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Viknesh Vijayenthiran

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Smart Fortwo to get stop-start technology

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Daimler will be testing the waters with its own automatic stop-start fuel-saving technology when it introduces an updated Fortwo minicar later this year. Already introduced in several BMW models, the system works by automatically shutting down the engine when the car stands still in traffic and causes the motor to spring back into life when the accelerator pedal is touched.

The information was revealed by an internal source who spoke with AutoWeek.nl, who also mentioned that a Fortwo Hybrid concept will be unveiled later in the year as well. Engineers had already developed a diesel power train combined with an electric motor for the first-generation Smart car, and this is said to have led to the development of the new version.

The Fortwo currently comes with a trio of three-cylinder engines, all displacing 1.0L with outputs ranging from 45hp to 84hp. The new version with stop-start technology will feature a 71hp 1.0L motor mated to the same sequential five-speed gearbox in the rest of the range, according to the source.