Smart Four Two
Discussion
Now this isn’t strictly my car - I’ve bought it for my 17 year old - but have had so much fun driving it around this week I thought it was worth starting a thread to provoke discussion on this little car. According to Google no one has ever done a readers car feature on the humble four two. Probably not manly enough for pistonheads strongly built company director membership!
Anyway this one has clearly been loved as it’s in great condition. 84 Bhp in a car weighing 775kg so it’s no slouch off the line and it has paddle shifters so you can indulge your inner Lewis Hamilton.
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Driving this car around town is fascinating as it makes you realise how oversized average cars are for urban use. This little car can park anywhere and has a really rapid step off for nipping in and out of gaps. It leans like a boat into corners which only adds to the fun. Yes it’s hopeless on anything out of town but for most of us doing little local urban runs something like this would do the job perfectly. A proper characterful fun little car which would be at home in any multi car garage - we all love it.
Anyway this one has clearly been loved as it’s in great condition. 84 Bhp in a car weighing 775kg so it’s no slouch off the line and it has paddle shifters so you can indulge your inner Lewis Hamilton.
Driving this car around town is fascinating as it makes you realise how oversized average cars are for urban use. This little car can park anywhere and has a really rapid step off for nipping in and out of gaps. It leans like a boat into corners which only adds to the fun. Yes it’s hopeless on anything out of town but for most of us doing little local urban runs something like this would do the job perfectly. A proper characterful fun little car which would be at home in any multi car garage - we all love it.
We have a forfour 453 and love it.
Can throw it around with gay abandon. It's not as smol as the mkii fortwo (obvs) but it's still hilarious.
Launch it into any carparking space in any multistory and you can fully open the very short doors. The upright seating position is nice (even at 6ft4 I fit amply). See even an idea of a space and you be, it'll fit.
The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
Can throw it around with gay abandon. It's not as smol as the mkii fortwo (obvs) but it's still hilarious.
Launch it into any carparking space in any multistory and you can fully open the very short doors. The upright seating position is nice (even at 6ft4 I fit amply). See even an idea of a space and you be, it'll fit.
The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
Always enjoyed my first Fortwo, was the same model as yours (451), Brabus edition as well. Used for everything, including motorways, where it went well but was a little unnerving.
Best in town (obviously), but surprised many on curvy B roads.
Now on my second 453, electric though. As a car, even better, but wider and further away from the original concept.
Happy motoring, enjoy the nippy little machine!
Best in town (obviously), but surprised many on curvy B roads.
Now on my second 453, electric though. As a car, even better, but wider and further away from the original concept.
Happy motoring, enjoy the nippy little machine!
rewild said:
I love a ForTwo. Don't kids learn in manuals these days?
Technically it is a manual, just robotically controlled! We had a new Smart diesel in 2000. Before Merc decided to officially bring them into the U.K. 88mpg everywhere. Handy as I used to commute to Norwich from Hampshire. Allegedly it will run for many,many miles on jet fuel. Gearbox was woeful if left to do it’s own thing, but fine if manually shifted. It’s time with us came to an end when we were wiped out by a Volvo, and rolled it twice. We were two up, and no injuries. In fact, because of how well it crashed, we bought a Brabus convertible thing.
I’ll be watching this thread with interest. For some reason, I’ve always fancied a ForTwo as a ‘town car’ to save me getting the weekend car out of the garage or from under its cover.
Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
Nigel_O said:
I’ll be watching this thread with interest. For some reason, I’ve always fancied a ForTwo as a ‘town car’ to save me getting the weekend car out of the garage or from under its cover.
Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
RWD and rear engined so I suspect indeed it will be ok in the snow.Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
My daughter started learning in a manual but couldn't get on with it. To be honest in a few years almost all cars will be auto so we just decided early to go the auto only route. The choice of cheap second hand cars is so limited. Honda Jazz, Nissan Micra.....or a smart!!! The smart is a sensible choice as she will never have a car full of distracting giggling mates and they're so much funkier than the old granny mobile choices like a jazz (no offence to jazz owners, I actually quite like them).
So that's why we ended up with one. I highly recommend one as a starter car or town car.
Edited by greenarrow on Saturday 14th January 09:46
greenarrow said:
Nigel_O said:
I’ll be watching this thread with interest. For some reason, I’ve always fancied a ForTwo as a ‘town car’ to save me getting the weekend car out of the garage or from under its cover.
Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
RWD and rear engined so I suspect indeed it will be ok in the snow.Never driven one, but I guess I ought to try.
I read something somewhere that with a good set of winter tyres, they are excellent in the snow
My daughter started learning in a manual but couldn't get on with it. To be honest in a few years almost all cars will be auto so we just decided early to go the auto only route. The choice of cheap second hand cars is so limited. Honda Jazz, Nissan Micra.....or a smart!!! The smart is a sensible choice as she will never have a car full of distracting giggling mates and they're so much funkier than the old granny mobile choices like a jazz (no offence to jazz owners, I actually quite like them).
So that's why we ended up with one. I highly recommend one as a starter car or town car.
