... Smart miniature model cars ...
Smart by name and smart by nature is product of "an innovative urban mobility concept". It's a nippy and street-wise performer, at home in the narrowest of city thoroughfares. Smart is trendsetting in many different ways. It is specially optimized for city environments and responds to mobility demands with maximum driving pleasure, comfort, safety, technical refinement, and evironmental compatibility.
Smart, an automotive brand of Daimler AG is also part of my personal Mercedes-Benz Collection of miniatures cars. Smart miniature model cars come from various manufacturers: Kyosho, Maisto and Bburago in 1:18 scale for example, more about these miniatures in a moment.
The "real" 1:1 Smart cars are produced in Hambach, France (the purpose-built factory quickly gained the nickname "Smartville"), and Böblingen, Germany.
Smart is manufacturer of microcars. It's only 2500 mm (8 ft 2 in) long: half the length of the S-class, and 1350 mm (4 ft 5 in) shorter than the A-class. At 1450 mm (4 ft 9 in) wide, it requires a total of just 3.63 sq m (128 sq ft) of parking space.
This is the lightweight of the Mercedes family, totaling 680 kg (1,500 lb), with the power unit taking up 120 kg (265 lb). Production of the engine began on 13 June 1997 at the Berlin Marienfeld Mercedes plant. It is a 600 cc three-cylinder turbo unit with a Suprex charge-cooler producing an impressive 55 bhp. It is a conventional twin-valve engine, with double ignition contributing to its meager fuel consumption of just four litres per 100 km (59 mpg).
Later gasoline and diesel models have direct fuel injection. The rear-mounted alloy engine is coupled with a Getrag 6-speed gearbox and a Fichtel & Sachs automatic clutch. A light touch on the relevant shift suffices to change gear up or down, without the left foot having to do anything.
The two-seater is equipped with characterisitc Mercedes safety features: two airbags, ABS, a highly stable cage, double telescopic steering column, and built-in seats make this Mercedes-Benz co-production with the Swiss Gesellschaft für Mikroelektronik und Uhrenindustrie (Federation for the Microelectronics and Watchmaking Industry) the safest of the micros.
The design and internal architecture are innovative, with a storage space increasing from 150 liters to 550 with the removal of the passenger seat. Additionally, new options are always available, even after purchase, the owner can change the interior and the exterior trim at will. Seats, covers, door paneling, and cockpit sections can all be exchanged, as can some of the bodywork fittings.
About Smart brand logo:
It is marketed as the "smart" in all lower-case, with the Smart brand logo, as of 2010, denoting a letter "c" for "compact" and an arrow for "forward thinking".
Models:
Apart from the original short Smart Fortwo, a sporty Smart Roadster, a limited production of 2000 concept Smart Crosstown and a supermini Smart Forfour were also offered. These have now been discontinued. There were also plans to introduce the French made cross-over based on the body of the ForFour and the AWD hardware of the Mercedes C-class with the name of Formore but industrialization of this was cancelled at the 11th hour (even as tooling was being installed in the assembly plant) due to unfavourable exchange rate swings and spending cutbacks driven by losses elsewhere within Smart.
Production Models:
1998–2000 Smart City-Coupé & City-Cabrio* (*from 2000)
2002 Smart Crossblade
2001–2007 Smart City-Coupé & City-Cabrio (renamed Fortwo in 2004)
2001–2004 Smart K (Japan only)
2003–2005 Smart Roadster
2004–2006 Smart Forfour
2008–present Smart Fortwo
2008–present (in limited trials) Smart Fortwo ED (formerly known as EV)
Smart diecast model cars in scale 1:18 from my Smart collection
for more specific information about Smart diecast model cars, please check out:
www.smart-diecast.com | 
