Some sight-impaired people believe hybrid and electric cars pose a safety risk. They reckon that because these things make virtually no noise, it's only a matter of time before they're involved in some sort of collision with an errant G-Wiz or Citroen C1 EV'IE.
Smart doesn't particularly believe this to be true, but its latest vehicle, the Smart Brabus Electric Drive, incorporates a gadget that may save the lives of the visually challenged. Or not. It has a sound generator that mimics the noise made by a traditional internal combustion engine. More to the point, it also makes a noise that mimics a bloomin' spaceship!
Watch the video below to see and hear it in action, and when you're done, check out our photos of the Smart Brabus Electric Drive to get a closer look.
(Source: Crave UK)
Meet the Smart Brabus Electric Drive--a modified version of the Smart ED prototype. The most significant addition, as far as we're concerned, is the noise generator. Click on the image above for more pictures.
(Credit: Crave UK)Are you tired of being run over by near-silent electric cars? No, us neither, but we've got good news for anyone who often finds themselves wandering into the path of freakishly quiet oncoming eco-cars.
Meet the Smart Brabus Electric Drive--a modified version of the Smart ED prototype we tested back in April 2008. This one's been given the once-over by German tuning company Brabus, which has painted it spearmint green and white, fitted a matching interior, and added some interesting new gadgets.
The most significant addition, as far as we're concerned, is the noise generator. Flick a switch under the dashboard, hit the go pedal and the car makes a noise that sounds like the USS Enterprise as it enters warp speed. The sound doesn't come from the internal speakers, either--it's generated by an external loudspeaker positioned toward the front of the car. If you want something slightly less bonkers, flicking the switch in the other direction will make the car sound like a highly beefed-up Smart fortwo. It's ace.
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Click to view more photos of the 2009 Smart fortwo Brabus.
(Credit: Corinne Schulze/CBS Interactive)Smart has revealed a new version of its fortwo at the 2008 LA Auto Show, the fortwo Brabus. Brabus being the German tuning house most famous for their close ties with Mercedes-Benz. If the idea of a performance variant of the superthrifty fortwo seems a bit odd, you're not alone. We're looking at with a bit of skepticism as well.
Particularly because the fortwo Brabus features no more power than the standard 71 horsepower fortwo, choosing to boost performance in the suspension and aesthetic departments instead.
The fortwo Brabus will be released in limited quantities and made available only to current participants in the Smart reservation holders, who can choose to upgrade their reservations to Brabus status for an additional cost. The fortwo Brabus is only available in black or silver, and can be had as a coupe for $17,990 or as a cabriolet for $20,990.
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