New Smart Fortwo 453 launches today at 18:00pm GMT.

[Thrumbleux]

Come on then, so who's put a pre order in already so that they can be first in the country to have one? What no takers this time? People not in a mad rush? See what you have done smart totally killed the interest.

I could hardly believe how slow this thread was to get moving! Yep, interest has waned. Early adopters aint interested as 453 is regressing and I guess the gloss wears off over 15+ years familiarity. That and the BMW i3 being the only genuinely new tech on the market.

I guess pensioners may buy them if you throw in an owner life expectancy warranty as it'd fit in with jazz note and kia buyers........ They are pretty hideous expect some major MHD type price slashing when they get diddly orders.....

With MB eager to attract a younger crowd to the A-Class, I wonder if that is where the 453 is really aimed? Noticeably, round where I stay, 451s are driven by the elderly. Obvious progression?

Oh hold on if they glue a Brabus badge on it I am sure folks will be fooled enough.

And probably spec them to within an inch of the price of a BMW i3!...

[madDan]

Come on then, so who's put a pre order in already so that they can be first in the country to have one? What no takers this time? People not in a mad rush? See what you have done smart totally killed the interest. I guess pensioners may buy them if you throw in an owner life expectancy warranty as it'd fit in with jazz note and kia buyers........ They are pretty hideous expect some major MHD type price slashing when they get diddly orders..... Oh hold on if they glue a Brabus badge on it I am sure folks will be fooled enough.

[SmarterAlex]

Or,... they could have had shorter rear doors like the Mazda RX8, with opposite opening, and then a steel cell that was further forward.

[Thrumbleux]

[COLOR=#0000FF]I can't agree with this comment.
Most of the people I know who bought MINI's, bought them as a cheap way into the kudos of owning a BMW!

Just like I said - all about how it looks.
Except the 453 is neither easy on the eye or drawing wannabe Benzers.

[SmarterAlex]

Looking at the For Four, the steel cell has to be that far back onto the rear wheel arches to allow space for the rear doors

[ColSmart]

I had just presumed they had decided to bin the cabrio for now seeing as it didn't seem to be mentioned at the release

The Coupe is due out in December, and they are leaving the convertible versions til Spring/summer, which makes sense, as thats when prospective owners want the roof open.

[SmarterAlex]

I think we will suck it and see with this Smart, and grow to love it over time. The more normal they make the car, the less interesting it becomes. I hope they do some special editions for the real Smart lovers. Certainly don't want to go back to a car with a clutch pedal.

It's a dilemma they have trying to appeal to the mainstream.

Any 450's left to buy? :-)

[Mr T]

...Just look at how Mini sold on looks alone. Merely because it didn't look like all the other econobox hatches of the time...

I can't agree with this comment.
Most of the people I know who bought MINI's, bought them as a cheap way into the kudos of owning a BMW!
BTW. I was following a new Citroen C1 today & the back end looks like the new ForTwo to me with those big square rear lights. Must of used the same computer design program! Must be the in thing.

[J500ANT]

Bonnet is now lockable.

[longdistancecdi]

What Car video. Shows how the rear seats flip over for a flat floor and a few other things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq27yt3DFbY

The Forfour looks better in this video than in the pictures, but the non wind windows in the rear are cheap just like the Volkswagen Up ! At 1:27 minutes in the video you can clearly see the bonnet catches on the Fortwo. Don't like that idea that anyone will be able to see how to open the bonnet

[TallOrder]

I had just presumed they had decided to bin the cabrio for now seeing as it didn't seem to be mentioned at the release

[ajprice]

Photoshop job of a ForTwo cabrio http://www.theophiluschin.com/?p=6144

[SmarterAlex]

Even better.

[Thrumbleux]

It's a pity the for four has a B pillar. Could of had doors like a Meriva

That would have required Renault's agreement - unlikely to be forthcoming.
Anyway, it would have had to be built heavier without B-pillars as rear engined requires greater chassis strength within the wheelbase for frontal impact safety. Reputedly why VW dropped the idea of the UP being rear engined opting instead to radically repackage FWD. Or sticking the radiator atop the gearbox as the rest of us call it..

[ajprice]

What Car video. Shows how the rear seats flip over for a flat floor and a few other things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq27yt3DFbY