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2008 Smart ForTwo Body style(s): 2-door hatchback, 2-door targa
Notes
After a decade as the object of intense curiosity among Americans vacationing in Europe,
the Smart ForTwo microcar officially arrived on US soil as a 2008 model. Smart (spelled without
capitalization in company documentation) was a division of Daimler AG, parent of Mercedes-Benz,
and was created specifically to bring an eco-friendly urban runabout to market. The result was
an incredibly compact vehicle whose size and unique styling made it an instant icon. After a
decade on the market, Smart unveiled a second-generation model. The new ForTwo was designed
for US sale, a decision brought about by rising gas prices, along with the clamor of a few
American enthusiasts who had purchased grey-market federalized versions of the original
Smart car. The new car grew by nearly eight inches, but its overall length of 106 inches
was still more than three feet shorter than a MINI Cooper (already one of the smallest cars on
the American market); in fact, the Smart ForTwo's overall length was shorter than the wheelbase
of a contemporary midsize sedan. As before, the Smart was powered by a small-displacement
engine, but instead of a turbocharged 0.6- or 0.7-liter mill, the new model used a 1.0 L
naturally-aspirated, rear-mounted engine, generating 70 horsepower; unhelpfully, it required the use of
premium fuel. The EPA rated the microcar at 33/41 miles per gallon, the highest rating of
any non-hybrid 2008 model. Although impressive to an extent, the figures posted by the Smart
were only 4 mpg better in the city than a Toyota Yaris (a model in a similar price and efficiency
class), and 6 mpg better on the highway (the Yaris, of course, ran on regular gas). Achieving these
figures required compromise, one of which was in acceleration: the ForTwo took nearly 6 seconds
longer than a Yaris to hit 60 mph. The ForTwo was a strict two-seater, and a narrow one at that.
In order to provide adequate shoulder room, Smart positioned the passenger seat further aft than
that of the driver. Careful attention was paid to safety in the two-seater, with brake assist,
traction control, and stability control all standard. The car's structure was built as a spaceframe,
rather than a unibody, and was structured around a "tridion safety cell." This system produced an
extremely rigid chassis, allowing the ForTwo to survive even high-speed crashes relatively intact.
The British motoring program Fifth Gear crashed a ForTwo into a crash barrier at
70 mph, and the doors could still be opened properly after the crash. However, the limited crumple
function meant that the occupants bore more of the strain, so the seatbelts and airbags were more
important in preventing injuries. A combination thorax/head-protecting
airbag was fitted in each door, in addition to the mandated front-facing bags. Three trims
were offered, an entry-level and premium coupe/hatchback, and a premium convertible. The
coupe models were hatchbacks, with just under 8 cubic feet of storage (12 cubic feet if one
stacked luggage to the ceiling), and a flat-folding front seat to accomodate bulky loads. The
Cabriolet version featured a retracting flat canvas roof over the center section. For a more
open-air experience, the owner could also remove the longitudinal roof bars and lower the windows.
However, the B/C-pillar area remained fixed, so the Cabriolet was more of a targa than an
open roadster. To save weight, the Smart forswore a conventional automatic transmission, offering
an electrohydraulic sequential manual instead, shifted with a floor shifter (or steering wheel buttons
on higher-trim models). As with most such systems of the day, the ForTwo's transmission was
often described by auto enthusiasts as a herky-jerky affair, difficult to operate smoothly,
despite offering a hill-holder feature. The Smart's engine drove the rear wheels, leaving
crumple space in the abbreviated nose. The basic Pure model was a stripper indeed, with
crank windows and manual mirrors, no stereo system, and no air conditioning. A patch
kit was used in lieu of a spare tire. Bucking a trend in the segment, the ForTwo lacked a
height-adjustable driver's seat, and the steering wheel did not adjust, either. The steering
was unassisted, as standard, with an electric assist optional. The optional Comfort Package
offered heated leather seats, along with automatic headlights and windshield wipers. Because
of its safety-cage construction, the ForTwo's body panels were plastic, and removable; a
ForTwo owner could exchange black body panels for red, if one were so inclined. Overall,
the Smart ForTwo served as a good urban runabout, being able to park almost anywhere, but
its feature content was little better than most of its rivals, and its price was nearly the
same, making the Smart a questionable proposition as a primary vehicle.
design
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