From the tiny two-seater Fourtwo to the midlife crisis Roadster, the Smart brand of cars was always quite niche – and they weren't exactly easy on the eye, either. Liquidated in 2006 following dwindling sales, the Smart brand was revived a few years ago by Mercedes-Benz and Chinese auto giant Geely, with a completely new identity.
The far-from-tiny Smart #1 (yes, hashtag ) arrived here earlier this year through the Mercedes dealer network, and has since been joined by the more polished #3 SUV Coupé.
Indeed, the new pair are unrecognisable compared to those that bore the 'Smart' logo of yesteryear, but that niche factor feels to have been inherited. From big price tags to small boots and overcomplicated and distracting infotainment systems, it certainly begs the questions - who are these cars actually for?
But that doesn't mean that they're bad cars. Far from it. There's too much Mercedes influence for that to be the case. Particularly when it comes to the Smart #3 Brabus that I've been driving. It looks the part and is superb to drive.
There are five versions on sale: the entry-level Pro version (from €38,714 ) followed by a Pro+ model (from €43,821 ), Premium model (from €51,105 ), a limited 25th Anniversary Edition model (from €51,765 ) and the brilliant Brabus edition (from €56,500 ). It's a pricy range, for sure, but the Smart #3 is quite a catch.
Styled by the German tuner of the same name, the 315 kW all-wheel drive Smart #3 Brabus delivers 543Nm of torque and accelerates to 100 km/h from a standing start in just 3.7 seconds. The 66-kWh battery unit delivers a range of over 400km in the real world, and has 22kW AC and 150kW DC charging. Even without Brabus badging, performance figures across the #3 range are impressive.
Some 4.4m long, 1.8m wide, 1.6m high, with a 2.7m wheelbase, the #3 is visually distinctive thanks to its sporty coupé body, while the cabin is premium and clever in equal measure. It's let down by a 370-litre boot and a gimmicky 12.8-inch touchscreen (the latter can be said about a lot of new cars, to be fair ).
While the new Smart range of electric vehicles won't appeal to the masses à la BYD or Tesla, Mercedes-Benz and Geely have clearly put a lot of effort into resurrecting the brand. The #1 and #3 will also be joined next year by the #5 SUV, which will be Smart's largest ever car. That is said to have 1,530-litres of luggage space and a range of up to 560km – so perhaps it will be their golden ticket.
