Daimler’s Smart brand has stumbled in the United States since launching in 2008, but the company’s partnership with Renault- Nissan promises to give new life to the small car brand.
The Renault- Nissan-Daimler alliance is expected to spawn a new four-seat smart model for the U.S., and per the terms of the agreement, Renault-Nissan and Daimler will jointly develop the new small car platform.
The platform will underpin the next-generation of the Renault Twingo, and will also serve as the basis for two new smart models. This new platform will continue to be rear-wheel drive, with a rear-engine as well.
The new platform will also underpin the next smart ForTwo, as well as serve as the architecture for a new four-seat Smart model – known as the smart FourTwo+2. smart CEO Annette Winkler said last month that the inter-company cooperation won’t lead to badge engineering, and that the jointly developed cars will be significantly different.
Daimler has yet to confirm if the four-seat model will be sold in the United States, but the prospect seems likely.
