Automotive Recyclers Association - Archive

Online Resources:

• smart.com
• smart car blog

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Smart Cars

For those of us who live in North America, mini cars and micro cars are somewhat foreign to our psyche. In fact, just watching videos of these adorable little square boxes parking in the city and scooting along highways intermingled with large minivans and trucks, is actually quite comical. And although we want to preserve the environment, and we want to be seen as doing our part, we just do not have the history with smaller cars like countries in Europe, for example. But one car brand that is making leaps and bounds since its 2004 entrance into the Canadian marketplace and later 2008 American début , is the “Smart” division of Mercedes-Benz, a Daimler AG Company.

Since its inception in 1994 and subsequent launch in 1997 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Smart has received positive response worldwide. In fact, there was more publicity regarding the Smart ForTwo than any other vehicle at the 1997 show. As the next generation to the 1993 Eco Sprinter and Eco Speedster, both of which can now be seen in the Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany, earlier versions of the ForTwo were seen publicly in 1996 at the Atlanta Car Show and the Paris Car Show.

Conceived in 1993 as a joint venture between Daimler-Benz and Swatch, it is no wonder the car was popular immediately. Benz is known for its quality and of course, Swatch is known for its bright, creative nature. Who could ever forget the Swatch watch? The original company in Switzerland was called Micro Compact Car AG but when it moved to Germany, the official name changed to Smart. Daimler-Benz bought out Swatch shortly after the release of the first model. Although very plain, the company logo is quite intuitive with a letter C and an arrow pointing to the right signifying forward thinking movement.



Urban areas of Europe have long focused on conserving gas while at the same time building cars that fit better into parking spaces. Smart addresses both these issues, as they are reported to get a whopping seventy-two miles per gallon in the US and as far as parking, two cars can fit in one spot in a perpendicular fashion.

The first model was called the City-Coupe, a two-passenger vehicle that contained an outer shell called the “tridon safety cell”. Because the cars were so small, they were no match for larger vehicles. The safety cell, made of three layers of steel, actually keeps the impacts of a crash away from the occupants. Steel door beams and reinforced axles aid in redirecting side impacts.

In Canada and the US, the shells can be painted silver which is an option and therefore an extra charge when purchasing the car. Basic cars have black colored frames but neither is better than the other. The sole difference is the color. Also, in Canada, when the cars first arrived, they were bought by small companies for sales persons and delivery people. Typically, the car had promotional material painted all over it and the logo of the company who owned it. They were used around town to save on gas as well as convenience making it easier for constant stops and starts.

The name of the City-Coupe has since been changed since the company felt a name that was better suited to the actual description of the car would sell better. With names like ForTwo and ForFour, the customer knows exactly what he or she is buying. It is stated that Smart is now available in thirty-six countries around the globe, an impressive feat for such a tiny car!

Models and Years Released:

• 1994 City-Coupe
• 2000 Crosstown
• 2000 City-Cabrio
• 2002 Crossblade
• 2003 Roadster
• 2003 Roadster-Coupe
• 2004 ForTwo
• 2004 ForFour Sedan
• 2006 Second Generation ForTwo
• 2008 ForTwo EV
• Smart K (only in Japan)

Please note that the correct trademarked names for “smart” and its various car models are actually spelled in all small letters. No capitals are used, but for easier reading, we have used the capital letters in this article.