Overview
- The company released the first official images of early test mules using third-generation Fortwo bodies to validate the new ECA platform.
- Validation is under way at global sites, with a proving ground in China focusing on ride and handling, structural strength and brake optimisation.
- The production car will retain two doors, two seats, rear-wheel drive and a wheels-at-the-corners stance carried over from the Fortwo.
- A fully redesigned exterior and interior will come from the Mercedes‑Benz design team, and Autocar reports the platform is a joint Geely–Mercedes engineering effort.
- Smart schedules a world premiere for late 2026, with UK reports pointing to 2027 sales, as the CEO signals additional derivatives are needed to achieve economies of scale.