Crédit photo: courtoisie

SMART

Smart Automobile is a German producer of subcompact, or micro, cars that are designed for maximum fuel efficiency and the lowest possible environmental impact. Smart cars are available in electric versions, and the entire Smart brand is owned by Daimler.

Originally conceived as a partnership project between the watchmaker Swatch and fellow German carmaker Mercedes-Benz, Smart cars were first introduced to the consumer market in 1998. While some stakeholders in the company wanted the car to be named the Swatchmobile, Daimler-Benz executives felt that a more customer-friendly name was needed to ensure the success of the vehicle. After settling on the Smart name, a dedicated manufacturing facility for Smart cars was established in France, in the town of Hambach. The production factory opened to wide attention in 1997 and the ceremony was attended by the highest-level elected figures from both France and Germany.
Smart cars were initially sold only in Europe, and the available models increased when a 4-seat version came to market. Unfortunately the company suffered significant losses during the mid-2000s, and the four-seat Smart car model was discontinued. The Roadster model was also mothballed as the unique company that ran the Smart division, smart GmbH, was shuttered and the Smart brand was taken over entirely by Daimler.

The list of Smart models over the years includes the City Coupe, the City Cabrio, the Crossblade, the Forfour and Fortwo, and the electric-powered Fortwo. The electric Fortwo uses a special battery produced by Tesla, one of the few partnerships that the Tesla auto company has with more traditional vehicle manufacturers.
One region where Smart cars have been particularly successful is in Canada, with more than 4000 of the vehicles sold to Canadian customers in 2005 alone.

For 2015, Smart is offering the Fortwo “pure” model and the Fortwo “electric drive” model at very reasonable prices, with particularly cheap financing and a loyalty program that allows current owners of Smart or Mercedes-Benz vehicles to receive a 1% price reduction on any purchase or lease of a Smart car. Smart cars feature an innovative 3-cylinder engine composed of aluminum, making the engine light and small. The cars can reach a maximum speed of 145 kilometers an hour despite only having 70 horsepower available, and boast a practically unbeatable fuel economy. The engines for Smart cars are located in the rear of the vehicle, a relatively rare design for a contemporary car, and all Smart cars are equipped with Ultra Low Emission technology.