15 Nov 06
The Smart Fortwo has already become, in its relatively short life, an icon of product design. It's instantly recognisable and has become a common sight on the streets of European cities. Next stop, the US.
For the next incarnation of the Fortwo - unveiled last week - will be imported into the US from 2008 by car industry mogul Roger Penske. It's an intriguing idea, taking this micro-car to the land of the gas-guzzler, but one that will probably prove successful - Penske hasn't amassed a $2.2bn fortune by making bad business decisions.
Indeed, Penske's decision might prove to be even more prescient now that the political map has changed in the US, with the new Democratic leadership in Congress determined to prioritise climate change.
Any measures they introduce are bound to favour cars such as the Smart and liberals on both coasts are likely to be tripping over themselves to get behind the wheel of the chic little European petrol-sipper. You can just picture them on the streets of New York or San Francisco, can't you?
So what will metropolitan Americans - and us old-world Europeans, of course - get when the new Smart emerges next summer?
The most notable aspect of the new Smart Fortwo, available in both coupe and convertible guises, is its greater size. A 195mm increase in length is said by DaimlerChrysler to provide better protection to errant pedestrians, as well as improving rear impact performance and ride comfort.
We'll test that last claim when we get to drive it, but one thing that is quantifiable now is the extra room inside the car. By extending the wheelbase, Smart has added an extra 70 litres of bootspace to give a total of 220 litres. If you stack to the roof, you've got 340 litres at your disposal.
Don't worry though. The extra space might increase its desirability as a city runabout, but it's not enough to change the intrinsic character of the car.
