Smart Forfour – Trendy & Exciting New Car to be launched on 14 September 2005
Smart Forfour – Trendy & Exciting New Car to be launched on 14 September 2005
On September 14th, make it a point to take a trip to the nearest Smart showroom. If you are not sure where to look, the Smart brand is part of DaimlerChrysler, and if there is no dedicated Smart dealer in your area, you might find it in a Mercedes-Benz dealership.
For it is here that you will see the launch of the Smart forfour, one of the truly exciting cars that must be checked out if you are young and trendy, and want something different from the run-of-the-mill cars.
The smart forfour is a brilliant piece of German engineering; it will hit 195 kilometres per hour, accelerate from zero to 100 km/hr in under nine seconds, and yet return a typical fuel consumption of between 5.6 to 5.9 litres per 100 kilometres (combined cycle).
A small car, the smart forfour is a 4-seater sub-compact, outstandingly characterized by its trendy two-tone colour. It looks like a hot hatch, but is in many ways a mini MPV of sorts. Made by Smart cars, it is heavily laden with Mercedes technology, having been bought over by DaimlerChrysler.
It all starts with the Tridion cell, a reinforced superstructure much like a roll-cage in a racecar; only this one looks a lot better. The Tridion cell forms a shell that protects all occupants, and at the same time forms the main frame on which the rest of the car is built. As a result, it is possible to fit plastic body panels for the fenders, door skins, the bonnet, and all other parts not considered as integral to the rigidity of the body. This keeps the kerb weight of the smart forfour under a ton at 975kg.
The engine is an all-aluminium, lightweight, 4-cylinder DOHC (Double Overhead Camshaft) fuel injected unit that comes with Variable Valve Timing (VVT). Buyers will have a choice of either a 95 horsepower 1.3 litre engine or the more powerful 109 horsepower 1.5 litre engine.
Coupled to the engine is a 6-speed, yes, a 6-speed automated and clutchless manual gearbox that allows one to drive it like an ordinary automatic, or use the sequential shift lever for spirited driving. Better still, there are optional shift paddles located behind the steering wheel for F-1 style gear shifting. This spells fun, and have fun we did. Having a 6-speed gearbox means the design engineers have creative license with the gear ratios, and are able to make the smart forfour scoot off quickly in first gear, have small rpm drops in between gears to keep the engine on the boil, and also have a tall enough top gear to give a decent turn of speed. The high horsepower and torque is thus well harnessed for maximum effectiveness. The performance of the engines, both the 1.3 litre and 1.5, is exemplary.
It gets even better! The smart forfour is kept on the road by independent strut suspension t the front, and a torsion beam arrangement at the rear, with coil springs all round, and stabilizers at the front and rear. Brakes are ventilated disce in front and solid discs at the rear. To make sure it all works well, they added ESP (Electronic Stability Programme), and ABS (Antilock Braking System) with EBD (Electronic Brakeforce Distribution). Fifteen-inch alloys and low profile tyres complete the picture. The smart forfour is really idiot-proof.
Inside, the instrumentation is functional, and the front seats are made to for driving pleasure. The driver’s seat is electrically controlled, and is adjustable for height, rake and reach. Don’t forget to look up; or you will miss the panoramic roof that allows all to see the moon and the stars at night. When it rains, you can see the raindrops as they go pitter-patter on the Perspex and glass combination panels above you.The steering wheel is electrically powered, freeing some five to six horses to be used to drive the car. Steering ratio is close-ratio, making the car nippy and responsive to steering movements.
There is immediate realization from the moment of take-off that there is more to this car than meets the eye. The acceleration, for one, will please many an enthusiast; this is a serious contender if you are upgrading from say, a Satria GTi, or you are one of those petrol-heads that must have power on tap. Without exception, every one who drove our test car liked what the smart forfour can do. It drives like a go-kart, just point and squirt. The fact that the four wheels are at the extremes of the frame probably helps quite a bit in the handling department.
The suspension is firm, and allows the car to give a very good account of itself in encounters with other denizens of the road. The very stiff chassis lends itself to excellent road behaviour. In fact, all you probably need for this car to do well in a rally is probably a sump-guard and a slightly stiffer suspension. Rear suspension travel is a little short, and it does pitch a little on the ripples, but other than that, it drives like it was on rails.
You can choose how you want to drive the smart forfour. Driven slowly, it behaves just like any auto, but without the traditional transmission slip that plagues normal automatics. Transmission slip means a loss of horsepower, giving one a sense of inadequacy when pushing the pedal to the metal, but in the smart forfour, the response is immediate. The implication is simple; you get more usable power, and it comes with a guarantee of better fuel economy. Flick the gearshift lever to the left from the ‘D’ position, and it goes into manual mode, giving you six gears to select from. You can then opt to shift gears sequentially using the stick shift, or if you have opted for the shift paddles, do it like Kimi Raikonnen, or whoever your F1 favourite is. You get the best of both worlds, the convenience of an auto, and the versatility and sportiness of a manual.
It gets to 180 kilometres per hour very quickly, and road stability is so good, you will need to look at your speedometer to reaffirm your speed. Sixth gear is a real overdrive gear, so you don’t hear the urgency that you would get if you were driving with a conventional 5-speed box. Top speed is claimed at 195, but with a good tailwind and perhaps a friendly downhill stretch, it is possible to stretch it a little beyond.
Prices? The 1.3 litre smart forfour is retailed at RM101,000.00 and the 1.5 litre model is sold at RM116,000.00 (prices are on-the-road without insurance). Pretty good deal, eh?
