New Smart range launch in February 2015

[earthman]

Brake failure my arse. Impossible with dual circuit brakes.

Showing your ignorance yet again, sadly it's not impossible, have a failure close to the servo end and you will have no brakes!

[Thrumbleux]

Showing your ignorance yet again,

FU.

[earthman]

FU.

Charming.

[Kapt. Q]

I went to the Swindon launch and drove both the fortwo and forfour. I experienced both engines but only with the manual.
My thoughts are as follows:

The car is much wider to the point of ugliness
The drivers view is much worse than previous models
There is no where to put your left foot when not using the clutch pedal
The 71hp is gutless
The 90hp is flat above 4000rpm and disappointing, probably because the car is over 100kgs heavier than a 450.
The streering is too light and without feeling
The ride quality is much better
turning circle is very impressive but not a reason to buy a car on it's own
Interior is a bit apple inspired, too much white. White cloth seats are the product of a lunatic
Front bonnet thing is madness if you need to open it on a windy day.
Looks like forfour vented front discs on a fortwo would be an easy conversion.

All in all not impressed.


Cheers!

[robertthegreat]

I went to Wolverhampton today took the 71bhp fortwo out has above gutless bit better when it got warm. Ride very good no wallowing round corners brakes good clutch seemed to bite high on the pedal travel. Tridion now part of the wheel arch so expect rust trap there. Wondered if the wheel hubs were the same size has the 451 could swap and have four stud wheels. Would not buy a new one maybe wait three or four years. Then they will have been fettled a bit on the mods and power side.

[ajprice]

Had a look around and a test drive a couple of weeks ago at Smart Liverpool, went by the Renault dealer on the way back to have a look around a Twingo. There is no space at all for your left foot off the clutch in the Smart or Twingo, its either bent leg or foot under the pedal, neither are great things to do. Apparently the LHD is fine, so its a **** RHD conversion job. Both were fine for space other than that. I'm 6' 6", I've been looking around other cars too, cars in the "I don't quite fit" list are the Aygo/C1/108 and Fiat 500/Panda (so probably Ford Ka too). Up/Mii/Citigo is fine. Hyundai i10 is supposed to be big inside but I haven't sat in one yet (I'll be doing that this weekend).

Anyway, in the Smart, I also found the clutch bite very high. And considering I haven't driven a manual for over 5 years, getting the thing moving was, um interesting . The steering was very very light. The gap behind the centre console screen is weird and useless.