form of street art on La Trobe Street in central Melbourne. 

Smart’s commissioned six murals across the world to drum up interest in the #2, and one is in Australia. The work of artist Georgia Laurie, it all but reveals the #2 will continue the soft, cutesy aesthetic of the #1 and #3.

It’s unclear whether the local importer’s “It’s coming back” communications catchphrase pertains to a global or local release. 

Smart hopes the #2 will “spark joy” like the tropicana-Melbourne fusion mural does when it’s properly unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October.

The original Fortwo was considered overpriced in Australia, costing $18,990 in 2013, its last full year on sale here. Today’s market might be kinder to it – adjusted for inflation, that 2013 Fortwo would be under $30,000 nowadays, so the #2 could become one of Australia’s cheapest (and cutest) EVs.