Edited by greenarrow on Saturday 14th January 09:46
My wife and I ran a 2003 fortwo when we lived in Germany. It was awesome, just totally fit for purpose. We kept it for around 4 years and only sold it once child two arrived due to practicality reasons.
She cried when it went.
She wants another at some point but is reasonably happy with her Swift Sport at the moment.
She cried when it went.
She wants another at some point but is reasonably happy with her Swift Sport at the moment.
Gandoolie said:
I had one of these as the office car, single-handedly the most terrifying car to drive on the motorway I’ve ever driven. The side winds, rain, artics and rubber band front tyres made for an unpleasant experience!
I drove ours from Gutersloh to Portishead only stopping for fuel and the ferry, around 620 miles I think. It wasn’t ideal for that trip…Dingu said:
rewild said:
I love a ForTwo. Don't kids learn in manuals these days?
Based on a sample of one car? In any case automatics are everywhere and EVs will only be auto so it isn’t necessary.
From the perspective of emissions and reducing congestion, I think they're brilliant. This and the Toyota IQ are cars that should be more common.
Two main things I struggled with on the Fortwo though. Firstly is the brake pedal being hinged from the bottom is both very difficult to get used to, and felt kinda dangerous. Second was the one I drove conveniently forgot what a gearbox was and took a full ten minutes of wiggling the gear selector to get it into gear. Apparently not uncommon.
Hinge the brake pedal from the top like every other car, and put a manual in it and I'd want one. In a country as densely populated as the UK, more people should be driving Smart cars for their one-person commute than 2-tonne SUVs, but it's the other way around. I guess there's that silly little issue called human rights and freedom
Two main things I struggled with on the Fortwo though. Firstly is the brake pedal being hinged from the bottom is both very difficult to get used to, and felt kinda dangerous. Second was the one I drove conveniently forgot what a gearbox was and took a full ten minutes of wiggling the gear selector to get it into gear. Apparently not uncommon.
Hinge the brake pedal from the top like every other car, and put a manual in it and I'd want one. In a country as densely populated as the UK, more people should be driving Smart cars for their one-person commute than 2-tonne SUVs, but it's the other way around. I guess there's that silly little issue called human rights and freedom
greenarrow said:
Ambleton said:
We have a forfour 453 and love it.
The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
Haven't noticed that yet but then my main car is a BMW so used to being hated....The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
But back on topic these seem to make more and more sense as local runabouts especially for anyone who can't charge an EV - maybe they were a bit ahead of their time.
The Bearded Tit said:
Hinge the brake pedal from the top like every other car, and put a manual in it and I'd want one.
The later smart 453 is your friend then.The 3pot engine is used in Renault's, Dacias and Nissan's so should be better than the earlier units. Also has a proper manual 5sp box.
Mr Tidy said:
greenarrow said:
Ambleton said:
We have a forfour 453 and love it.
The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
Haven't noticed that yet but then my main car is a BMW so used to being hated....The only downside is that all is other road drivers hate you and apparently the smart is invisible as they pull out on you all the time and cut you up.
But back on topic these seem to make more and more sense as local runabouts especially for anyone who can't charge an EV - maybe they were a bit ahead of their time.
Yes agreed, the Smart was one of 3 cars that come to mind in particular that were launched around the millenium that were brilliant but didn't catch on as well as they could have. The others were the original Honda Insight and Audi A2. These two and the Smart were all light, very cleverly designed, economical and ideal in many ways for town work and the sort of cars so in tune with today's needs. Back in 2000 it seems manufacturers were exploring clever solutions to urban travel before the SUV/crossover craze took over.
greenarrow said:
Now this isn’t strictly my car - I’ve bought it for my 17 year old - but have had so much fun driving it around this week I thought it was worth starting a thread to provoke discussion on this little car. According to Google no one has ever done a readers car feature on the humble four two. Probably not manly enough for pistonheads strongly built company director membership!
Anyway this one has clearly been loved as it’s in great condition. 84 Bhp in a car weighing 775kg so it’s no slouch off the line and it has paddle shifters so you can indulge your inner Lewis Hamilton.
Driving this car around town is fascinating as it makes you realise how oversized average cars are for urban use. This little car can park anywhere and has a really rapid step off for nipping in and out of gaps. It leans like a boat into corners which only adds to the fun. Yes it’s hopeless on anything out of town but for most of us doing little local urban runs something like this would do the job perfectly. A proper characterful fun little car which would be at home in any multi car garage - we all love it.
You might want to check, but I thought you couldn't take a driving test in these due to their overall length.Anyway this one has clearly been loved as it’s in great condition. 84 Bhp in a car weighing 775kg so it’s no slouch off the line and it has paddle shifters so you can indulge your inner Lewis Hamilton.
Driving this car around town is fascinating as it makes you realise how oversized average cars are for urban use. This little car can park anywhere and has a really rapid step off for nipping in and out of gaps. It leans like a boat into corners which only adds to the fun. Yes it’s hopeless on anything out of town but for most of us doing little local urban runs something like this would do the job perfectly. A proper characterful fun little car which would be at home in any multi car garage - we all love it.
As a car to learn in, do make sure said driver goes in something bigger too. Far too many timid drivers who only drove small cars then end up in a big car with no clue.
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