Smart FORTWO TRUESTYLE SPECIAL EDITIONS
Do Exclusive Paint Jobs On The Latest
Smart Fortwo Models Add Up To A Special Edition? Steve Ghosley Checks Them Out
Remember Smart, the manufacturer of the dinky little Smart Fortwo? Well, theyve added a new metallic paint option to their catalogue and ask us to believe that they have created a special edition. The Truestyle Special Edition comes in the new racey Ruby Red metallic along with Jetline alloy wheels. Based on the Pure trim level, buyers can choose between either the Coupe model or the Cabrio with prices starting at £7,495 for the Coupe and £9,240 for the Cabrio.
The Truesyle Special Edition, however, only comes with the more useful power output of the latest three-cylinder turbocharged engine, producing 61bhp. This is the same total output as before but offering useful extra pulling power through the gears. With this in mind, Smart thought it prudent to fit the Electronic Stability Control Programme (ESP): basically, if you get the car out of shape, the electronics will automatically use throttle and brake inputs to correct the situation. 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.
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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.
"In spite of its size, the
Smart manages to be astonishingly versatile..."
Two basic bodystyles are available: a 3-door Fortwo Coupe and a Fortwo Cabrio version, both offered in a single trim level based, as weve said, on Smarts pure option. A further bonus with the Truestyle Special Edition is the addition of a glass roof with added sunblind. 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 if you dont want to plump for the Ruby Red metallic. A complete set can, apparently, be fitted in a very short time for the price of a new suit. Otherwise, the Truestyle Special Edition is 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 C3 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 this brand lacks 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. The engines power output of 61bhp doesnt sound very much, but bear in mind that it 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).
The Truestyle Special Edition doesnt give you much over and above a car you could specify for yourself, although the makers claim that there is a saving of £485. For those who like to be different, and lets face it, most buyers of Smart cars do by defintion, then the Truestyle Special Edition could be right up their street.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Smart Fortwo Truestyle Special Edition range
PRICES: £7,495-£9,240 on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 3
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 16.8s / Max Speed 85mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (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
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