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giulivo September 16, 2008 9:36 PM

That's because you live in a Country/city where parking spaces are (relatively) large and abundant. Go to Rome or Berlin and you'll find plenty of ForTwo's, and for good reason. And the mk2 at 270cm (or the IQ at 3m) are worse than the mk1 that was a mere 250cm, despite its dynamic shortcomings.

Cheerio September 17, 2008 1:13 PM

It isn't plain stupid Hilton, it is answering a need you don't have. Hell, if the original was good enough for Gordon Murray, its good enough for me...

If you need to perform pizza-deliver type journeys - urban crosstown into hard to park places - it is devastatingly relevant. The only serious downside in my opinion is that it isn't a pleasant car to be a passenger in. In the same way that being a rider is preferable to being a pillion. If you aren't involved in its conduct, you just sit there getting jostled. But one up, it can be good fun hustling around city streets, in a faux 911'ish slow in, slightly less slow out sort of way, with your foot on the carpet and the turbo twittering behind your ear (OK its a mk1). You can drive around the sluggish box and automatic clutch with a bit of tweakery with the throttle on gearchanges,short shifting with a flick to the paddles. Its an interesting, just different to drive.  It looks classless in black with fat wheels in a way no IQ ever will.  I topped up the tank last night, when down to the last pip on the dial - Twenty one quid. It was a bold thing to make, and history will be kind even if you aren't. I just wish the new one looked less like a middle aged Smart.  ;)

chrisso September 19, 2008 12:38 PM

Mixed feelings about the Smarts.  On the one hand, a brave design and packaging-wise, very clever.  On the other, I can't help agreeing with Hilton.  I don't really know how Smart have got away with so many compromises and still sold so many cars - I can only assume size and style are the reasons, becasue rationally it just doesn't make sense.  The worst gearbox ever fitted to a production car in my opinion and they've still sold loads.  Got to admire their front.

superstevie September 20, 2008 9:53 PM

We have one of the new smarts, as well as a roadster. between my partner and i, over the years we've had 11 smarts in total! Its not a perfect car, and it wont please everyone, but I find it a very decent car! the new one is a massive imporvement to drive over the old one, especially in terms of how it rides.

We could have got a lot of other cars for the 8k we paid for our passion spec, but we didnt like any of them. The 500 would have been base model as would have any supermini. we traded an aygo for the smart and it bored us with its dull drive and dreadful ride!

As for the gearbox, the new one is far better than the old one. Much smoother when changing and more decisive at roundabout. Kick down annoys though, cause it always changes down 2 gears, when all you want is one down.

Its just a funky car that is classless. I know loads of people who own them through the smart clubs, and they vary from 17 y/o kids to 80y/o pensioners and everyone in between, regardless of social background, sex, sexual orientation, colour etc etc.

pSynrg October 7, 2008 2:11 AM

Hilton Holloway, that's definitely a bit narrow minded methinks. You should know that this car was/is the start of a new niche.

Or rather a very modern and perfectly timed update to the old 'bubble car' concept of yesteryear.

In this regard the Smart is as much an advancement as the equivalent current Focus/Mondeo is over a Ford Popular.

The exception being that the Smart has not had the equivalent benefit that many years of 4 door saloon evolution have given us.

So the Smart started pretty much afresh. This bold move at the very least is worth a ton of anodyne me too hatches and saloons.

Of course the Smart is compromised. It is built for purpose, by definition a compromise.

With the MK1 at least I don't really see any shortcomings any more because it fulfils its purpose pretty spot on. Mercedes did well to see it through. But I wish they'd have been considerably more bold with the new & current generation.

I hope the slew of new & innovative 'city cars' so inspired by the Smart spur Mercedes on to out-smart the new comers for the next Smart generation.