Smart Fourtwo based Kitcar Designs

[fuoriserie]

I've been doing some research on the Smart engine and the various kitcars that have been designed using the Smart Fourtwo as a single donor.

Here are a few that I've found very interesting,

The Bank Europa

http://www.banks-europa.co.uk/articles/kitcar_08/k...



The Smartrus Zonta



Michalak C7










Tha Smabug





The future of kitcars will follow mainstream car manufcaturing and downsizing engines will have to be considered and others are already ahead of the game in doing so( see the new entry level Caterham Seven with the Suzuki 660 3 cylinder engine coming very soon....)

With the Smart engine you have a very interesting engine package to work with, petrol, diesel and hybrid engines with the backing of Mercedes technology and tuners like Brabus if more power is needed.

You have the younger enthusiast that have been using Smart fourtwo's for more than 15yrs. now and I'm sure they're ready for a new kitcar using a Smart fourtwo as a single donor.


What do you all think? I can see some retro inspired kitcars using the smart engine, just look at how compact this package looks, ready to be installed in a new kitcar chassis project...

[fuoriserie]

Stuart Mills said:

Smart's has a whole host of goodies that talk to each other such as the speedo to key and ECU to SAM unit. ABS sensors may see the car is out of control if wheel diameters are changed or the body tilt angle sensor may show a fault code causing the engine to shut down to low power (limp home mode) if it thinks the steering rack ratio has changed. There is also a steering wheel angle sensor that feeds the 5.1 ratio rack. Not easy to use an after market ecu either as the gearbox changes are done electronically. The difficulty seems to revolve around the electronic brake froce distribution system, great in a Smart but a potential nightmare as a donor. Can be overcome by using specialists to remap but MB try to keep tight control on this work. Even the clutch has a sensor that calls for a remap when the plate wears down a little. Use all of the Smart bits and it may work, leave a bit out or change something minor and it may bite.
I can see a C1 or Aygo unit being used in the future but the Smart route is not smart in my opinion. That said I still feel that kit cars are sold as they are generally fast not because they use less fuel. Gas guzzlers still have a major role to play in our specialist vehicle market. Even when fuel is £30 a gallon I plan to go for a one hour blast in a MEV monster powered by 6.0 litres.

I had the same info, through a Smart engineer I had met some time ago and agree with you that it's a bit complicated, but still doable as a turn key kit, but maybe a little too complicated as a Do it yourself build...

I like the C1 or Aygo engine and still think that it would make for an interesting single donor.

With reference to gas guzzlers, I tend to agree with you, but I still see about 70% of users who drive affordable kitcars and very few can afford the 6.0 litre engines and as much as I would like to have one myself..., I'm not sure that in 5-10yrs.time we will see more of these kits, but instead it will be more likely that we will have more 660cc Sevens than big block Cobra's or Gt40's.

Ecoboost 3cylinders might make for another interestig donor in 5yrs time...maybe.

[fuoriserie]

Thanks for the comments and considerations....

I like the idea of using a subframe set-up for a modern mid-engine kitcar design and as much as i like the MGF, it is a very limited donor in mainland Europe to use as a single donor, the Smart has complex electronics, so maybe we should consider going back to the Mini...

I still believe that you don't need a lot of power to enjoy a kitcar and a light car with 50-100HP( the original Seven....) you can still have a lot of fun, but I do agree that simple electronics help the end user when building the kit.

I just wonder how long simple electronics will be available on modern donors to use in future kitcars or should we prepare ourselves for a more complex electronics being part of the next step that needs to be taken care by the kitcar industry? or maybe just choose a limited set of donors ?




Just a few more pictures of the Michalak chassis showing the loom and all the rest of the electronics....

Edited by fuoriserie on Sunday 18th August 09:29

[fuoriserie]

qdos said:

I think Europe and the UK have slighltly different mixes of vehicles. The Mini was a good donor but it's now fetching high prices thanks to the affection it has in many a Brit's heart and has become a bit of a cult car now.

It's not an easy thing to do to pick upon any particular donor vehicle as no matter what you go for there will be a dozen people saying "You don't want to do that"

Personally I think a good way to look at things is to look at what the first time buyers are driving. Recently here in this part of the UK it was the Peugeot 106/ Citroen Saxo though I think the Nissan Micra is also worth looking at. Toyota Yaris too

Perhaps in Italy it may be the FIAT Panda? Cinquecento ?

I agree with you.

In the past, first time buyers bought Fiat Panda, Fiat Cinquesceto/seicento, Peugeot 106, VW Polo, Ford Fiesta/KA.,Renault Clio, Nissan Micra

Today it's. Smart Fourtwo, Fiat 500, VW Polo, Ford Fiesta, Peugeot/Toyota,Citroen, Aygo/C1....


The others B sector hatchbacks are for the older crowd...

Edited by fuoriserie on Sunday 18th August 18:00