Smart unveils its first serious off-roader

The Smart #5 is a Beijing show concept at this point, but a production SUV based on it is expected to debut further into the year.

Compared to the marque’s current model lineup, the Number Five looks downright brutal with its widened fenders, upright c-pillars and plenty of rugged trim bits.

There are robust-looking protective plates on both bumpers, mud tires wrapped around new wheels and rather massive side sills. The roof rack is X-shaped, there are brush guards at the sides and a light rack above the windshield. The company says that the Beijing show car also features a roof access ladder and a winch.

With a large battery pack on board (100+ kilowatt-hours), the #5 is expected to have at least 550 km (342 miles) of range per charge. That’s not bad for a dual-motor EV that drives all its four wheels by default.