Big for smart but Still Tiny for North America
Smarts aren't normal cars. No, the Germans who brainstormed the idea of what the ideal city car should be probably had something strange in their drinking water, because the result has been as far from middle-of-the-road as possible.
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| In a world of boring 2-box hatchbacks and 3-box sedans, the smart brand is a breath, albeit a quirky breath of fresh air. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
The fortwo, smart's (the lower case is intentional) first model originally called the City, put the company on the map with its tiny size and unique styling. In a world of boring 2-box hatchbacks and 3-box sedans, which make up the majority of cars on the road in Europe, it was a breath of fresh air. It embodied a cute, UFO-like exterior design, shaped around mountain-bike sized front tires affixed to a rear-mounted, rear-wheel driven chassis that incorporates a DeDion transaxle.
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| North Americans won't be without smarts for long, with DaimlerChrysler Canada set to test the market with the tiny fortwo this fall. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Canada) |
Weird or wonderful, whatever, the European community couldn't, and now the world can't get enough of them. What to do? Extend the brand to more models of course. With the addition of the sporty coupe and roadster, smart has added an economical sports car to its lineup, and it's been a great success capturing rave reviews.
But while still out in the cold, North Americans won't be without smarts for long. The DaimlerChrysler division will be sold into Canada first, this coming fall with the launch of the long-running fortwo, and then the USA in about two years, with the advent of the forfour sedan (really a four-door hatchback) and formore SUV.