After greater than 26 years, manufacturing of the good fortwo on the Hambach plant on the German-French border, now owned by INEOS, ended on 28 March 2024.
Picture: good
On the finish of 2020, Mercedes offered the Hambach plant to INEOS, who began the Grenadier off-roader manufacturing and some months in the past, the Quartermaster pick-up. In accordance with the contract signed between the 2 events, INEOS was supposed to supply the good fortwo for one more interval, and that interval has now ended.
Greater than 2.5 million models in 26 years
In 26 years, greater than 2.5 million models good fortwo have been produced on the Hambach plant, a mean of lower than 100,000 models per yr. good has change into a 100% electrical model since 2019, and within the final 12 months, manufacturing has dropped to underneath 20,000 models.
Mercedes has said a number of occasions that Good has by no means been worthwhile. The Germans have tried a number of occasions to make the good model worthwhile however failed.
The try and broaden the vary with the good Coupe and Roadster was a failure. Solely 43,000 models have been offered from August 2002 to November 2005. Later, the good Formore SUV idea unveiled in 2004 by no means made it to sequence manufacturing.
One other try adopted with the good fourfour. The primary technology (W454) was a mannequin based mostly on the Mitsubishi Coilt and was produced at Mitsubishi’s NedCar plant within the Netherlands between 2004 and 2006. After eight years, in 2014, Mercedes tried to revitalize the good forfour by cooperation with Renault, collectively growing the second-generation good forfour and the third-generation Renault Twingo. Each have been produced at Renault’s plant in Novo Mesto, Slovenia. From 2014 to 2019 they’d standard engines, adopted in 2017 by electrical variants. Manufacturing of the good forfour was stopped in 2021, whereas manufacturing of the Twingo continues. Renault unveiled final yr an idea of a Twingo successor that it desires to promote from 2026 at a beginning worth of 20,000 euros.
Starting of 2020: partnership with Geely
In early 2020, Mercedes introduced it had signed a partnership with Chinese language group Geely to type a 50-50 three way partnership known as “good Vehicle CO. Ltd” to supply the subsequent technology of good fashions in China.
The primary mannequin of the brand new good period, the good #1, was unveiled within the fall of 2022 and is a small-class SUV constructed on the SEA platform, along with the Volvo EX30. In spring 2023 the good #3 SUV-coupe model was additionally unveiled, which is on the market at a barely greater worth than good #1. Good has introduced that it’ll launch a brand new mannequin yearly, and the subsequent one will probably be good #5, a van that has nothing to do with the good spirit. It measures 4.80 meters and is a shortened model of the Volvo EM90 idea.
For 2026, we lastly anticipate a successor to the good fortwo, which is the essence of the good model, but it surely’s too early for particulars. Most certainly, the brand new mannequin might be known as good #2, with Geely preserving this identify for the two-seater.
Thought of Swtachmobile belongs to Nicolas Hayek, Swatch CEO
The concept for a small metropolis mannequin got here from Nicolas Hayek, head of watchmaker Swatch, in 1982. His thought was often called the Swatchmobile. Initially, Hayek tried to work with VW, however after Ferdinand Piech grew to become head of the VW concern in 1993, VW stopped all talks. Hayek was subsequently turned down by BMW, Fiat, Normal Motors, and Renault earlier than Mercedes lastly agreed to collectively develop the undertaking. Initially, a 50-50% three way partnership with a capital of fifty million Swiss francs was fashioned between Swatch and Mercedes. Hayek at the least needed a hybrid powertrain, however Mercedes selected to make use of a standard engine. Earlier than its launch in 1998, the good confronted severe stability issues. Chief engineer Johann Tomforde was changed by Gerhard Fritz, who lowered the middle of gravity, widened the wheelbase, modified the steering, and added extra ballast to the entrance axle for higher stability.
Disagreements with Mercedes over powertrain and growing prices because of stability issues made Hayek quit, and Mercedes purchased out Swatch’s shares in 1998, Good changing into a 100% Daimler firm.
