The Smart #6 is a plug-in hybrid saloon that’s ready for a fight

Ah, Smart. Once a maker of teeny tiny city cars, now a maker of many… bigger ones. And, it turns out, plug-in hybrid saloons. Meet the Smart #6.

Wasn’t expecting that one today. So, two things to note straight off the bat – 1) it’s the carmaker’s first ever saloon, and 2) it’s destined for the Chinese market only. So if you’re eyeing up the pictures above thinking you fancy a bit of that and you live in the UK… tough.

On we go. At 4.9m long, 1.9m wide, and 1.5m tall, it’s bigger than both the BMW 3 Series and Merc C-Class that it wants to duff up. Specific details are few and far between but from the images we can pick out front and rear lightbars, an active aero spoiler and a roof-mounted LiDAR sensor that’s giving off London cab vibes.

We’ve no images of the cabin – yet – but based on Smart’s latest SUV offerings, we imagine you can expect ALL THE SCREENAGE. Possibly spanning the length of the dashboard in fact, if the #5 is anything to go by. No bad thing if it’s got Merc in its crosshairs.

Underneath it gets Smart’s latest Electric Hybrid Drive (EHD) system, which pairs a 1.5-litre four cylinder petrol engine, electric motor and 41.46kWh battery pack, all mated together courtesy of a three-speed DHT transmission.

Combined power output is 429bhp, with Smart claiming a 177-mile all electric range and a 1,125-mile combined figure – at least on China’s generous CLTC test cycle. Fuel consumption officially stands at 72.4mpg, but again that’ll be lower on Europe’s WLTP standard.

Where, you might recall, Smart is also now an all-electric brand. We’re told there are currently no plans to launch the #6 in other markets, but if you shout loud enough…