The now-circular side air vents boast a metallic finish, while the seats of both versions (pure and passion) inherit new fabric colours. The fortwo passion can even be decked out in leather on demand! Lastly, the glove compartment features a small clipboard. You’ll never lose your grocery list again!
The pivoting clock and rpm counter, which look like two bulging fish eyes, are now standard fare.
The smart’s designers have also come up with a new nighttime, LED lighting system with dimmer. Exclusive to the fortwo passion, the system shines a soft light inside the door storage compartments, on the floor, under the dash and around the ceiling light switch. It’s similar to the one offered on the Kia Soul as well as the Ford Mustang’s MyColour, and while not revolutionary, at the very least it creates an undeniably pleasant environment.
GPS and smart app
One of the major new features of the 2011 fortwo is at the heart of the dash: a navigation system wit 6.5-inch touch screen combining Bluetooth technology and an iPhone interface. It also features auxiliary audio and USB ports as well as a CD player.
In its cradle, the iPhone becomes part of the audio system. It has its own controls and microphone, plus the cradle acts as a charger too. The hands-free function automatically mutes the stereo when you receive a call, and it uses the car’s speakers.
The good people at smart even developed an app called “smart drive.” Other than the navigation and music-playing capabilities via the iPhone, Internet radio allows you to listen to stations and podcasts from around the world.
And for the distracted driver, there’s even a “Find my Car” feature! The iPhone automatically memorizes the vehicle’s position when you remove it from the cradle. So, even if you forgot where you parked your smart, the positioning system will find it for you.
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| There is now a long flexible bar at the end of the smart’s little trunk that keeps items from slipping under the seats. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
The pivoting clock and rpm counter, which look like two bulging fish eyes, are now standard fare.
The smart’s designers have also come up with a new nighttime, LED lighting system with dimmer. Exclusive to the fortwo passion, the system shines a soft light inside the door storage compartments, on the floor, under the dash and around the ceiling light switch. It’s similar to the one offered on the Kia Soul as well as the Ford Mustang’s MyColour, and while not revolutionary, at the very least it creates an undeniably pleasant environment.
GPS and smart app
One of the major new features of the 2011 fortwo is at the heart of the dash: a navigation system wit 6.5-inch touch screen combining Bluetooth technology and an iPhone interface. It also features auxiliary audio and USB ports as well as a CD player.
In its cradle, the iPhone becomes part of the audio system. It has its own controls and microphone, plus the cradle acts as a charger too. The hands-free function automatically mutes the stereo when you receive a call, and it uses the car’s speakers.
The good people at smart even developed an app called “smart drive.” Other than the navigation and music-playing capabilities via the iPhone, Internet radio allows you to listen to stations and podcasts from around the world.
And for the distracted driver, there’s even a “Find my Car” feature! The iPhone automatically memorizes the vehicle’s position when you remove it from the cradle. So, even if you forgot where you parked your smart, the positioning system will find it for you.
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| The dash now includes, on demand, a touch-screen navigation system that proved more reliable than the similar system in the Mercedes-Benz S 63 AMG, which goes for around $150,000 and which we also tested on our European media tour. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |