Frankfurt Motor Show 2015: Smart reveals Fortwo Cabrio

Smart has confirmed a new version of the Fortwo Cabrio. The new model goes on sale in the UK in November, with prices expected to start in the region of £14,000.

The new Smart Fortwo Cabrio gets a large canvas "tritop" roof that slides back like a sunroof or can be electronically folded away and stored in the boot to provide the full convertible experience. We’re told that it takes 12 seconds to raise or lower the roof completely, although this doesn’t factor in the time it takes to remove the roof bars and put them in the boot.

Smart says the Fortwo Cabrio will be the most rigid soft-top it has ever built, with torsional strength improved by around 15 per cent to make up for the lack of a hard roof. The size of the Fortwo remains the same as the hard-top though, which means the two-seater is still ideal for urban driving due to its compact size that stretches just 2.6 meters long and 1.8 meters wide.

The exterior is slightly different with narrower B-pillars to facilitate the folding mechanism. The engine line-up remains unchanged, which means buyers get two three-cylinder engines to choose from, with the 0.9-litre engine offering 90PS while the 1.0-litre unit will provide 71PS. A five-speed manual will be fitted as standard although a new dual-clutch six-speed automatic 'box is also available.

Smart hasn’t said if the 260-litre boot will be diminished by the folding roof, but it’s safe to assume that it will be smaller with the roof rails taking up valuable space. The fabric roof has a total thickness of 20mm to help cut out road noise and the rear glass windscreen will be heated to make it suitable for the winter months.

The two-seater cabin is unchanged, with a neat rev counter pod that sits to one side of the dash and rotating air vents. All of the Fortwo’s trim levels will apply to the Cabrio – Passion, Prime and Proxy – and there’ll be lots of personalisation options, which includes a seven-inch touchscreen, LED lights and leather seats. A wind deflector will also be available.

The new smart Cabrio will be available for ordering from mid-November and the first models will reach dealers in February 2016.