You May Not Have Noticed, But Smart Was At The Tokyo Motor Show With A Cabrio

• Smart Fortwo cabriolet was launched in Japan in April 2019.
• All three Smart models, Fortwo, Fortwo Cabrio and Forfour, are on sale in Japan.
• All-electric Smart EQ models were missing from the Tokyo Motor Show.

The Smart Fortwo Cabrio was launched in Japan in April this year, so that’s what the company displayed at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The full suite of Smart’s latest combustion vehicles is on sale in Japan: the Fortwo, Fortwo Cabrio, Forfour. Brabus variants of each of the models are on sale as well. Smart has recently been included in the EQ line of Mercedes electric vehicles (EVs), but none of the EQ Smarts were on display. The vehicle is renowned for its in-town manoeuvrability and size-defying safety. Prices for the Smart Fortwo cabriolet start from JPY 2.9 million (Rs 18.97 lakh) to JPY 3.32 million (Rs 21.70 lakh).  

A division of Daimler AG, Smart debuted its microcar in 1998. The vehicle carved its own niche in the automotive market and has maintained it since. The modern face of Smart vehicles, identical between models, was first seen in 2014; the first refreshed cabriolet was showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The Tridion safety cell, which holds the passengers, has remained a distinguishing Smart feature. 

The Smart Cabrio comes with a 0.9-litre engine, which is naturally aspirated in the base Sports trim and turbocharged in the Xclusive trim. The 0-100kmph dash comes in 11.4 seconds for the former, while the latter can manage the same feat in 9.5 seconds. The numbers may not seem fast, but they make the Smart a useable vehicle for both urban and highway commutes. At 2.8 metres long, the Fortwo is much smaller than the 3.5-metre keijidosha regulation, offering unmatched manoeuvrability in narrow lanes. 

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Mercedes has not expressed its intent to bring the Smart Fortwo to India, even though the small engine and short length of the vehicle would help it avail government tax relaxations here. However, we’ll keep our fingers crossed for the current and upcoming EQ-branded electric Smart cars.