BIG DIFFERENCES MAKE SENSE OF SMALL SMART If you live in an urban setting and want fairly simple transport, does a Smart Fortwo make a smart move or is it a waste of space? In the old days I would have advised to think twice about it but the latest cars are much improved and now make an attractive proposition for anyone only needing minimum transport but not wishing to expose themselves to the dangers of two wheels. This new Smart model is longer and wider than the one that went before. Much of that extra length has gone into the front to improve pedestrian safety, some has gone into the wheelbase, and the rest will be found at the back. One thing you notice straight away is how much smoother the new car is to ride in. That’s not to say all the bounce will be taken out of your life as you drive but it is a little more bearable. When the Smart was delivered we were also running around in a Land Rover Defender 90, another iconic vehicle that is shortly celebrating its 60th anniversary. Smart, on the other hand, has only been selling its vehicles for 10 years. Both have recommendations as urban vehicles, the Land Rover because very few people will argue with you in crowded traffic conditions and the Smart because it is so easy to park. The other major difference is that Smart owners arriving back at their block of flats could probably drive through the entrance doors, into the lift, and up to their floor to unload. Land Rover drivers would select low range first, drive up the outside, and park on the balcony. Driving the Land Rover also brought home just much the noise levels inside the Smart have improved. The car now uses a one litre engine sourced from Mitsubishi in Japan – at one time set to be a partner with Smart’s parent, Mercedes, until the two split instead. Ironically, Smart’s Forfour and the Mitsubishi Colt shared a platform but the Forfour, despite the Smart brand, was not a success (nor were the other bigger Smart derivatives) while the Mitsubishi is. Mercedes might own Smart but the cars are actually made in France in a factory surrounded by suppliers sending in modules to be assembled into the complete car in just 3.5 hours. It’s obviously very slick but the cars still cost. Our test car, a Passion coupe, had a list price of £8,540 and was enhanced by another £1,065 of options. Among them was metallic paint at £250, which seems reasonable until you realise that doesn’t cover the whole car, just the removable plastic body panels as the tridion safety cell is finished in silver on the Passion no matter what the panel colour and the transparent polycarbonate roof of course needs no paint at all. Not quite the bargain it appears, then. Perhaps the only options I would have taken for definite would have been the locking glovebox for £20 (the price embraces a lid for the otherwise open compartment, too) and electrically adjustable and heated mirrors for £125. The list of standard kit is impressive and includes an electronic stability programme, maybe not so essential now the Smart is slightly wider and has more substantial wheels but it would be difficult to sell without the feature. One of the reasons for buying a Smart is that it’s cheap to run, although that is relative. It will do 60 mpg, but that’s no improvement on a four seater that will do 30 mpg so a four seat supermini offering 45 mpg (like the Renault Twingo) therefore makes even more sense at the same money. But the Smart is a lifestyle choice. It says a bit more about you being a livewire who can afford to make such unusual choices. Perhaps that’s why quite a few estate agents have latched onto it rather than the branded Minis that others use. Running round crowded city centres in a Smart, which can still be parked nose-on to the kerb without impeding traffic flow, draws more attention, too. It has even got a decent boot, virtually 50 per cent larger than the last one and as capacious as some superminis. Whether or not it’s the car for me is probably irrelevant as the majority of buyers are under 40. But if you are a bright young thing, it will certainly liven up your life. Maurice Hardy One of the problems with the previous Smart Fortwo coupe was the gear change – whether it was operated manually or left in automatic mode progress was always jerky. The new engine has arrived along with a fresh five speed gearbox and the new combination makes the Smart much more bearable to ride in. With the old car, no matter how carefully the accelerator was used gearshifts were always noticeable, either because of the long pause or through the involuntary head movements they prompted. This latest Smart is vastly better, so if the gearshift was the only thing that put you off before it’s time to look again. Some people used to say you could be like Michael Schumacher thanks to the Formula 1 style paddle shifts but think patriotically – Stirling Moss has been whizzing round London in a Smart since they first went on sale 10 years ago, when he imported an original left hand drive car. If you’re up in the smoke and see a Smart with the 7 SM number on it, it’s the great man or, more likely, his wife Suzy. Annette Hardy Car: Smart Fortwo Coupe Passion Does it fit your ego?... 0-62 mph: 13.3 secs Top speed: 90 mph Bhp: 71 @ 5800 rpm Torque: 68 lb ft @ 4500 rpm ...and your wallet?... Price: £8,540 Urban: 46.3 mpg Extra urban: 70.6 mpg Combined: 60.1 mpg CO2 emissions: 112 g/km Insurance Group: 2 Best bits: small; sassy; stingy on fuel. End