Yes, spent the tail end of this week in good old
germany where I got given the chance to drive the new smart fortwo
(known as smart 451).
How do I start to explain? Well for me it was a mixture of smiles :) and not so many smiles :(
I'm a huge fan of the smart brand and was open-eyed to the chance.
Interior
After playing with the display models in the showroom ( 1.0
Pure & 1.0 Turbo Passion) I got a feel of how to get the seat comfy
and see how things worked. I pulled and prodded the controls.
Everything seems very well put together and nothing fell off when I touched it. The new layout is a little more basic in design compared to the
present model, you will really miss the design curves of the dashboard in the current model interior, but everything is more to hand.
+ Well put together
+ You can feel the little more room they have given to the cabin
+ Interior buttons are like the forfour, a very good idea
+ Very good simple speedo display
+ Good cloth colours
+ Maybe more robust build
- Glovebox optional cover is a must have ! it looks like a horse drinking box!
- Lacks design flair of the previous model
- The pod options are far too close to the windscreen
Exterior
Well this is where I'm sure most owners are going to be
divided. In the flesh the car is very very different to the press
pictures you have seen on the internet.
The car is growing on me. Certain colours just don't go with the car in my opinion. For example the yellow is a no no...
The build quality of the exterior is very much like the
interior, much improved in quality and panel fit, but maybe it
lacks the design eye and the curves from the present model. It feels a much more developed product. Dare I say it, with some mercedes engineers input.
+ Very good panel fit
+ Very good quality of finish
+ Looks much easier to do servicing and panel changes
+ Looks much more developed than the previous model in terms of options
- Lacks the design flair of the original model
- Why such straight line where the rear panel meets the tridion
- Why is the fuel cover huge and horrible black
The Drive
Well I had a quick drive as I used the "I'm going have to wait until september in england" excuse to get behind the wheel.
It was the Pure model, but take nothing away it was very different to the present model (which I had driven 1 hour previous).
Yes, the car does feel slightly bigger on the road, the
steering felt slightly lighter (but this could be down to steel wheels)
but still direct and chuckable.
The engine seemed to pull very well and the gearbox felt much more eager to change! The engine power/torque seemed well
balanced for the model and will suit UK roads, urban or out
of town.
Am I going to buy one?
Well, seems the new model is good enough to get me to open my wallet, but the prices just simply closed it again.
The spec level is lower than I would expect and there seems to be an option for just about anything! Very mini like.
If you are considering buying a model to import, I would only
get the the Pure Coupe & Passion Coupe with either with the 71ps
or 84ps engines, thats where the value is with standard factory options.
The pulse model seemed a little under specified for my mind.
For me, maybe its going to be one of the Smart fortwo coupe Limited Edition model (its option packed in the price).
I just hope the UK specs are going to be higher than the Euro
versions, and maybe give the price a reduction so we can get the cars
on the road and bring in the new generation of smart owners to the
community, but this is make or break for smart and I really hope the new car sells well.
September cannot come sooner!
Editors note: Thanks very much to ZorroReturns for his review after his recent visit to Germany.
