Tuesday 29th April 2003

Four Door Smart

Clever marketing or daft move into convention?

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There's a trend in the motor industry to take best selling small cars or superminis and to make them bigger. Bigger is percieved as better but manufacturers often lose sight of what made their small cars successful in the first place. Years later a new 'mini' model is then slotted in under the overweight, oversized descendent of the original.

Smart have always done things differently and let's hope they do the same with the new Smart four door, which they've named the 'forfour'.  Pictures of the new car have just been release. The ForFour retains the 'Smart' look with two tone bodywork and small wheels.  The new design necessitated a more bonnet giving the car a very much more conventional look.

The success of the car will be very much based on how 'chic' the car can be made as Smart have taken a bold step away from their unique city car. A step in the right direction? Time will tell - sales start in spring 2004.

[v8thunder]

Whaaaaaaaat?
Bit of a gurner isn't it? I thought the whole idea of these things (ie their only attribute) was that they were smaller than everything else on the road and could be parked end-on into parking spaces. What exactly can you do in this that you can't do in a VW Polo?

[jaydee]

Surely that's just a Seicento cut and shut with a 206 I don't see the point. And if it's got the Smart's 'engine' it should have the performance characteristics of a milkfloat.
The Smart Coupe on the other hand

[Fatboy]

And it'll probably have the smart's shite gearbox as well (as does the roadster jaydee) so it'll still be crap.

[zumbruk]

I thought the Four-door Smart was called a "Mercedes A-Class", anyway?

[jvaughan]

I quite like the front ... not sure of the rear. definatly better to keep it a 2 door

[jaydee]

Not too bothered by the electroslushomatic box Fatboy when I've driven a Smart, I think it's one of those where you either get on with it or you really really dont ?

[AlexH]

Whaaaaaaaat?
Bit of a gurner isn't it? I thought the whole idea of these things (ie their only attribute) was that they were smaller than everything else on the road and could be parked end-on into parking spaces. What exactly can you do in this that you can't do in a VW Polo?

Must say that was my first reaction as well but I suppose we musn't let a little thing like common sense get in the way of innovation...

[Fatboy]

I guess you're right Jaydee - it drove me potty, but lots of people on here love their smart car. I was a bit dissapointed though, as the sight of a big fat bloke getting out of a smart car is highly amusing (and the reason I was going to buy one), but not as amusing as the sight of a big fat bloke getting out of a fully rollcaged mini (a big part of the reason I'm building one )

[jaydee]

Fatboy

[whittaker52]

jaydee said: Surely that's just a Seicento cut and shut with a 206 I don't see the point. And if it's got the Smart's 'engine' it should have the performance characteristics of a milkfloat.
The Smart Coupe on the other hand

Supposadly the engine will be a fair amount bigger, no news as yet about the gearbox but this has been updated for all 2003 model cars, and is much quicker, along with a much better torque curve. But im sure a few tuning companies will be able to "enhance" this a little.

If the roadster is anywhere as good to drive as the 2003 model smart then i will certainly be looking at buying one. has gotta be a roadster coupe though, cant stand that flat back on the normal roadster!

re: the forfour, i dont think it looks too bad, although i think smart are going a little mainstream and conventional with there range of cars, but i suppose its the only way for a brand to survive. Will be interesting to read the spec sheet when its released.


www.thesmartclub.co.uk run a track day every year, which should be spiced up this year with the roadsters becoming available, although you get cars with varying amounts of tuning coming to the event so it can be good fun.