First Smart designed in co-operation with Geely is snapped testing on European roads wearing a disguise.
The new Smart #1 has been pictured testing on public roads in Europe ahead of its world premiere on 7 April.
A prototype of the upcoming electric small SUV was snapped by spy photographers wearing a black-and-white pattern, obscured further by a black sheet.
One image shows the rear of the #1 with its sheet removed, meaning the entire back end of the car, including its lights, rear window and spoiler are on display. It also features a panoramic sunroof and frameless doors.
Other features, such as the touch-sensitive light panels used to open the doors and the LED light clusters, were covered.
Smart released its own official ‘spy’ pictures back in February this year, where it detailed some of the model’s measurements.
The SUV measures 4290mm long, 1910mm wide and 1698mm tall, making it almost the same size as the Mercedes-Benz EQA electric crossover – a radical departure from Smart’s previous offerings, which were all notably compact.
Technical details meanwhile are yet to be revealed, but Smart confirmed the car will sit on a Geely-developed EV platform, which the firm says will offer “the highest level of dynamic handling and passive safety”.
Battery capacities and performance are also likely to be revealed at the model’s premiere in April, with rapid charging and over-the-air software updates likely.
The #1 will be the first model to be released under Smart’s rebirth as a “premium all-electric automotive technology brand”.
Smart’s new naming strategy will mean all new models will be designated with a hashtag, which it says reflects its ambition to recapture its image as a “trendsetter”.
There are currently no plans for Smart to re-enter the Australian market.
Jack Warrick