Paris : DaimlerChrysler Introduces smart roadster and smart roadster-coupe
 smart roadster |
 smart Roadster Interior |
 smart Roadster-Coupe |
CLICK4 smart Video Introduction(begins at 3:40)
Paris, October 2, 2002; DamlierChrysler introduced two new SMART models...the Roadster and the smart roadster-coupe.
smart roadster and smart roadster-coupe Full Specs at bottom of story
The market launch of the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé is a first decisive step towards extending the smart product range and this emphasises the potential of the brand. smart is being extended from a single product brand to a multi-product brand.
This important step in extending the product range is also being documented visually and in the communication. smart is moving into the future with a new company logo and the new brand slogan "open your mind.". The brand slogan applies to the customers, the products and the smart corporate philosophy. smart cars are full of ideas and offer their drivers individual solutions. Drivers of a smart see the world with their eyes wide open, they are unprejudiced and open to new experiences. Last but not least "open your mind." also embodies the spirit of the company itself.
The modified logo combines a graphic symbol with the smart lettering to create a word and pictogram logo. The pictogram is protected by copyright worldwide. The round shape of the symbol preceding the smart company name is associated with and stands for a wheel as a symbol of mobility. The orange arrow symbolises the dynamism of the brand and the products, whereas the metallic, silver-grey name lettering stands for the high quality and high technical workmanship of smart cars.
The new logo will be gradually introduced into smart's communication and corporate image, and it can already be seen on and in the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé. The pictogram will be placed on the front lid and the lettering will be placed on the rear end of the cars. The whole logo or one of its elements can also be found on the light-alloy wheels, the window panes, the radio, the car key and the doorsill.
smart consistently implements the key brand values in all its activities: the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé too are characterised by joie de vivre, functionality and innovation.
The first clear sign of smart brand identity is the TRIDION safety cell, with a safety concept which is not only unique in this vehicle segment. Secondly, the two material and two colour concept in connection with this, which is characterised by the visible, striking TRIDION safety cell in black or silver and the use of coloured bodypanels.
Thirdly, the modular construction which not only offers clear advantages in the production, but also benefits customers with regard to ease of maintenance.
Fourthly, the innovative design which offers an ergonomic interior with a feeling of spaciousness in a vehicle with compact dimensions. Like the smart city-coupé, the designers of the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé have created cars with an unmistakable, dynamic and original shape.
And fifthly, the unmistakable driving pleasure and joie de vivre that are not only conveyed by the smart city-coupé, smart cabrio and smart crossblade, but even more intensively by the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé which are designed for a different environment.
For the market launch in April 2003 the smart roadster will initially be offered with an approximately 60 kW SUPREX turbo engine with an engine capacity of 698 cm3 and torque of around 110 Newton metres. The engine does not only comply with exhaust gas standard EU 4, its extra power and torque also give the car driving dynamics appropriate to the smart roadster.
A basic version with less engine power will also be available in the foreseeable future at a net price of around 13,000 euro. Furthermore, smart-Brabus GmbH will offer an exclusive and extremely sporty variant of the smart roadster at a later time.
The smart roadster has the same sequential automated transmission as the smart city-coupé and smart cabrio - in a further optimised form. The sporty close-stepped ratios have been adjusted to the increased engine power and vehicle performance. In connection with this it was also possible to further optimise the gear-change sequence of the automatic transmission. A kick-down function greatly improves the driveability. The smart roadster is equipped with an automatic function as standard which is always activated once the engine has been started.
The smart roadster's TRIDION safety cell is available in black, or in silver for an extra charge. The bodypanels are available in the colours jack black, shine yellow and spice red. The colours champagne remix, star blue and glance grey are available for an extra charge. The interior of the smart roadster is available in the colours scribble black or scribble red, or in black leather for an extra charge. The smart roadster is available with a soft top or alternatively with a hardtop with a matt surface at no extra charge.
The tyres of the smart roadster have the dimensions 185/55 R 15 on the front and rear axle on spinline light-alloy rims. Trackline light-alloy rims with 205/50 R 15 tyres or spikeline light-alloy rims with 205/45 R 16 tyres are available for an extra charge.
The smart roadster is equipped with the electronic stability program ESP as standard. This enables selective intervention by the brake system to stabilise the car. In addition, ESP offers anti-stall assist and brake assist functions as well as cornering brake control - regulation of the braking pressure on specific wheels when braking in curves.
