Stuttgart �" The smart fortwo continues its string of successes. Since the end of March 2007, the new model of the innovative two-seater has been purchased by a total of 100,000 customers, representing a sales increase of more than 80 percent. Yesterday afternoon, Ulrich Kowalewski, director of the Mercedes-Benz Center Munich handed over the 100,000th second-generation smart fortwo to a 36-year-old customer in the recently re-opened smart Center Munich. “The new fortwo is even more comfortable, more agile, safer, and more environmentally friendly than its successful predecessor,” says Anders Sundt Jensen, who is responsible for brand management at smart. “The new fortwo is now offered in 37 countries, where enthusiastic customers are won over by the vehicle’s lifestyle-oriented design, as well as its exceptional fuel economy and environmental compatibility.”

The unique two-seater is most popular with customers in Italy and Germany, who account for two-thirds of all drivers of the new fortwo. Demand is particularly high for the premium equipment line “passion”, which is chosen by two out of three buyers worldwide. Twenty percent of smart car drivers in Germany and Italy take to the road in a smart fortwo cdi - the world’s CO2 champion. This fuel efficient diesel variant consumes only 3.3 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (NEDC) and features the world’s lowest CO2 emissions - 88 grams per kilometer.

A micro hybrid drive (mhd) version of the two-seater was introduced last October. This new fuel efficient technology cuts consumption of the gasoline variant by about eight percent in the combined cycle and even by around 20 percent in city driving. The vehicle’s start-stop function activates every time the car is stationary, which significantly reduces CO2 emissions. In recognition of these factors, the German Eco-Trend environmental research institute awarded its environmental certificate for cars to the smart fortwo mhd at the beginning of the year.

In February 2008, experts from the German automotive club ADAC and from various automotive magazines ranked the smart fortwo the most economical car on the German market, reaching this conclusion independently of one another. The experts at Autozeitung came to the conclusion that “the 61-hp basic gasoline-engine version costs only 24.5 Euro cents per kilometer to drive.” In addition to evaluating the operating costs, the experts took into account fixed costs including insurance premiums, taxes, service center fees, and value depreciation over time.

The fortwo also came out on top in the list of the most economical cars evaluated by auto motor und sport magazine. According to the magazine’s editors, the drivers of a fortwo cdi can travel 166 kilometers for just ten Euros - which no other car can match. The assessment of the smart fortwo as Germany’s most economical car is also confirmed by the experts at ADAC, who calculated that driving the compact car costs only 24.6 Euro cents per kilometer, less than any other automobile in Germany.