While filming in County Roscommon, the Ireland Made – Stories of Irish Transport team came across a pair of smart Roadsters that added a bright splash of colour to a rainy day. According to the official smart website, the brand name is written with a lowercase “s,” and these distinctive little sports cars remain a rare sight on Irish roads.
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NAHVERKEHRSFAHRZEUG
The idea that led to the smart car began in 1972, when Daimler AG proposed creating a compact city vehicle to tackle congestion and pollution. Several prototypes followed, but it wasn’t until 1981 that Daimler revealed the NAFA short for Nahverkehrsfahrzeug (“short-distance vehicle”).
The NAFA embodied Daimler’s vision of a small, efficient city car designed for short urban trips. Its compact footprint and low emissions made sense for the times, but safety technology for such small vehicles was still inadequate, and Daimler shelved the project.
SWATCH AND THE CITY CAR
In the 1980s, Nicolas Hayek revolutionised Swiss watchmaking with the affordable Swatch. By the early 1990s, he wanted to bring that same disruptive energy to automobiles. Hayek envisioned a “Swatchmobile”: simple, colourful, inexpensive, and eco-friendly, a car that consumed less than 3L/100km and ideally used electric power.
His plan was radical not only in design but also in ownership. Buying a Swatchmobile would grant access to other vehicles, vans, convertibles, or family cars – as needed. Hayek imagined drivers swapping cars at airports or stations: car-sharing decades before it became a mainstream concept.
However, Hayek needed an industrial partner to build it. PSA, Renault, and others declined, doubting its commercial potential. In 1991, he partnered with Volkswagen to form “SwatchVolkswagen,” but after two years VW pulled out, leaving Hayek searching again.
MERCEDES-BENZ STEPS IN
By 1994, advances in small-car safety made the idea viable once more and Hayek partnered with Mercedes-Benz, eager to diversify beyond large saloons. Together they formed Micro Compact Car AG (MCC) Daimler (known as Mercedes-Benz after 2022) held 51%, with Swatch as minority partner.
The name smart came from a blend of Swatch, Mercedes, and Art, “Swatch Mercedes ART.” Development began at MCC’s new French plant, but Hayek was dismayed when Daimler opted for a petrol engine rather than his desired electric or hybrid system.
Two visions soon diverged: Hayek wanted a minimalist, ecological city car for everyone; Mercedes saw a chic urban vehicle for affluent buyers. When the time came to approve the powertrain, the partnership ended, Hayek insisted on electric, Mercedes refused and the partnership was dissolved.
THE FIRST SMARTS
In 1997, the first smart concept appeared at the Frankfurt Motor Show. A year later the production City-Coupé debuted, small and instantly recognisable, with three cars able to fit in one parking space. Early sales were modest, but its practicality soon gained fans.
Over time, smart produced a range of innovative and distinctive models, including the City-Coupé and City-Cabrio, the open-air Crossblade, the compact smart K, the sporty Roadster and Roadster Coupé, the practical forfour, and later the fortwo range, electric drive versions, and the all-electric EQ series.
In 1998, MCC became a wholly owned Daimler-Benz subsidiary, renamed smart GmbH, and remains part of Mercedes-Benz today.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ROADSTER
In 1998, under design chief Jens Manske, smart’s 14-member design team began developing new models. They realised that the City-Coupé’s rear-mounted turbo engine and six-speed automated gearbox could serve as the basis for a compact sports car. Inspired by classic British roadsters like the Triumph Spitfire and MG B, they aimed to create something equally lightweight and fun.
By 2000, the Roadster Coupé concept unveiled at the Paris Motor Show was nearly production-ready. It shared the Roadster’s styling but added a glass Targa roof and distinctive rear section reminiscent of shooting-brake designs such as the BMW Z3 Coupé.
THE SMART ROADSTER AND ROADSTER COUPÉ
Launched in 2002, the smart Roadster (C452) and Roadster Coupé (R452) were built on a stretched Fortwo platform, measuring just 3,427 mm long. The Coupé featured twin removable roof panels and a glass rear hatch; the Roadster had an electric soft top and flatter deck.
Both were powered by a rear-mounted 698 cc turbocharged three-cylinder engine producing either 61 or 82 PS. With a six-speed automated manual transmission and optional paddle shifters, the Roadster weighed just 790 kg, delivering spirited performance and go-kart-like handling at an affordable price.
BRABUS AND BEYOND
Tuning house Brabus offered performance versions of both models, boosting output to 101 PS and adding twin exhausts, lowered suspension, and polished 17-inch alloys.
In 2003, Brabus even built a wild prototype for the Solituderennen race’s centenary, a Roadster powered by two joined three-cylinder engines forming a 1.4-litre V6 bi-turbo. Producing an incredible 215 hp in a car weighing only 840 kg, it could hit 100 km/h in under five seconds rivalling a Porsche 911 Carrera 4S.
smart’s final Roadster variant appeared at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show: a limited collector’s edition based on the Brabus Xclusive. With 101 PS, satin brown metallic paint, and brown leather trim, just 30 of the planned 50 cars were produced.
ROADSTERS IN ROSCOMMON
A pair of smart Roadsters made for an unusual and eye-catching sight in County Roscommon. Agile, distinctive, and full of character, they were the perfect companions for exploring Roscommon’s twisty roads.
Though production ended in 2005, the smart Roadster remains beloved for its quirky styling, low weight, and pure driving enjoyment, a modern interpretation of the classic roadster spirit.
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Sources of Information and Photo Credits:
Le Progress
smart Car Specialist – smart Roadster
smart Roadster Review by Jeremy Clarkson (Smart Racer)
501 Must Drive Cars
smart Media Heritage website
Wikipedia