The smart roadster's standard equipment also includes SOFTOUCH automatic transmission, sports seats, leather steering wheel and leather gear knob and a flexible service interval display which calculates and displays the change intervals depending on the oil used.
The sports package option offers customers a three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with rocker switch steering wheel gearshift and 205/45 R 16 spikeline light-alloy rims. The safety package consists of fog lamps, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and side airbags for an extra charge.
Further options include leather sports seats with seat heating, additional instruments (engine temperature and charge pressure) a radio, CD changer, radio with CD and a corresponding sound system.
A comfort package available as an option consists of cruise control, electric power steering and a trip computer. Useful information can be called up on its LCD display, for example a fuel gauge indicating the remaining level of fuel in 0.5 litre steps and the distance that the car can travel with the remaining amount of fuel. Times travelled and intermediate times can also be recorded, saved and correlated with the sections driven. The trip computer also has an electric logbook.
In addition to this it visualises a number of warnings: it gives a signal when the doors are not closed properly or when the soft top is open. It also informs the driver if the engine temperature is too high, the oil pressure too low and about the brake fluid level. Moreover, it warns the driver when there is a danger of icy roads (from +3 degrees centigrade). The driver can also call up the distance or the time until the next service interval.
Active safety: Electronic Stability Program (ESP) as standard
The smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé come with the driving dynamics control system ESP (electronic stability program) as standard. ESP does not only have the TRUST PLUS functionalities familiar from the smart ciy-coupé and smart cabrio, it also offers several additional features for the two new cars: selective brake intervention, anti-stall assist and brake assist as well as cornering brake control CBC (stabilisation during partial braking whilst cornering). Moreover, the anti-lock braking system ABS including electronic braking-force distribution is integrated in ESP.
In the event of oversteering ESP specifically brakes the front wheel on the outside of the curve - regardless of whether the driver is braking, rolling or accelerating. The braking torque applied against the rolling direction around the vertical axis of the car prevents the rear end from breaking away. ESP balances understeering by braking the rear wheel on the inside of the curve; this steers the car to the desired course in the curve. The electronics also cause the throttle valve to close.
For even more driving pleasure in the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé and to enable the driver to test the limits of the cars, ESP can be switched off with a push button switch on the instrument panel. This enables the driver to call a certain amount of slip of the rear wheels via the accelerator pedal. However for safety reasons when ESP is switched off only the drive torque regulation and the selective brake intervention during the acceleration phase are deactivated: When braking, the selective brake intervention for stabilising the vehicle remains.
The ability of ESP to act on individual wheel brakes creates the basis for a further safety function of the ABS: cornering brake control CBC. In fast cornering there is much less load on the inner front wheel. If the driver steps on the brake in such a situation ESP senses that more braking power can be transferred from the other wheels than from the wheel with a reduced load. The ABS control and pulsating of the pedal in connection with this is therefore not activated unnecessarily.
Passive safety: Sophisticated safety concept
The safety concept of the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé is of a high standard comparable to that of the smart city-coupé and smart cabrio. The passive safety concept of the two new cars is also based on the combination of the TRIDION safety cell and a specially defined restraint system consisting of two full-size airbags, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters. This allows controlled forward movement of the passengers wearing seat belts and is supplemented by a deformable steering column which effectively prevents intrusion of the steering wheel.
In addition to this passive safety is guaranteed by extremely sturdy seats. Their sheet-metal shell construction combined with the firm cushioning have a considerable protection potential, also in view of high energy. They reliably prevent the body from submarining under the lap belt in the event of frontal collisions and have also proved to be an effective protective shield in rear collisions. Side airbags can be fitted in the backrests as an option.
In the development of the cars great importance was attached to the consequences of a possible rollover. The cars comply with the demanding American standards and also with DaimlerChrysler AG's own standards. The use of high-strength and extremely high-strength steel in the relevant areas gives the occupants a very high degree of safety in the event of such rare accidents, which can nonetheless be critical for open top cars. The roll bar forms a large-volume and therefore especially rigid box section. The A-pillars and roof frame are also made of extremely high-strength multichamber sections and in addition solid steel tubes are welded inside the A-pillars. Fully glazed rear section and removable hardtop
The smart roadster-coupé with a fully glazed rear section will be available with an approximately 60 kW SUPREX turbo engine with 698 cm3 engine capacity and around 110 Newton metres of torque. The engine does not only comply with exhaust gas standard EU 4, its extra power and torque also give the car driving dynamics appropriate to the smart roadster-coupé. Furthermore, smart-Brabus GmbH will offer an exclusive and extremely sporty variant of the smart roadster at a later point in time.
