Origin: Hambach, France
Engine: 3-Cylinder
Transmission: 5-Speed Manual
This ultramini was first introduced in 1998 by Mercedes-Benz. Colloquially called ‘a smart car,’ its name doesn’t come from cutting edge technology, but rather from the Smart division within Mercedes-Benz that produced it. Smart began as a cooperative venture between Swatch and Mercedes to create a modern microcar that was also a piece of ART. Hence, SMART. They certainly succeeded, with the Smart Fortwo being the first car to become a part of the New York Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection while still in production. As for the Fortwo nameplate, it’s right there in the name: the car was built for two people.
This Smart Fortwo in particular is a third generation, launched in 2014. Coming in at just over 5 feet tall and just under 9 feet long, the Smart Fortwo is known for having extremely low CO2 emissions. That is why production for the gas-powered version ended in 2019. The electric version, dubbed the Smart EQ Fortwo, was introduced in 2017.