Smart Unveils #6 Plug-in Hybrid Saloon for China

Smart, the automotive brand known for compact city cars, has unveiled its first saloon model, the #6, marking a significant expansion into larger vehicles. The plug-in hybrid sedan, revealed through filings with China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, measures 4,906 millimeters in length, positioning it as the company's biggest offering to date and a direct competitor to models like the BMW 3 Series and Tesla Model 3. Launching initially in China, the #6 represents a strategic shift for the brand, which originated as a Mercedes-Benz venture in 1994 and now operates as a 50-50 joint enterprise with Geely.

The #6 debuts exclusively as a plug-in hybrid, adopting Geely's NordThor Hybrid 2.0 system. This setup combines a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 161 horsepower with a front-mounted electric motor rated at 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. Power is delivered through a three-speed dedicated hybrid transmission, yielding a combined output of up to 429 horsepower. Equipped with a likely 41-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate battery, similar to that in the recently introduced #5 SUV, the #6 offers an electric-only range of...