The smart roadster-coupé has the same sequential automated transmission as the smart city-coupé and smart cabrio - in a further optimized form. The sporty close-stepped ratios have been adjusted to the increased engine power and vehicle performance. In connection with this it was also possible to further optimise the gear-change sequence of the automatic transmission. A kick-down function greatly improves the driveability. The smart roadster is equipped with an automatic function as standard and this is always activated once the engine has been started.
The smart roadster-coupé's TRIDION safety cell is available in silver or alternatively in black at no extra charge. The bodypanels are available in the colours jack black, shine yellow and spice red. The colours champagne remix, star blue and glance grey are available for an extra charge. The interior of the smart roadster-coupé is available in the colours scribble black or scribble grey, or, for an extra charge, in black leather. A soft top is available as an option in addition to the high-gloss hardtop.
The smart roadster-coupé has 205/50 R 15 tyres on the front and rear axle. The light-alloy rims have a trackline design. Spikeline light-alloy rims with the dimensions 205/45 R 16 are available for an extra charge.
The smart roadster-coupé is equipped with the electronic stability program ESP as standard. This enables selective intervention by the brake system to stabilise the car. In addition, ESP offers anti-stall assist and brake assist functions as well as cornering brake control - wheel-specific regulation of the braking pressure when braking in curves.
The standard equipment also includes SOFTOUCH automatic transmission, air conditioning, sports seats, silver contrast components in the interior including armrests, leather steering wheel and leather gear knob and a flexible service interval display which calculates and displays the oil change intervals depending on the actual lubricant used.
The sports package option offers customers a three-spoke leather sports steering wheel with rocker switch steering wheel gearshift and spikeline light-alloy rims with 205/45 R 16 tyres. The safety package consists of fog lamps, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors and side airbags for an extra charge.
Further options include leather sports seats with seat heating, additional instruments (engine temperature and charge pressure) a radio, CD changer, radio with CD and a corresponding sound system.
A comfort package available as an option consists of cruise control, electric power steering and a trip computer. Useful information can be called up on its LCD display, for example a fuel gauge indicating the remaining level of fuel in 0.5 litre steps and the distance that the car can travel with the remaining amount of fuel. Times travelled and intermediate times can also be recorded, saved and correlated with the sections driven. The trip computer also has an electric logbook.
In addition to this it visualises a number of warnings: It gives a signal when the doors are not closed properly or when the soft top is open. It also informs the driver if the engine temperature is too high, the oil pressure too low and about the brake fluid level. Moreover, it warns the driver when there is a danger of icy roads (from +3 degrees centigrade). The driver can also call up the distance or the time until the next service interval.
Compact and fun to drive
A size concept with the briefest dimensions and a low centre of gravity means that the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé are not only extremely compact and fun to drive, they are also very comfortable and suitable for everyday use.
Thanks to a wheelbase of 2360 millimetres and a track width of 1357 millimetres at the front and 1392 millimetres at the rear, the roadster has the ideal prerequisites for markedly agile handling. The weight distribution to the front and rear axle is 44:56 percent.
The occupants' low seating position allows a total vehicle height of just 1192 millimetres. With a vehicle length of 3427 millimetres and a width of 1615 millimetres it was possible to realise two luggage compartments in the front end and the rear end. A capacity of 59 litres in the front and 86 or 189 litres respectively in the rear (smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé) provides sufficient stowage space for this type of vehicle.
Hard suitcases or clothes bags plus various small items can be stowed under the smart roadster's flat boot lid. The glazed rear section of the smart roadster-coupé extends the usable volume so that there is space for a suitcase, a clothes bag and a sports bag, for example. When the hardtop is taken off it can also be transported in the rear luggage compartment. The special made-to-measure luggage which is part of the smartware programme also makes optimal use of the space available.
The purist interior typical to sports cars is comparatively spacious. The feeling of space is given by strongly sloping side windows and windscreen.
The total spring travel of 125 millimetres at the front and 122 millimetres at the rear allows a high degree of ride comfort with exceptional agility - compared with the standard in this vehicle class. The axle load shift is very slight when accelerating and braking on account of the low centre of gravity, which only slightly restricts the usable spring travel.
