The Egg & The Box

By Karl Jenstad

      If the classic Mini (1959-2001) is considered the original “box on wheels”, perhaps it’s not too far off the mark to say the new SMART “fortwo”may be the original “egg on wheels.”  Pointed end low and forward, and coming to U.S. dealerships some time in 2008 the SMART fortwo may be the most unique looking car on North American roads.  It is a product of the Mercedes Car Group and if you can’t guess where it is built when you see the three lugnuts per wheel, I will let the cat out of the bag and tell you it’s built in France.

     The SMART is a two-seater (as in “for two” – hence the moniker) and has a small “boot” area behind the seats that is claimed will hold up to three bags of groceries or so, or maybe a set or two of golf clubs.  However, if the seats are pushed all the way back, I don’t know if the “big bertha” is going to fit.

     Shorter than the classic Mini at 8’-10" long, versus the Mini at an almost even 10’ for the saloon, the egg shaped SMART is also quite a bit taller at 5’-2" and a smidge wider at 5’-1"w. It carries its engine tucked under the rear "cargo" area between the drive wheels at the back. Certainly, Ralph Nader will love it. Actual fuel mileage ratings haven’t been released at this time but the unofficial word is that it will be in the 40 mpg range.

     So, how does all this modern design and technology compare to driving a classic Mini?  A bit difficult to discern after having a very short test drive at the Stone Arch Festival of the Arts in Mini-apolis (oh, right, that would be Minneapolis, wouldn’t it?)  There was no way they were going to let anyone put it to a real test of acceleration and cornering ability when these sample SMARTS were just starting a national tour.  So the “test drive” basically amounted to putting slowly around a few city blocks, no doubt startling a few passersby with its egg like profile.

     The best I can tell you is that the SMART does not feel, sound or act much like a sports car.  My Mini sticks to the road like the twin yellow stripes down the middle of the highway and drives much like a go-cart with four seats.  Even though the Mini is a four-place sedan its excellent handling gives it a certain connection to the road.   The two-seat, upright and extremely short SMART felt a bit more toward the golf-cart side of things and suited for somewhat more sedate motoring.

     It is a stylish piece of kit, and should knock them dead when you show up with your SMART at the local shopping mall or your workaday parking slot.  In my short drive, and while it drives like a nice smooth modern car – which it is, there were no “call of the open road” urges stirring in my mind.  No possible dreams of out-handling that Camry around the cloverleaf grand prix, or, for that matter, escaping the Italian police by screaming through the sewers and shops of Turin, loaded with gold bars.   I’ll have to say, to me, it’s more of a drive to work, drive to shopping, type of car that saves your “fun” car the wear and tear of the daily grind, preserving it for the more fun exploits on weekends with the car club.

     Driving my Mini anywhere there’s much traffic, is always an exercise in keeping plenty of space around me for safety’s sake.  I realize it’s a very small car and everything else around is bigger, much bigger, or just plain huge.  I get the feeling that the SMART would make sense as a local commuter/shopping car if there were many more cars of the same approximate size toodling around, rather than all the Godzilla size SUV’s and pickups that appear everywhere you turn.

    There’s bound to be a lot of initial interest when the SMART goes on sale.  And, I’m sure clubs will spring up across the nation, much like when the PT Cruiser first came out.  I can’t think of the last time I’ve heard of the local PT Cruiser club though.  The intention is good though, to provide a high mileage car that takes up very little of the landscape, road, or parking lot and is kind to our pocketbooks and fuel supplies.  Time will tell if the eggheads are right and if this new car really is SMART.

    Much more information about the SMART can be found at: http://www.smartusa.com/index.html

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