Smart celebrates 10th birthday
Author: Chris Barker
Published: 31 July 2008
Referred to as the City Coupe on its launch in July 1998, the miniscule, innovative and strictly two-seater that is now universally known as the Smart Fortwo started a motoring trend that has seen many pretenders to its environmentally-sound throne – especially in recent years – yet remains top of the eco-savvy automotive tree.Who would have forecast a decade ago that ten years down the line manscara, guyliner and male varnish would be about to hit the high street as the metrosexual insurgents started to make the city their own?However, back in 1998 some social commentators raised an un-manicured eyebrow at the onset of the SmartCar, a vehicle that was always completely comfortable in its own body as only those around it struggled with its brave and bold identity.As sales now approach the 1 million mark, the very concept of the SmartCar stayed somewhat polarized until fairly latterly, when, with the all prevailing winds of climate change signaled the majority had put their differences of opinion to one side and show a united front, the SmartCar has finally been retrospectively regarded as being at the vanguard of that as then silent movement.It was some nine years before 1998 though, that the idea of a micro compact car popped into the head of Nicolas G. Hayek, the Swiss inventor who had previously given us Swatch watches, which were all the rage in the 1980s.So confident of his spark of creativity, that he approached Mercedes-Benz with rolled up charts and diagrams tucked under his armpit.With the German car manufacturers’ endorsements still ringing in his ears, a whole eight years passed before the now collective Hayek/Mercedes dream was realized.Under the nurturing automotive wing of DaimlerBenz AG – then in quick succession DaimlerChrysler and now back to Mercedes - in 1997 the winning team shared their future cheap, cheerful and crucially environmentally friendly vision with the rest of the world, gathered at the Frankfurt Motor Show.Smart Fortwo city car takes to the streetsIt wasn’t long before the SmartCar gained cult status amongst not just original-thinking – and possibly clairvoyant - car lovers, but art critics too, and as we write is still the only vehicle displayed at New York’s Museum of Modern Art to be still manufactured.37 countries across the globe have bought into the Smart way of thinking since 1998, and even eco-debatable, lick to lag America thought it would see what all the fuss was about earlier this year, whilst in 2009 China extends its welcome to Smart.Other variations on the city car theme have come and still not gone, as the arguably ill-received Forfour supermini and a weird little roadster still loiter with some sort of intent around the occasional corner.With yo-yo-ing ownership uncertainties and rumours of financial set backs behind it, Smart is now successfully back in the bosom of Mercedes, and spring 2007 saw the second generation of the SmartCar being outed.
The current range of Fortwo’s consists of a 45bhp diesel that’s good for 85.6mpg and that drools just 88g/km of carbon dioxide and a petrol version bearing the new micro hybrid-drive that encompasses stop-start transmissions and subsequently bring fuel consumption down to 65.7mpg and emits 103g/km of CO2.Looking to the future and in 2010 the SmartCar goes fully electric.Final word falls to Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Daimler AG and Mercedes Car’s big wig who commented, "Had we not invented it ten years ago, we would have to do so now."
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