Previewed: smart #1 Brabus – 422 HP Dual Motor, Launching in Q4 2023

Making its first ASEAN public debut today at the International Electric Mobility Showcase (IEMS) 2023 is the all-new smart #1 Brabus – a souped-up, dual-motor variant of the brand’s first EV SUV model here in Malaysia. Officiating its public debut today was Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato' Sri Haji Fadillah Bin Haji Yusof.

Ahead of both its public debut today and later market entry in Q4 2023, we at Caricarz.com have been given an early-access opportunity to size-up this sporty EV SUV at the Hap Seng smart Kuala Lumpur showroom.

The smart #1 Brabus gets exclusive Brabus aerokit and snazzier 19-inch alloy wheels

From a visual standpoint, it’s not hard to distinguish the #1 Brabus against its low-specced siblings. As the range-topping variant of the #1, the Brabus model gets exclusive Brabus aerokit with a hint of red tinge, consisting of a dual-vented front hood, front air diffuser, side skirt, as well as a roof-mounted rear spoiler. Meanwhile, the Brabus model also rides on snazzier 19-inch ‘Dynamo’ alloy wheels with red-hued brake callipers hiding beneath them.

Speaking of red, the Brabus model also gets a slew of red accents around its exterior, courtesy of the two-tone hue options it’s offered with. This includes the car’s side mirror caps, its flushed door handles, the roof, and the rear spoiler. Should you opt for the two-tone black hue options, said red accents will be replaced with Eclipse black colour instead.

The #1 Brabus sports a peppier dual-motor AWD setup compared to both the #1 Premium & Pro

By far the most significant difference between the Brabus model and other smart #1 variant is on its powertrain setup. While riding on the same Geely-sourced SEA platform, the Brabus model is equipped with a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) powertrain setup that delivers an impressive total system output of 422 HP (315 kW) and 543 NM. This, in turn, translates to a century sprint time of only 3.9 seconds, albeit its V-max is capped at only 180 KM/H.

Said motors are juiced by the same 66-kWh nickel manganese cobalt (NMC) battery pack we saw on the #1 Premium, though this setup only grants the #1 Brabus with a maximum WLTP range of 400 KM. Capable of supporting DC 150 kW charging rate, the #1 Brabus can be juiced from 10% to 80% in 29 minutes, while the stellar 22 kW AC charging allows the car to be fully-charged in about 3 hours – the same charging performance as we saw on the Premium model.

The #1 Brabus cabin gets the same red-hued makeover as the exterior

The Brabus treatment is also pretty apparent once we get inside the #1 Brabus. Upon entering the vehicle, you’ll be greeted by its illuminated metal door sills that unfortunately didn’t carry any Brabus branding. Speaking of which, you’ll get Brabus branding on both the leather-wrapped steering wheel and the front seats’ headrests.

Similar to its exterior, the #1 Brabus cabin is also laced with a slew of red accents and stitchings, including on its ventilated and powered front seats that contrast with its dark-hued microfiber suede upholstery, the door cards, central console, seat belts and more.

On the tech front, the #1 Brabus gets identical equipment as its low-specced Premium sibling. This includes the expansive panoramic sunroof, the multi-colour ambient lighting system, the 12.8-inch central infotainment display, a slim 9.2-inch digital instrument cluster supplemented with a 10-inch head-up display (HUD), wireless charging pad, multiple USB-C ports for both front and rear passengers, and a 13-speaker Beats premium audio system.

All the #1 variants including this top-specced Brabus model will make its market entry later in Q4 2023

Fully-imported (CBU) from smart’s production facility in Xi’an, China, the smart #1 Brabus is poised to make its market entry alongside other #1 variant later in Q4 2023. All variants of the smart #1 including the top-specced Brabus one is now available for booking via smart Malaysia’s (PRO-NET) Hello smart mobile app, with its tentative prices ranging from RM200,000 to RM250,000 that includes a complimentary RM1,001 worth of EV charging credit only available for early birds.