Smart FORTWO range
Since right hand drive versions arrived in the UK, the MCC Smart has achieved a realistic foothold in the UK market, helped by its increasing availability from selected dealers up and down the land.
This progress should be aided further by the most recent package of revisions which include a redesigned engine, the fitment of the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as standard, new standard equipment and a wider range of models. Ultimately less important but initially more noticable is the change in naming policy that saw the City-Coupe and Cabrio models renamed respectively as the Fortwo Coupe and the Fortwo Cabrio from the beginning of 2004. The big news, however, is the more useful power output of the latest three-cylinder turbocharged engine. Entry-level versions now get useful extra grunt 50bhp to be exact, up from 44bhp.
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Other improvements include a new kick-down function allowing the driver to accelerate by dropping down one or two gearchanges. Plus theres a useful service level indicator showing you how many miles or how long it is before your car needs a service. Another interesting touch is the lane-changer function on the indicator stalk. Press the stalk lightly once and the indicator flashes three times, allowing you to maintain easier control of the wheel when changing lanes.
Electronic power steering is now optional and you can also specify both a three-spoke leather wheel and paddle shifts for the gearchange.
"A car that adds up to more than the sum of its parts"
Otherwise, its the usual Smart recipe one which is doing surprising well when you bear in mind that for the same kind of money, you could buy a Citroen C2 or a Ford Fiesta with more interior space and long distance ability. Before you decide to go that route however, consider this. The way we all use our cars isnt very smart. On average, most cars on European roads carry just 1.
2 passengers and 80% of them in urban areas are occupied by the driver alone. Nearly half of Europes registered cars travel less than 20 miles a day or around 7,000 miles a year. And, as we all know, the vast majority of journeys are short and for leisure or non-work-related purposes. On top of this, cars tend to spend 90% of their time parked or stuck in traffic jams.
As the number of passenger vehicles grows due largely to the increase in solo households (young people, singles older people without children) so too does the demand for parking spaces. In just a few years, the face of urban motoring has completely changed. The Smart addresses many of these issues with novel packaging and an innovative sales approach. Whilst British drivers are becoming used to seeing them zipping about metropolitan areas, many still associate them with the initial tie-in with Swatch.
Few would imagine that Mercedes-Benz, a car manufacturer with one of the more conservative images, is the financial clout behind this little runabout. Despite the success of the compact A-class, the company continues to protect its reputation as a purveyor of limousines and luxury cars to the executive elite. This is one of the reasons why you wont find the famous three-pointed star on any part of the bodywork of the Smart. Dont be deceived.
This car is Mercedes through and through just look at the badging on the tiny three-cylinder 698cc turbocharged engine if you doubt that. Though you can buy the Smart at selected Mercedes dealers as well as designated Smart sites, the brand is kept intentionally separate from other models in the range. Alternatively, customers can go to a virtual sales centre using their own PC at home, where they can request a test drive, decide on the specification of their car and even order on line. European travellers may recall seeing Smart Towers huge perspex totem poles that vend cars like a slot machine.
Never let it be said that MCC lack imagination! But exactly how well does this car stand up as a consumer durable? Surprisingly. For the record, its 2.5m long (two feet shorter than a Mini) and 1.45m wide.
The three-cylinder engine is transversely mounted under the boot at a 48-degree angle to drive the back wheels. The driver gets a 6-speed clutchless and sequential gearbox (just like the saloon car racers), plus the option of steering wheel mounted F1-style shifters. Neat. As weve said, the engine output depends on the model you choose, either 50 or 61bhp.
If that doesnt sound very much, then bear in mind that this engine doesnt have much to move. The car can only carry two people and it weighs a mere 720kg. Rest to sixty takes 16.8 seconds on the way to an artificially limited top speed of 85mph.
None of this gives you much idea as to exactly how much of a hoot the little Smart is to drive. Its frenetic, slightly crashy and none too fluent through the gears but keep it in manual mode and youll have a ball. As you might expect, fuel economy is dazzlingly good (expect at least 60mpg on a regular basis). Two basic bodystyles are available: a 3-door Fortwo Coupe and a Fortwo Cabrio version, all offered in either of three trim levels pure, pulse and passion. The Brabus models are a lot more specialist and expensive sporting huge body kits and fairly big pricetags. Either way, in spite of its size, the Smart manages to be astonishingly versatile. The passenger seat folds flat or can be taken out completely, whilst the engineers claim that cabin room for front seat occupants is better than a VW Polo.
The body panels meanwhile, come in a wide choice of different colours and are interchangeable. A complete set can, apparently, be fitted in a very short time for the price of a new suit. Looking at the price list, the suit is more likely to be Boateng than Burtons. In its latest form, the Smart makes a little more sense than before but still represents a relatively expensive way to land an admittedly superbly built citycar.
Look a little closer however and you could well be bitten by the smart bug, particularly if you spend some time with one. A car that adds up to more than the sum of its parts? Thats about the size of it.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Smart Fortwo range
PRICES: £6,775-£14,615 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 1-8
PERFORMANCE: [50bhp] 0-60mph 17.2s / Max Speed 85mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [50bhp] (urban) 46.1mpg / (extra urban) 65.4mpg / (combined) 57.4mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front airbags, ABS, Trustplus, ESP
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Heightmm 2500/1515/1549mm
