2009 Smart Fortwo Brabus on 2040-cars

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Smart ForStars concept shows up ahead of Paris premiere

Based on its last few concept cars, we can definitely see the styling direction that Daimler's Smart brand is taking. The new Smart ForStars concept, which will debut at the 2012 Paris Motor Show later this month, certainly builds on the themes we've seen, as well. While the Smart ForVision concept was a solid indication of the next-generation ForTwo, the ForStars looks like it could be previewing a new Smart model attempting to target buyers of small crossovers.
Smart calls the ForStars concept a "Sports Utility Coupe," and the car's increased ground clearance and cargo space could resonate with buyers looking for a small car this not quite as small as the ForTwo. The overall styling of the ForStars is familiar, with reference from concepts like the ForVision and For-Us. Between the smiley lower fascia with the chubby, dimpled cheeks and the "eyebrows" above the headlights, the new Smart reminds us a bit of an evil version of Speed Buggy. Or a much cooler take on the long-dead Suzuki X-90.
The concept's bubbled roof gives it a look somewhat reminiscent of the Mini Cooper Coupe. Said roof is made from transparent glass panels, giving both occupants a panoramic upward view (it also helps explain the show car's stellar name). The concept car is painted up in a striking Alubeam Rouge exterior color with the matte gray portions of the ForStars showing off the signature Tridion safety cell.

A big family with tiny cars

Allow me to introduce myself: I'm a car lover, I'm a big car fan. I also have a big family. How big? Imagine seven kids and six dogs. I also happen to own three Smart cars. Wait, WHAT? How do we transport the whole family? I got that covered with the help of a big Sprinter. Back to the beginning, I love cars, I'd drive hundreds of miles to attend a car show, I'd go twice to the same car show. Heck! I'd drive thousands of miles just to show off my brand new car (more of that in another post). I'd take road trips with one subject in mind: cars. Despite living in the middle of the country and living in the middle of nowhere, I'm fortunate enough to have seen some unbelievable cars, and guess what? I love sharing those stories online. I'm grateful for this opportunity to reach an enthusiastic audience of car lovers who hopefully will enjoy my work as much as I enjoy watching beautiful, powerful machines: cars.Related Video: Image Credit: Alfonso Rascon smart open road

Ouch, that smarts | 2017 Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Cabrio First Drive

Some people don't know when to quit. Chuck Wepner was one of these people. Wepner was famous for two things as a heavyweight boxer in the 1970s: having his face broken open (his nickname was The Bleeder) and going 15 rounds with Muhammad Ali in a title match for the championship. Ali, not surprisingly, beat the living daylights out of Wepner. On a world record list of tolerating senseless brutalization for far too long without admitting defeat or changing tactics, Wepner ranks high. On a list of successes, not so much. Much the same could be said of the Mercedes-Benz urban mobility subsidiary known as Smart. The company has spent almost 10 years in the American market now, building and attempting to sell an unerringly similar recipe of small, uncomfortable, homely, cheap, uninspired, inefficient, overpriced, subpar, fun-colored, rear-engine city vehicles - and has not gained an iota of traction. With all of the power and glory of the three-pointed star behind it, the brand last year ranked in the bottom three of total sales, just above Alfa Romeo, which had no cars to sell, and Bentley, which prides itself on selling as few cars as possible. Sales for 2016 were down 17 percent. They're down nearly 20 percent more from there thus far in 2017. Alfa Romeo has sold more cars. Yet, instead of giving up and going away, the brand has decided to stick around for a few more rounds. One would think that this might demonstrate a willingness to learn from its big mistakes, which include making cars that are worse than anything in or around the their price or size segment – including a lot of great cars like the Honda Fit and Ford Fiesta. And Smart's big move — an announcement that, starting in 2018, it will sell only pure electric vehicles in the States — indicates some sense of prescience and topicality. The EV market is maturing and growing, moving out from early adopters to fast followers and perhaps even beginning to trickle down into the mainstream, so the time seems ripe to jump on the bandwagon. And Mercedes is investing heavily in electric power, planning to develop a full range of vehicles under its EQ sub-brand, so Smart can clearly capitalize on some of that knowhow.