Smart Roadster Roadster 0.70

Early in the 1990s, the idea took shape at Mercedes-Benz to build a completely different kind of car. Small, light, economical and above all cleverly conceived. Together with the Swiss watch brand Swatch, the Smart marque was eventually born. Where the first Smart became known mainly as the funny little city runabout, in the early 2000s Smart suddenly decided to do something completely different: to build a genuinely sporty roadster.

And honestly... who would have guessed that a brand famous for tiny city cars would suddenly come up with something this much fun?

In 2003 the Smart Roadster arrived on the scene. Two little seats, a low seating position, the engine at the back, rear-wheel drive and a weight of just over 800 kilos. On paper, exactly the ingredients for old-fashioned driving pleasure. No excessive power, no complicated driver aids, just a small lightweight little car that makes every corner suddenly fun.

And you certainly won't go unnoticed in it. With its broad grin, quirky lines and grey surrounds around the headlights, the Roadster looks as though it is permanently up to mischief. A sort of greedy little predator on wheels.

But the best part comes the moment you climb in.

You sit absurdly low, the steering wheel stands almost upright in front of your nose and, thanks to the low weight, everything feels direct and playful. Thanks to the mid-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive, the car feels surprisingly well balanced. It is not quite a Lotus Elise... but secretly it sometimes gets closer than you might expect. You can hurl it through the bends without a hint of shame while grinning yourself silly.

And then the Coupé version... perhaps the most enjoyable variant of them all. Thanks to the large glass rear and extra luggage space, it has almost a hint of a miniature shooting brake about it. And yet Smart stayed clever enough to keep the roadster feeling, because this version too simply has the removable targa roof / sliding roof. So a spot of sunshine? Roof off and go.

Even better: even Gordon Murray, the man behind the McLaren F1, used a Smart Roadster as his daily car. Apparently you are doing something right as a carmaker in that case.

The Smart Roadster is really one great guilty pleasure. A car you think beforehand: "what am I supposed to do with this?" ... until you have driven it.

The Smart Roadster Coupé we are selling was delivered new in Germany in 2004 and imported to the Netherlands in 2008. The car has covered only 110,720 km and is in tidy condition. On top of that it sits on seriously fat boots all round thanks to the neat Brabus wheels, giving it exactly the presence that suits this little go-kart.

The history stacks up nicely too: from 2008 until now it has had just one owner who genuinely pampered the car and maintained it properly.

A car with a huge feel-good factor and guaranteed one of the most enjoyable ways to travel the road with 800 kilos of fun.

The Smart Roadster has become a rarity by now. Many examples have fallen victim to rust, neglected maintenance, or owners who never got their heads around the automated gearbox. This one has survived. With a documented history, a specialist who worked on it for years, and a colour that sets it apart from the crowd.

Special features

• German first registration, delivered via Smart-center München April 2004
• Rare bronze metallic paintwork
• 60 kW (82 hp) turbo three-cylinder
• Leather interior
• Only three owners in twenty years
• Extensive maintenance history at Smart specialists

Some cars are toys. This one is a toy you are allowed to grow up with

Nick Slinger

Copywriter · HooG Selections