Smart Brabus ForFour: Review

Where the Twingo fears to tread Brabus steps in with a souped up version of the closely related rear-engined ForFour

There's much to like in the concept of the Smart ForFour and Renault Twingo. After all, in a world of front-engined, front-driven city cars and superminis one with its engine in the back and driving the rear wheels is something of an oddity. Thus far the Twingo has proved entertaining, if somewhat reluctant to show any real benefits of being rear-driven. Other than having a very good turning circle.

Now that's a wheel at each corner

Certainly Renault's take on the formula has played it very safe, low-geared steering and draconian, non-switchable stability control placing limitations on living the rear-driven dream at a city car price point. Thus far we've not driven the Smart version but, as Renault confirms a 110hp GT branded Twingo, the ForFour has already paid a visit to Brabus, been boosted to a comparable level and benefitted from a general dynamic fettle to make good on the package's considerable promise. Or that's what we hope anyway.

So, no, it's not a 900hp twin-turbo V12 like 'proper' Brabus monsters. And it doesn't have an interior hand-stitched with hairs plucked from a unicorn's mane. Or gold thread entwined in the carbon fibre weave. Indeed, though Brabus is technically a manufacturer in its own right, its Smart-branded product keeps its regular VIN number and is very much a 'factory' offering with a few branded trimmings. It's a tie-up with some history though, and success too.

Bit of something extra
In addition to increases from 90hp and 100lb ft to 109hp and 125lb ft - achieved with a 2 bar increase in fuel pressure and improved breathing on intake and exhaust sides - the Brabus ForFour gets 20 per cent stiffer spring/damper settings, a nine per cent stiffer front anti-roll bar and increased 'return torque' for the steering to give you a better sense of what the wheels are doing. The six-speed 'Twinamic' dual-clutch gearbox also has shorter ratios than its application in the standard ForFour and is claimed to shift 40 per cent faster. Tyres keep the same 185/205 front/rear widths but are mounted on 17-inch Brabus wheels with lower profiles, the wheels bigger than anything thus offered on either Twingo or regular ForFour.

Look away if you don't like buttons on wheels

You still sit high and close to the front of the car as you might in a ForTwo but the ForFour feels a little more like a normal car, thanks to the extra length and rear seats. The interior looks suitably modern and feels well put together, the dished steering wheel carrying F1-inspired dishing and buttons on the spokes with plastic paddles behind it. Yes, on a 109hp city car. It's all a bit of fun though. And it's even got a rev counter!

The three-cylinder motor has a pleasing 'half a 911' growl to it and that typically boosty power delivery familiar from previous Smart products. It needs to be kept on the boil to avoid the off-boost lethargy and doesn't have a huge power band but its 109hp seems to go a long way, even if the numbers betray it still takes over 10 seconds to hit 62mph and tops out at an Autobahn verified 112mph. 10.5 seconds to 62mph is a useful improvement over the 11.2 seconds of the standard 90hp ForFour with the equivalent dual-clutch gearbox; oddly the 90hp Twingo with the same is only three tenths behind the Brabus at 10.8. If that carries through to the Twingo GT will it finally crack single figures? We can barely stand the tension!

Metropolitan elite
Instability at motorway speeds is something we've experienced in the standard Twingo, to the extent the stability control sometimes flashes up; whether it's the slimmer sidewalls or stiffer suspension the Brabus ForFour feels commendably planted though. Around town it feels suitably nippy and manoeuvrable too, the low-geared steering quick to react and just a sense of rear-engined swing detectable to help you on your way into the corner. OK, it's no mini 911. But just a sense of that quirky layout is a pleasant novelty. And the response to the paddle shifters is a world away from what anyone with experience of older Smarts may recall.

Quite pleasant, but don't forget about the Renault

For the PHer around town it certainly has novelty value aplenty, the Brabus tweaks seemingly adding much-needed substance to a concept that has appealed on paper if not, so far, in practice. A well-sorted conventional front-engined supermini is probably less compromised dynamically though, rear-wheel drive not necessarily the barrel of laughs it might seem at this level. If nothing else the Brabus-enhanced ForFour and Renault's Twingo GT might prompt VW into giving us that Up! GT or GTI that sounds such a hoot and would give us a modern-day Lupo GTI.

Pricing will be critical too; as it stands the most expensive regular ForFour with the 90hp turbo engine and Twinamic dual-clutch is £15,825 - over two grand more than an equivalent Twingo 90 TCe with the same engine/gearbox combination. If that translates when the Brabus goes on the market alongside the equivalently powerful Twingo GT Renault looks like it'll maintain a significant price advantage. In every sense the Brabus name carries quite a premium then. And in terms of the style and pose value it carries it off. If it still looks a worthwhile investment over the Twingo GT is something we'll find out in due course but on this showing the Brabus ForFour's biggest fight is with its Renault-branded brother.

BRABUS SMART FOROUR
Engine: 898cc, 3-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed dual clutch auto, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 109@5,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 125@2,000rpm
0-62mph: 10.5sec
Top speed: 112.5mph (limited)
Weight: N/A
MPG: 61.4 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 104g/km
Price: TBC