Geely, Mercedes co-developed Smart crossover coming soon?
There could be a bigger Smart model after ForTwo and ForFour
When we think of Smart, we think of the telecom company. But for those who don't remember, it is also the name of a German automotive brand under Mercedes-Benz. If you do recall the brand, their line-up consists of small city vehicles such as the Fortwo and ForFour. The automaker is known for building microcars, and they have been doing so since the early 2000s. While their models have grown in size over the years, they're still relatively small in comparison. However, that might change soon.
Like most manufacturers, Smart is jumping in on the crossover bandwagon. Not only that, it could be launched very soon. Reports even say it will be co-developed by Mercedes-Benz and Geely. Though not officially confirmed by Mercedes or Smart themselves, Daniel Lescow, Vice President of Sales, Marketing, and After Sales at Smart have confirmed the project through interviews and even on his Linkedin posts. Lescow even adds it would arrive sometime in 2022 for the European and China market.
As you may remember, Mercedes and Geely joined forces in 2019 to build the next-generation of Smart EVs aimed at the global market. Soon, we might see the first product of their collaboration. According to a report from Autocar UK, Smart will reveal a new concept vehicle at the Munich motor show this coming September 2021. Specifically, the Smart concept will be a high-riding, five-door EV crossover. The said crossover will be comparable in size to the Mini Countryman.
Under the terms of their joint venture, Mercedes will be responsible for the design of the new model, while Geely will handle product development and powertrain. The report adds that the Smart crossover is internally codenamed HX11 and will ride on Geely's new Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA) platform for electric vehicles.
Unfortunately, no other details about Smart's upcoming crossover have surfaced. Assuming the reports are accurate, expect more details to be revealed in the coming months leading to the concept's debut in September.
