Smart Fortwo - Optional Extra

[@jjll9244]

Your videos might be 20 minutes+ but they certainly don’t watch like a 20minute+ video. Quality really is superb and puts some dedicated documentary TV channels to shame!

[@LoftT]

in my opinion, one of the main reasons for smart low sales is their price tag. They spent such a big amount of money for ads (even more: low quality ads as you say, however some of them were really clever), without which they could minimize the loss. I admit that in the beginning, when no one knew smart, ads were necessary. But after the MK1 fortwo was (fast) a fashion item in addition to a perfect city car, no more extensive advertising was needed. If they could somehow lower the price tag to the area of 10K Euros for a fully spec fortwo it would really be a hit. The same happened with the roadster. Too expensive for a high spec car. Around the area of 20K for a Brabus one was too much. But lovely looks, reminds me of these spitfires and TR's, fashinating driving experience in curvy roads. I still own a 2004 MK1 fortwo cabrio with 460K km on the clock and still love it. Thanks for the very good video(s). Greedings from Athens!

[@judethaddaeus9742]

Great set of videos! I commented on the original over on Big Car, but I thought I’d mention here that the original ForFour of the mid-2000s was based on the Mitsubishi Colt and was built in the NedCar (formerly Volvo/DAF) factory in The Netherlands alongside the Colt. Chrysler and Mitsubishi had enjoyed a long-running partnership since the early 1970s, and this was leveraged under DaimlerChrysler for the ForFour, as well. But as you note, that partnership was drowning in red ink in the mid-2000s and Daimler was getting ready to sell Chrysler off, along with its Mitsubishi associations. So the poor-selling ForFour/Colt partnership was sacrificed in the process, as was the planned ForFour SUV. What’s ironic now is that Smart’s main premium small car competitor, Mini, builds the small Countryman CUV out of that same factory today.

[@craigluft7453]

Company Man is a great channel. Interesting content, but also when his personality and sensibility shines through, it can be hilarious.

[@floydblandston108]

The single thing that made the Smart ForTwo so brilliant fully explains all it's history. That all encompassing frame made it simultaneously indestructible, eternal, simple, and cheap. It also made it impossible to change, last too long for normal automaker cycles of planned obsolescence, relatively expensive to manufacture in base form, and called for complex manufacturing tooling to be developed for a relatively low demand model. If India had created something similar for the Nano and taken it into the 3rd world market it would still be in production- the ruggedness alone would have made Africa and Asia smile- and a longer wheelbase 'pickup' model was a no-brainer.

[@JoshuaC923]

I been watching Company man for a couple of months, his videos are also very interesting. Fancy seeing him mentioned here, keep up the great work!

[@lucafwn]

Fun fact. 3rd gen Smart, Renault Twingo, and Dacia Sandero shared the same engine (.9L or 1L 3-cylinders turbo petrol), but the break in instructions were very different for the Smart and for the Renault/Dacia. I think it was to give the Smart buyers the illusion to have bought a much more refined product.

[@AtheistOrphan]

‘High-end digital watches’ - I used to own a hideous-looking gold Omega ‘Memomaster’ LCD watch. I wish I’d kept it now for it’s quirky retro appeal.

[@LittleCar]

It ain't a looker, but you can relive you youth for "only" $1,500... www.ebay.com/itm/394117469261

[@garrylawless3550]

Don't worry about the length of your videos, they're full of so much interesting information. Keep up with the great videos.👍🏻

[@martinthorne8543]

Interesting content and excellent presentation have no time limit. You do a bang-up job on both counts.

[@mrrolandlawrence]

the smart roadster was quite nice. i hope geely bring that back :)

[@michaelloach9461]

Every day is a school day! Thanks.

[@jakubbaldessari5453]

Many thanks for covering microcars! I would love to see a video about Toyota and PCA's attempt to create the ultimate city car to dominate this segment in Europe - with the result of launching Toyota Aygo / Citroen C1/ Peugeot107. Starting with badge engineering and ending with three different car lineups.

[@LittleCar]

I tend to go through just one make an explore it, but I'm sure I'll cover these cars one day. Not sure when though.

[@christiannorwik]

Not gonna lie I like those triplets especially first gen.

[@jonnycando]

@@LittleCar Might you explore badge engineering in general? It’s the garden of both good and evil I reckon….

[@LittleCar]

@@jonnycando That would be a big one, and require a lot of research! It's been going on for maybe 100+ years.

[@RealButcher]

We had a red and a blue Toyota iQ. I sold my red one, but my wife still has her blue iq. Great cars, way to expensive, but very good quality. I do drive a Smart For2 for a time, great car, but terrible SLOW gearautomatic. This was in 2008. I bought my red iQ in 2010..went very good till 2022. The blue one is from 2015 about. Turningcircle is incredible.

[@Wario7793]

While listening to these bizarre and neat facts about microcars, like the Swatchmobile, I just noticed you have a cool model of the International Space Station. Not exactly a car by any means, but wow, that is so cool!!!

[@bcfairlie1]

The actual quote from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy...is... Far on the distant out reaches of the unfashionable western spiral end of the Milky Way lyes a small yellow sun. Orbiting this at a distance of 93 million miles is an utterly insignificant tiny blue greenish planet whose ape based life forms are so incredibly primitive that they still think Digital Watches are a great idea. (Hope I got that right. I haven't read the book of decades).

[@BOABModels]

Smart work on this! I still think the first gen car looks modern but maybe that's me showing my age now!

[@jamesengland7461]

I appreciate your work and watch every video with great interest. Keep it up!

[@LittleCar]

Glad you like them James!

