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EXCLUSIVE: 88g/km Smart to become UK's cleanest car by 2009
Date: 12 June 2008 | Author: Guy Bird
City car brand Smart will have the lowest-emission conventional-engined car on sale in the UK from early next year.
A diesel CDI version of the two-seater Fortwo coupe and cabriolet is being readied in right-hand drive guise for the first time, offering an incredible 85.6mpg and just 88g/km of CO2.
The tiny 45PS 799cc three-cylinder common-rail direct-injection engine won't be the quickest on the road but still manages to scrape under the sub-20 second 0-62mph barrier, recording 19.8 seconds for its 'sprint'. Top speed will be 84mph.
Sales start in February 2009 with prices likely to be slightly higher than the petrol equivalent - if pricing in continental Europe is any guide - and expected to start from circa £7500 in Pure and Passion trims only.
Due to launch sooner - in October 2008 - all petrol Smart Fortwo coupe and cabriolet models become stop/start technology-enabled as standard offering 65.7mpg and 105g/km CO2.
Marc Palmer, UK product manager for Smart, reported strong sales for the Smart this year, with 2000 registrations recorded in the first quarter and sales of about 500 a month at present - 20-30% of which are going to business customers.
