Photo: Mercedes-Benz
If you think the smallest Mercedes-Benz you can get is the A-Class, then you’re mostly right as the new smart fortwo took full advantage of the Daimler-Renault-Nissan alliance, so it now has more to do with Renault than with Mercedes-Benz.
But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad car. If you’re OK with a small, toy-looking two-seater with rear-wheel-drive and a very short wheelbase, then the new smart fortwo is better than ever. With Renault having its own share of successful small cars in the past, the input from the French company has been very important, but even more so were its engines.
The 0.9 TCe three-cylinder turbo is the best thing that could have happened to the fortwo, offering 90 hp and plenty of boost (135 Nm, 100 lb-ft, respectively) from a very small package that fits nicely in the back of the tiny car.
But that’s the more expensive choice, the smart fortwo cabrio coming with the choice of two engines. The other one is a 1.0-liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder unit capable of 71 hp and a lesser 91 Nm (67 lb-ft). Neither of the two really turns the smart into a performance car, not even close, but that’s not what the diminutive car is all about. Unless it’s Brabus you’re asking, of course.
Even though smart isn’t doing that great in the U.S., one of the most important markets for all manufacturers, its range kept on expanding. After the first two basic models - the fortwo and forfour - were launched, the former also received an open-top version at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, making it the smallest available cabriolet on the market. There’s no prize for that, but it’s worth mentioning. And starting today, this miniature cabriolet is available to order.
The new cabrio comes with plenty of standard equipment, things that would have cost a great deal of money twenty years ago on cars four classes above. We’re talking about cruise control with speed limiter, instrument cluster with an LCD and trip computer, twinamic dual clutch transmission or electric windows. And if we were to list the optional equipment and customization possibilities, we’d be stuck here for a while.
But the real ace up smart fortwo cabrio’s sleeve is its price. If all those standard features came with a high price, all the magic would be lost. But the most accessible smart fortwo cabrio starts at just €15,655 ($17,155), while the turbo version adds €900 ($986) extra. That makes it one of the least expensive open-top vehicles available, but also - as we’ve already established - the smallest. Nothing comes for free in life, you should know that by now.
The 0.9 TCe three-cylinder turbo is the best thing that could have happened to the fortwo, offering 90 hp and plenty of boost (135 Nm, 100 lb-ft, respectively) from a very small package that fits nicely in the back of the tiny car.
But that’s the more expensive choice, the smart fortwo cabrio coming with the choice of two engines. The other one is a 1.0-liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder unit capable of 71 hp and a lesser 91 Nm (67 lb-ft). Neither of the two really turns the smart into a performance car, not even close, but that’s not what the diminutive car is all about. Unless it’s Brabus you’re asking, of course.
Even though smart isn’t doing that great in the U.S., one of the most important markets for all manufacturers, its range kept on expanding. After the first two basic models - the fortwo and forfour - were launched, the former also received an open-top version at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, making it the smallest available cabriolet on the market. There’s no prize for that, but it’s worth mentioning. And starting today, this miniature cabriolet is available to order.
The new cabrio comes with plenty of standard equipment, things that would have cost a great deal of money twenty years ago on cars four classes above. We’re talking about cruise control with speed limiter, instrument cluster with an LCD and trip computer, twinamic dual clutch transmission or electric windows. And if we were to list the optional equipment and customization possibilities, we’d be stuck here for a while.
But the real ace up smart fortwo cabrio’s sleeve is its price. If all those standard features came with a high price, all the magic would be lost. But the most accessible smart fortwo cabrio starts at just €15,655 ($17,155), while the turbo version adds €900 ($986) extra. That makes it one of the least expensive open-top vehicles available, but also - as we’ve already established - the smallest. Nothing comes for free in life, you should know that by now.
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