2008 smart fortwo

To many motorists' eyes, current car models tend to run together. Because it's not so easy to tell them apart, differences tend to be minor.

Styling

Not so with the new micro-sized smart car, which is unlike anything on American roads. In profile, the smart fortwo resembles a big egg, or personal transport in a futuristic sci-fi movie. It's a two-seater, but not a sports car. Rather than front-drive, like nearly all economy cars, the fortwo has rear-wheel drive and a rear-mounted engine—not unlike the original Volkswagen Beetle.


Even though the smart car is new to America, it's captured a sizable audience in Europe over the past decade. Already on sale in Canada, it's marketed in 36 countries, with 770,000 sold. Actually, it's been in America before. Several years ago, the ZAP organization, best known for electric vehicles, began to adapt prior-generation smart fortwo coupes for U.S. sale.


At a mere 106.1 inches long overall, the fortwo is far shorter than any car on the American market. Wheelbase is only 73.5 inches, which permits a bit of choppiness when the pavement turns imperfect. This latest-generation fortwo was designed specifically for the U.S. market.


Smart's 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine develops 70 horsepower. Only one transmission is offered: an automatically operated five-speed manual gearbox. There's no clutch pedal, but the transmission is a true manual unit. The driver can select Automatic mode, or (in Passion models) use steering-wheel paddle shifters to change gears.