Automotive Einstein

Smart began in 1993 as a joint venture between Daimler Benz and Swiss watchmaker Swatch. The company, Micro Compact Car AG was formed and headquartered in Biel Switzerland.

The fundamental idea behind the company was to create city cars with a specific emphasis placed on fuel economy and parking ease. Because the car was so tiny, Smart created the “tridion” safety cell (the silver or black portion of the body) to assure that the car could withstand impacts from exponentially bigger vehicles. Made from three layers of steel reinforced at strategic points, the cell was designed to absorb and redistribute crash energy away from the vehicle’s occupants. Side impacts are shielded by steel door beams and reinforced axles. Shortly after the cars launch in 1998, Daimler bought Swatch out of the venture. Popularity ensued throughout Europe and additional Smart models followed. In 2006, Smart expanded into the United States, where rising gas prices had shifted the market toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles. While there is no mainstream vehicle that embodies those two criteria better than the Smart, only time will tell if Americans who once laughed at Smart will embrace it the way Europeans and others around the world have.

2009 Smart Model Lineup

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