smart has revealed that by 2020, it will completely switch its entire portfolio over from combustion engines to electric drives. Before that, in a farewell bid, the automaker decided to release this black and yellow specimen – the smart Final Collector’s Edition #21.

Designed by Konstantin Grcic and built by Brabus, the Final Collector’s Edition marks the beginning of a new era and 21 years of hands-on pioneering spirit. It will leave the factory in August this year, allowing collectors and true smart fans a unique opportunity to take 21 years of pioneering spirit home with them.

Design-wise, FCE #21 is based on the ForTwo, and the striking colour scheme pays homage to the first-generation smart: from the yellow front end to the tag-style #21 marking to the matte black rear end. The fabric soft-top can be fully closed in 12 seconds, and the city car sits on a set of sporty 17-inch Brabus multispoke wheels.

Upon closer inspection, the wheels come with Final Collector’s Edition engraving, and the A-pillars also get a stick-on badge. Inside, the cabin is finished in the same black and yellow theme – even the leather seats differ in colour! Key details include new carpeting with FCE embroidery and yellow piping, “One of 21” lettering on the parking brake lever, as well as “#21” atop the gear knob.

Nothing is changed under the skin, though the exact engine powering this car is unspecified. In the regular ForTwo, there are two choices of three-cylinder petrol engines – a naturally-aspirated mill with 71 hp and 91 Nm of torque or a more powerful turbocharged unit with 90 hp and 135 Nm of twist.

Both engines can be paired to either a five-speed manual or, in this case, the twinamic six-speed double-clutch transmission. Drive goes to the rear wheels. For the naturally-aspirated engine, it sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 14.9 seconds (15.5 for the twinamic) and a top speed of 151 km/h. The turbo takes 10.8 seconds for the same sprint (11.7 with twinamic). Fuel consumption is rated at 4.3 litres per 100 km.

Meanwhile, Geely and Daimler recently signed a 50:50 joint venture for the ownership, operation and development of smart cars. The partnership will spawn a new generation of smart EVs that will be assembled at a new purpose-built EV plant in China. Global sales is said to commence in 2022. The JV is expected to be finalised by the end of 2019.