Smart Forfour Brabus: Spotted

Is this the most affordable Brabus product on the market?

Seeing the Brabus badge on a Mercedes tends to mean it's been tuned to put out silly numbers, look quite stealthy, and emit a sound similar to the God of Thunder throwing a tantrum. However, back in 2005, the tuner lent its name and expertise to the Fortwo and Forfour variants of the Swatch Mercedes ART project. The project was doomed from the start with problems over the name from the get go, followed by massive losses after the model lineup was expanded, and ending with smart GmbH being liquidated and completely absorbed by DaimlerChrysler.

But don't let those misfortunes turn you away from the Forfour. It shared almost all of its components with the Mitsubishi Colt, including the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but, being Brabus, the standard tune on the four-cylinder turbocharged 4G15 engine wasn't quite enough. So power was turned up to a plentiful 177hp, in a car weighing a little over a tonne.

This particular car has been remapped to 212hp, meaning a 0-62mph time dropped from 6.9 seconds to 6.1, whilst the brake pipes have been replaced with braided versions and the upgraded Bilstein coilovers should take care of the uncompromising standard ride. There are a couple of pitfalls to watch out for however, the plastic panels can be difficult to source and are prone to cracking, whilst the beautiful Monoblock VI wheels have been sprayed black to help combat the corrosion they are known to suffer from.

Howmanyleft shows that just 238 ForFour Brabi are still on the road, so it'll be quite a rare sight. But if you're after something a little less quirky than the Forfour, then the less powerful Fiat Panda 100HP is a more common option. That doesn't carry the cache of being a Brabus owner though...

SPECIFICATION - SMART FORFOUR BRABUS

Engine: 1,468cc 4-cylinder, turbocharged
Transmission: 5-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 177@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 169@3,500rpm
MPG: 41.5mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 159g/km
First registered: 2006
Recorded mileage: 99,000miles
Price new: £17,195
Yours for: £2,200