[@jamesengland7461]

@@LittleCar I love them!

[@ggginforlab]

Great (Extra) Video!

[@michelvondenhoff9673]

The smaller the car the longer the video 😀

[@LittleCar]

That seems to be the case!

[@thestringquartetcompany]

I love the Smart. In my own head, it just needs the 2024 Citroen dual clutch hybrid.

[@justdna4385]

The 4 four SUV would have done well in the USA.

[@matthewbowen5841]

In the words of G. Costanza, "Worlds are colliding!" But in a great way. I suppose it isn't that unusual that a person could subscribe to all three channels, but it gives me goosebumps that you, Company Man and Techmoan all sort-of crossed paths over the freaking Smart, of all subjects. Have loved all three channels for ages. But, with apologies to the more-famous Mat, I don't love the Smart, despite its obvious practicality.

[@sativabros]

Good work, thanks! Well done.

[@IntyMichael]

That was one of the questions I had...what happened to the Smart factory. Thanks for the answer.

[@Conservator.]

A long video about a very short car. (No complaint though, not at all!)

[@egoebb]

I have a 2014 EV for two and I love it

[@jamieshields9521]

Interesting vid👍Q what happened to glass house display dealerships? If I was Switch watch company I would have offer graphics products to get brand on car, maybe personal watch holder or matching clock display for car. As you said they had idea but no understanding how is put together n advertised to customers

[@LittleCar]

I believe they just dismantled them, but I don't know the details.

[@Pugface117]

Please make a video all about the lupo!😁

[@debbiemilka2251]

I am sort of fascinated by those car models on the shelves behind you. In particular the hot sports cars below the "big car" sign. They appear to depict these vehicles that have seen heaps of use on the race circuit. Is the red one a Chevrolet Corvette ? And what is the other ? You built and detailed them, right ? Wold love to hear about your efforts in this hobby. You are doing quite well. Thanks for your awesome videos. I know it's a great deal of effort on your part organising all the graphics and dialogue. I commened you highly. God bless.

[@duckrutt]

It's a LEGO Ferrari 599 GTB. There are a few smaller diecast up there but most of them are LEGO sets.

[@Tonde]

Thx for the optional extra. Will you create videos on other small size cars, like VW Lupo 3L, Audi A2 3L, Toyota IQ, Aston Martin Cycnet ? They are quite special cars.

[@LittleCar]

One day, so many to get to! Despite the "Big Car" channel name, I prefer small cars.

[@mi-1644]

welcome to India. we want this car in India.

[@grifis1979]

What a lovely man.

[@theHoolser]

can you please do a Honda S2000 story?

[@verttikoo2052]

Now the Swiss have smartwatch crisis 🙄 I had a Swatch collection. Problem with the Swatch mechanism is that it is loud. Now imagine over hundred of them. I had to sell the collection because even with the sound insulation I could hear them. I did make profit and no I don’t regret selling it 🙉

[@LittleCar]

That's true, but the same thought applies. When everyone is wearing an Apple Watch, it's good to stand out from the crowd.

[@Happymali10]

I wonder if the "disappeared" Fourmore showcar ended up in Mercedes' factory collection

[@AlBeZed]

interesting information. Keep making great videos. History tells you a little do's and and a lot don'ts It'is a miracule, the smart car survived, considering how terribly awful Series 1 had been made. I own a 2014 smart ED with 50'000 km on the clock. This car is absolutely fantastic, I love it and it loves me, because I use it as intended: know thy limits. home charge it, never ever tried elsewhere, although I could stay within a 50km radius from home, halve it in winter. never exceed extra 1point5 passengers accelerate steplessly and effortlessly have fun in the bends. ------------------------------------ The sky is the limit, so why should we be tempted to go to the moon?

[@chrispenn715]

I dont think black interiors were demanded by customers - for example, there are plenty of rants from Mercedes owners on the club site because MB now only offer black interiors in most of the their cars (when they used to offer a range of interiors colours). I think the real reason is because it's cheaper - manufacture in different colours increases production costs and complicates spares holding - which is a pity. Then again some of the colours offered in German cars have been a bit disgusting...... 🙂

[@rome0610]

"Any color, so long as it's black." - Henry Ford 😉

[@kaitlyn__L]

@@rome0610 fun fact, I learned recently that’s actually apocryphal, despite the real sales policies people often attribute to the quote!

[@av_oid]

A great car for DINKS or retired people :).

[@debbiemilka2251]

P.S. The story of the child telling mum and dad that the man from Gen X was there is great. No need for crickets. I was expecting him to say the landlord was calling.

[@tng2057]

I don’t think Smart would have a bright future. Firstly many other car manufacturers have EVs doing a much better range and better equipped than that of Smart, and secondly the demand for such cars is not high outside western Europe - in particular China where everyone thinks big. It was seen as ‘In’ years ago but now gradually becoming ‘out’. (even Swatch is facing a sales decline due to smart watch competition). The idea of using the DaVinci Code film to boost Smart sales some years ago was plainly stupid - it was no BMX bike (a la ET).

[@LittleCar]

I think Geely have big plans to push new Chinese made cars, probably EV crossovers.

[@CreamAle]

the first 30 seconds was basically one long and expanding that's what she said joke.

[@LittleCar]

😂

[@marvintpandroid2213]

length and breadth, that's what she said.

[@LittleCar]

😂

[@rabit818]

I remember swatch costing $37.

[@AtheistOrphan]

The very first ones were priced at £25.00 here in the U.K. 🇬🇧

[@dk-dr4yl]

Next movies wv Lupo

[@aladik2010]

STUPID mersedes ruined such a great car.