Mercedes-Benz’ compact brand smart brought smiles at the Detroit Auto Show with the unveiling of the ‘smart for-us’ – a mini pickup vehicle.
Measuring just 3547mm in length and 1506mm in width, the smart for-us could possibly fit in the cargo tray of some full-size American pickups which were also displayed in Detroit.
Of course the smart for-us is intended for city-resident active lifestyle people who need a pickup. However its 55kW/130Nm electric motor might struggle to carry a wave-runner or jet-ski but does provide a top speed of 120km/h.
Smart says the smart for-us is ideally suited to its ‘car2go’ city-based car sharing initiative – you grab a smart for-us from the battery re-charging docking station, load-up your mountain bikes for a day of fun and return it to the docking station when you’re finished so it’s ready for the next user.
The two-seat smart for-us is actually 613mm longer and 50mm wider than the regular smart – to create the 900mm cargo area. Loading is easy thanks to an innovative tailgate design which sees the tailgate open then retract and lower itself.
