Greetings, car enthusiasts!
I hope 2010 was a great year for all of you, and I wish you an even better 2011!
What I will post today is not a test-drive of some weekend rented car, nor a report of a big trip to the end of the world. No. Today I will report what it’s like to own a car, the very first car I’ve bought.
As I previously explained, when I first wrote about the roadster, this wasn’t the actual life-dream materializing. My biggest passion was the first-generation Mercedes-Benz SLK (R170) in facelift-shape but, in a succession of events, I ended up with my second-biggest passion, the smart roadster. Almost two years later, I can only be happy with that.
The little smart proved to be a lot more than just a fantastic-looking shape. It has such a strong personality that you just love or hate – it is impossible to talk about it in a cold way. From the experience I have so far, most people like to see it (you should see and listen to children!), then regret it for its lack of practicality and finally, after being driven on it, say it’s astonishing (apart from my mother, who hates it since she first sat in – she says it’s an expensive irrelevance…).
The driving experience, along with the looks, form the x-factor of the roadster.
First of all, the engine: it may lack ultimate power, but it’s so smooth, sounds so fantastic and feels so brisk you never get tired of it. Furthermore, it’s surprisingly economical. When I used the roadster daily, I got 4,5-4,7 L/100km – 60-63 UK mpg – week after week, with careful driving. Now that I only drive it a couple of days per month (I did 1,6k kilometres (1k miles) since 2009…), fuel consumption rose a bit, but still nothing relevant. It requires 98-RON petrol though.
Handling is better than what the short length may tend to suggest, because the wheelbase is stiff, relatively long and the wheels are exactly at the corners. However, it’s not quite perfect.
Push too hard on roundabouts and sharp corners and the front soon lets go, due to the lack of weight on the front axle. Of course, my Bridgestone’s great grip has long have gone – they’re dry by now, due to the lack of use and high operating temperatures – but they still manage to hold the road well on most circumstances.
However, what about perceived speed?
When I take the roadster to a narrow mountain road near my house, with no roof, the only similarity I find with the speed I think I travel with is the smile on my face! 60 km/h (40 mph) feels like warp speed, as your bottom sits on the road; the engine screams behind you; a tornado hits what’s left of your hair and you steer with such an accuracy you could design a Formula 1 engine using the car – my steering is not power assisted.
The roadster is, above anything else, fun. All it’s really interested in is make you smile, wherever you’re in the city being starred at, or alone on that fantastic mountain road. It doesn’t want to be taken too seriously, and it’s amazing it belongs to the Mercedes-Benz family.
Even so, you can tell it’s German, because it rides well (seriously), is reliable and so well engineered. Not an impressive quality product though, as all start to leak at some point of their lives (the real reason why smart stopped making it) and the interior is almost a cheap-looking plastic comedy.
It really is the recipe for the sports car of the future. It’s light, fun, cheap to own and environmentally-friendly.
I’m absolutely convinced it’s a future classic.
Verdict: still as thrilling as in the day I bought it.
Vital data:
Engine and transmission:
698 cc, inline-3 cylinder, 2 valves per cylinder, turbo (petrol)
60 kW (82 hp)/ 5250 rpm
110 Nm/ 2250-4500 rpm
Red line: 6000 rpm
6-speed sequential, automated manual transmission
Dimensions and weights:
Empty weight (incl. driver): 865 kg
Boot: 59 (front) + 86 (rear) litres
Fuel tank: 35 litres (98-RON)
Tires: Bridgestone B340 185/55 R15
Official performance:
Top speed: 175 km/h (109 mph)
0-100 km/h (0-62 mph): 10,9 seconds
Fuel consumption (urban/extra-urban/average): 6,3/ 4,3/ 5,1 l/100km (45/ 66/ 55 UK mpg)
3000 rpm, 5th gear: 80 km/h (50 mph)
3000 rpm, 6th gear: 106 km/h (66 mph)
3500 rpm, 6th gear: 121 km/h (76 mph)
Main equipment: air conditioning, dual front and side airbags, ABS+BAS+ASR+ESP with hill start assist, radio with CD-player, electric and heated side-mirrors.
Owned: from March 2009 to date; actual mileage: 31 400km (19 600 miles).
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