As the passenger and vehicle centres of gravity are very low and close to each other, the driver feels the vehicle response very directly, i.e. without misleading lever force. This is why the roll angle is perceived as extremely slight when cornering. A low power/weight ratio guarantees heaps of driving pleasure
With an engine output of around 60 kW and a weight of around just 790 kilogrammes, at 13.2 kilogrammes per kilowatt (9.6 kg per bhp) the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé offer a power/weight ratio which is extremely low compared with that of other cars and this has a positive effect on the handling performance. Whereas roadsters of the '50s and '60s were relatively light with a vehicle weight of less than 1,000 kilogrammes, the engine power rarely exceeded 45 kW. Modern vehicles with more power are much heavier, often at the cost of driving pleasure.
The fact that the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé are setting new standards here is not least due to the quality and weight of the materials used in these cars. The TRIDION safety cell with a weight of just 192 kilogrammes greatly contributes to this. The rigid cell is also the basis for the precise handling and the excellent suspension characteristics. Its sturdy architecture means that the cabriolet shaking which occurs among this species, is unknown to the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé, even when driving on extremely rough roads. And finally crash safety also benefits greatly from the high structural stability.
The use of so-called tailored blanks is a further reason for the extremely low total weight. Panels of varying thickness make it possible to have thick sheet metal in areas under strain and thinner sheet metal in areas under less strain. In addition to this high-strength and extremely high-strength steel alloy is used in areas where maximum force is applied or acts.
Finally, like the smart city-coupé and smart cabrio, plastic bodypanels also form the outer skin of the smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé. This material, which is much lighter than steel, is used in the front and rear ends, wings and doors. The powder-coated TRIDION safety cell remains visible in the area of the door sill, B-pillars and roll bar as a visual representation of the two-colours and safety concept typical of the smart brand. Like the smart city-coupé and smart cabrio this concept has proved to be robust in everyday use and enables easy repairs in the event of damage. The bodypanels are simple and therefore inexpensive to replace.
| Engine | ||
| Type | petrol engine | |
| No. of cylinders/ Configuration |
three in-line | |
| Valves | two per cylinder | |
| Cubic capacity | 698 cm3 | |
| Bore x stroke | 66,5 x 67 mm | |
| Rated output (kW) | approx. 60 bei 5.250/min | |
| Max. torque (Nm) | approx. 110 bei 3.000/min | |
| Compression ratio | 9,0 : 1 | |
| Carburetion | Electric multipoint injection, electronic accelerator | |
| Transmission | ||
| Clutch | single-plate dry clutch | |
| Transmission | sequential
automated six-speed transmission |
|
| Ratios | final drive | 3,920/1,717 |
| 1st gear 2nd gear 3rd gear 4th gear 5th gear 6th gear |
13,230 |
|
| Running gear | ||
| Front axle | wishbone, McPherson strut, stabiliser | |
| Rear axle | DeDion suspension tube with central mount, wishbone, coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers | |
| Brake system | Hydr. dual circuit system with vacuum booster, disk brakes at front, drum brakes at rear, electronic stability program ESP | |
| Steering | Rack-and-pinion steering, electric power steering (option) | |
| Wheels front/rear | 5J x 15 /
6J x 15 (smart roadster) 6J x 15 / 7J x 15 (smart roadster-coupé) |
|
| Tyres front/rear | 185/55 R 15
(smart roadster) 205/50 R 15 (smart roadster-coupé) |
|
| Dimensions and weights | ||
| Wheelbase | 2.360 mm | |
| Track width front | 1.357 mm | |
| Track width rear | 1.392 mm | |
| Length | 3.427 mm | |
| Width | 1.615 mm | |
| Height | 1.192 mm | |
| Turning circle | 10,7 m | |
| Front luggage compartment | 59 l | |
| Rear luggage compartment | 86
l / 45 l (smart roadster) 189 l / 104 l (smart roadster-coupé) |
|
| Weight without driver | 790
kg (smart roadster) 815 kg (smart roadster-coupé) |
|
| Fuel tank capacity | 35 l | |
| Performance | ||
| Acceleration 0-100 km/h | 10,9
s (smart roadster) 11,2 s (smart roadster-coupé) |
|
| Maximum speed | approx. 175 km/h | |
| Fuel consumption | combined less than 5.5 | |
| Emission class | EU4 | |