2003 SMART Roadster Coupe 1.4L 6AT (170 HP)

Vehicle Overview

SMART introduced the Roadster-Coupe model in 2003 as an alternative, more fun vehicle for the regular SMART ForTwo vehicle.

Mercedes-Benz started a sub-brand together with the Swiss watchmaker Swatch, and the new company was named SMART, an acronym for Swatch-Mercedes-ART. Their goal was to produce chic vehicles for cities, and the main product was the ForTwo model. But the little car didn’t have enough appeal to the customers, and a sportier-looking version was unveiled in 2003: the Roadster Coupe.

This time, the designers threw away the guide-rules and imagined a longer vehicle, but with a small 1.2m (47″) height. Its slightly sloped rear windows served as a hood for the rear-mounted engine bay and hosting the removable glass roof. Since it used the same platform as the City-Coupe, it shared some of the body panels, doors, and front side. Its twin-headlights system was unique on the market.

Inside, there was room for a driver and a passenger who sat very low in their bucket seats with high bolstering. The carmaker took inspiration from former British roadsters who were nimble even if they were low on power. A sequential gearbox with paddle shifters behind the steering wheel was considered an advanced feature for those times.

The Roadster Coupe sported a three-cylinder turbocharged engine paired to a standard 6-speed automated gearbox under the hood. Brabus offered a particular version with a 1.4-liter V6 made out of two 0.7-liter 3-cylinder engine.