The recently-revealed 2016 Smart Fortwo may be more spacious and efficient than its predecessor, but it isn’t any more macho.
Perennial Mercedes-Benz tuner Brabus plans to fix that. The company has upgraded virtually everything in the Daimler portfolio, including previous Smart cars, and it’s prepared to work its magic on the new Fortwo.
According to Auto Express, Brabus will tune the optional 898-cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine to produce more than 110 horsepower, a significant improvement over the stock version’s 90 hp.
While that’s not really enough for bar boasting, it should give the tiny Smart plenty of pep, especially when paired with the available five-speed manual transmission. You can’t get a clutch on an AMG Mercedes, after all.
Speaking of AMG, Mercedes’ in-house tuner won’t be involved in the Smart project at all. That was the case with previous Smart performance models, all of which were built by Brabus.
While AMG recently took the bold step of tuning a compact, front-wheel drive platform with the CLA45 AMG and GLA45 AMG, working on a Smart might be too much of a stretch anyway.
The Smart Fortwo will always be an acquired taste, but Brabus should be up to the task of giving it more attitude.
In addition to a boost in power, the company’s typical aesthetic upgrades should help. Expect bigger wheels, a body kit and, hopefully, a less-cheery coat of black paint.
