Smart ForTwo gets fresher, richer look
PETER BLEAKNEY/FOR THE TORONTO STAR
Don't get excited because the 2011 Brabus Smart ForTwo is not due here.
ESSEN, GERMANY—I have a love/hate affair with the Smart ForTwo.
I love the way this inner-city Euro rollerskate broadsides our perception of what a car should be. I love its funky styling and its surprisingly comfortable and spacious cabin. I love the way it makes me feel as I zip through city traffic and snag parking spots previously the providence of motorcyclists. And the Smart Cabrio? Automotive Prozac.
On the flip side, I hate the Smart’s halting five-speed sequential transmission and its ox cart ride. I hate the fact that our ForTwo requires premium fuel and, while frugal, doesn’t quite deliver the economy expected of a tiny three-cylinder car that can barely get out of its own way. You can do just as well in a Jetta TDI or Ford Fusion Hybrid.
Despite these misgivings, Canada has welcomed the Smart ForTwo with open arms. Since its launch in September of 2004, about 18,000 Smarts have found loving homes in the Great White North — a figure that has far exceeded Mercedes-Benz of Canada’s expectations.
In 2007, the 40 hp diesel ForTwo made way for the second-generation 70 hp gasoline ForTwo, and for 2011, Smart announces the “new generation” ForTwo, which will hit our shores this October.
Don’t get too excited. The mechanicals remain the same, so basically we’re looking at some new colours for the body, Tridion safety cell and fabric roof, new wheels, available LED driving lights and a number of interior upgrades. The idea is to bring the Smart ForTwo closer in line with other Mercedes products.
Along with some fresh interior colours and available ambient lighting, there will be a 16.5 cm touch screen infotainment/navigation/Bluetooth system standard with the Brabus Smart and optional on other models.
Another stand-alone option (standard in Brabus) is a surprisingly good sounding eight-speaker 320-watt surround sound system that turns the little cabin into a kick-ass concert hall. If you’ve ever experienced the Smart’s standard audio, this is paramount to a religious experience.
Tapping into the iPhone movement, there is a “Smart drive kit for the iPhone” app that includes GPS and a car finder in case you “misplace” your ForTwo. Sounds silly, but when you see how many of these little critters populate the streets of Europe, it makes some sense. An iPhone cradle is available as an accessory.
What else? Some new interior cubbies and pockets, the instrument cluster has a fresh look, new knee and side airbags, and one-handed operation of the tailgate, which will be welcomed by anyone who has tried to flip said tailgate down with an arm full of groceries.
At this event in Essen, I briefly drove the electric drive model. By the numbers, it generates 41 hp, 88.5 lb.-ft at zero rpm, has a range of up to 135 km and will reach 60 km/h in 6.5 seconds. The 16.5 kW lithium-ion battery pack (courtesy of Tesla) takes eight hours to fully charge on 220 volts. It drives like a Smart without the soundtrack and jerky transmission.
Mercedes-Benz Canada is setting up an electric car pilot program for October, wherein 45 electric ForTwos will be leased — some for fleet duty and some to select individuals. The price will be in the $599 to $649 a month range.
I also got to sample some forbidden fruit that sadly, doesn’t grow on the Canadian Smart tree.
The Smart ForTwo cdi (diesel) makes 54 hp and brags the lowest CO2 output of any production car in the world with a combined fuel economy (EU cycle) of 3.3 L/100 km. Canadians love diesels. What gives? The engine won’t meet tough North American emission standards, and the development costs to make it so (if at all possible as there is little space for particulate filters or an AdBlue system) is not viable for such a small market.
And then there is Brabus, the German tuning firm that injects some sizzle and a lot of style into the Smart. While the Canadian Brabus ForTwo gets the cosmetic, wheel and suspension upgrades, we don’t benefit from the smoother shifting transmission and 75 kw (100 hp) turbo engine that makes the Euro version move out, er, quite Smartly. It is truly a hoot to chuck about. Again, the certification for our market is cost prohibitive.
Brabus also offers a 112 hp version with 18-inch wheels. During a tour of the Brabus Smart facility in Dusseldorf, I saw some seriously cool ForTwos with wild paint schemes, crazy alcantara interiors, and equally nutty price tags. Customers are spending upwards of 60,000 euros ($45,000 Canadian) on these bespoke creations.
But there is another technology in Europe that we should have, and one that Mercedes-Benz of Canada is pushing for. The 70 hp gasoline-powered Smart in Europe has an “MHD” badge on its rump, which stands for micro hybrid drive. Nothing fancy, just a start/stop system, some regenerative battery charging and slightly different gearing that combine to improve efficiency by a claimed 8 per cent.
Now that’s Smart.
Travel was provided freelance auto reviewer Peter Bleakney by the automaker.
2011 Smart ForTwo
PRICE: est. $15,000
ENGINE: 999 cc naturally aspirated 3-cylinder gasoline
FUEL CONSUMPTION: city 5.9, hwy 4.8 L/100km (48/59 mpg)
POWER/TORQUE: 70 hp; 68 lb.-ft.
COMPETITION: Mini Cooper, Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Honda Insight, Chevy Aveo, go-kart
WHAT’S BEST: still cute as a puppy, upgrades keep it fresh
WHAT’S WORST: annoying 5-speed transmission
WHAT’S INTERESTING: The diesel and MHD make up 80 per cent of European sales
Three questions help determine which pickup truck to buy
Not all automatic cars are boring and soulless
