It’s no secret that I am a big fan of the Honda E, perhaps in large part because it is forbidden fruit for those of us in the U.S. Still, I would like to announce that the Brabus 92R is my new best friend.
The numbers will not overwhelm you, but the point of this car is not to overwhelm; the point of this car is class. Based on the Smart EQ ForTwo Cabrio, Brabus said last week it makes 92 horsepower, with a top speed of 81 mph, and starts at €46,284, or about $54,500 at current exchange rates. It goes zero to 60 mph in 10.9 seconds and has a range of up to 78 miles. These are charming assertions for Brabus, which has spent most of the past few decades talking about 230 mph top speeds and selling obnoxiously loud G-Wagens to the idle rich.
The German tuning company is also bold enough to refer to the 92R as a “supercar,” a level of gumption that, with those numbers, I am forced to respect. Only 50 all-electric Brabus 92Rs will be made, likely all for Europe. The interior sounds nice; it is also, of course, a convertible. From the Brabus presser:
On the inside, the BRABUS 92R is just as exceptional as the performance and the exterior. The finest red BRABUS leather, accentuated by custom quilted surfaces in the ‘Ultimate Ellipse’ design, defines the upholstery. Black topstitching and BRABUS logos in both backrests add striking, signature style highlights and the convertible’s electric soft-top likewise sports that same bright red to complete this truly outstanding supercar.
This is not the first time, of course, that Brabus has tuned a Smart, or even an electric Smart. This is, however, its best-looking Smart yet.
And you could look at those power and range numbers and think to yourself, “I need more,” or you could consider a counterpoint, which is that, probably, you don’t. Because there is something about driving a low-powered car in which you are constantly using all of its power, instead of a high-powered car in which you are regularly accessing only a fraction of it.
Give me all of the Brabus 92R’s power all the time.
