This design project has been done in order to give an outlook to the fourth generation smart fortwo, regarding its overall package and exterior design. The project investigates the core qualities of smart and shows how they can be translated into a concept for 2020 and beyond. The concept that was created – the smart 45XS – is based on four ‘pillars’ that formed the backbone of the project: SMART The original smart thanks a great deal of its success to its unique compactness and 2.5m length, making it ‘unschlagbar parkbar’ (unequalled parking ability). However, over time the smart gained volume and has grown in length to over 2.7m, mainly due to safety regulations and limiting the costs. Within the context of continuous urbanization and increasing mobility density, an easy-to-park urban micro car will become increasingly practical. Therefore the smart 45XS concept brings the length back to <2.6m and regains its small volume, without compromising safety and performance. SAFE The small smart faces a mayor challenge when it comes to safety, especially regarding pedestrian protection. The fourth generation will have to deal with world-wide regulations and standards. Therefore the smart 45XS integrates the best solutions for occupant protection (the best structure smart can make and a crash-optimized front-end package), unique pedestrian protection design (3PS) and supports active safety assist systems. STRATEGY In order to stay competitive on the market, smart needs to maximize the market occupation of the fortwo. Therefore smart needs to offer their three main customer groups (private, commercial and car2go) more specific and appropriate products. The 45XS concept suggests that smart amplifies the flexibility of the car in order to easily create derivatives based on one basis. Therewith smart provides its customers with a variation of products, all containing the core qualities of smart. STYLE smart is also about individual and stylish mobility. The customizable plastic body-panels allowed the user to change its colour every once in a while, but this is currently hardly used and is no business for smart anymore. However, expressing individuality will increase in the future, especially through digital and interconnected devices. The 45XS concept suggests that the exterior of the smart car plays along with the behaviour of its customers and supports individualization via digital and interactive elements. Merging these four pillars resulted in the 45XS concept vision. Rather than providing one concept car, the 45XS concept suggests that smart can create more customer-specific and individual products – all based on identical technology, safety and design characteristics – by using the following 4-STEP build-up plan: STEP 1: TECHNICAL BASIS The basis of the 45XS concept is a fixed platform, which is on its own a drivable, ‘naked’ car. It includes a rigid construction, the full electric powertrain, the passenger compartment and a crash- and pedestrian safety optimized front-end design. STEP 2: DERIVATIVE MODULE The second step is to create various architectures by mounting different modules to the basis. With a simple roll-over bar, a beach buggy is almost instantly created. Different modules allow to build up e.g. a roadster, a coupé or a micro van architecture. STEP 3: EXTERIOR CHARACTER Thirdly, the derived bases are cladded with exterior panels; partly identical, partly unique. Each archetype can be cladded with various exterior modules, e.g. a full translucent roof, a removable hard-top roof or customized storage system. Each derivative shows the characteristic metal Tridion, a ‘greenhouse’, a layer of resilient plastic body panels with an identical leitmotif, and something new: ‘i-zone’ areas. STEP 4: i-ZONE CONFIGURATION The last step is the configuration of the i-zones. The i-zones include everything that has to do with individuality, intelligence, interaction and innovation. With the i-zones, the smart adapts to the user’s varying and changing needs and preferences. Besides, the i-zones can be updated with new features and technologies during its lifecycle; therewith responding to the rapidly changing technologies use of digital devices. This project shows that with these four steps the 45XS concept enables smart to offer immense flexibility and adaptation to various customer needs while preserving the smart core qualities, using standardized safety- and performance elements and playing along with new ways people use to individualize and express personality.