A car designed to solve urban problems? Cycle & Carriage unveils smart #1 launch

When Managing Director at Cycle & Carriage (C&C) Wilfrid Foo attended the Shanghai auto show last year, he spotted something that amazed him.

"When you [go to] an auto show, you picture a market where there are cars just beside each other everywhere, and you go into every one of them," Foo prefaced.

He described routinely inspecting each car and mentally ticking off a checklist up until he approached the smart #1 (pronounced smart hashtag one).

At first blush, the car appeared to be just as advertised, a straightforward compact electric crossover, but Foo's perspective took a turn once he took the driver's seat.

Outsmarting urban issues

Known for their compact city cars, namely the fortwo and forfour, smart was re-established as a joint venture between two giants in the industry, namely Mercedes-Benz AG and Geely Group.

Smart blends the design philosophy of the German brand and the engineering expertise of the Chinese automotive company, which also owns brands like Polestar, Volvo and Lotus. Since then, the brand has been innovating solutions for urban dwellers.

"The two-seaters were designed to solve urban problems: pollution and lack of space," revealed Mandy Zhang, the Chief Marketing Officer of smart Automobile.

"Now with EVs, we have better autonomous drive technology and more digital connectivity. Combining all these technological advancements, what are the issues we still want to solve?" Zhang continued.

This time, the smart #1 Pro+ and its Brabus counterpart aim to tackle the 'spiritual' challenges that city people face daily, said Zhang. They were designed for the 'hyper-fatigued', or broadly speaking, 'anyone who just got out of the office'.

And they're doing this with intuitive design, driver convenience and enhanced safety features.

At the very least, it certainly eased the C&C Managing Director's restlessness at the auto show.

After experiencing the car for himself, he was determined to bring the brand to Singapore.

"From the way you open the door, the way you feel inside the car - just the tactile nature of the car," Foo said. "If you put this car beside another car in the EV segment, you will notice the difference immediately."

So what's inside?

Those familiar with Mercedes-Benz' elegant design philosophy will also recognise similar features in smart's cars. And while the new releases lack novel or outstanding features, the combination of them in a compact family-friendly package is worth talking about.

If design is a top priority for you, it's good to know that the cars are award-winning designs. In 2023, the smart #1 range was awarded the Germany iF Design Award and the Red Dot Award for product design.

Design highlights include a seamless halo panoramic sunroof, floating centre console, frameless doors, and a microsuede upholstery interior.

Driving home after work also hits different with the smart #1 Brabus' 13-speaker Beats audio system, perfect for an immersive car karaoke session or a relaxing drive home.

If you need a car that serves the whole family, smart caters for it. In fact, it's marketed as a family-oriented crossover.

Its roominess is best suited for a young family with a child and a pet. It's a compact crossover after all; larger families may find the space a bit tight.

But what's truly valuable are the time-saving features and specifications that remind us that 'it's the little things that matter':

• Save time with its DC super fast charge, which takes less than 30 minutes to reach 80 per cent battery capacity with a maximum DC charging speed of 150kW
• The Pro+ boasts a decent WLTP range of over 400km, allowing you to go up to two weeks between charges. Ideal for navigating our island state with ease
• Microsuede upholstery, which means you'll barely see any fingerprints to clean Memory seats and automatic seat adjustments upon entering and exiting
• Intelligent systems to curb frustrations like traffic jam assist, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assist
• Seamless driver connectivity via Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

And if all that sounds a little boring to you, think again. One surprising thing about the sportier smart #1 Brabus is that it's really quick. With a peak power output of 428hp, the smart #1 BRABUS accelerates from standstill to 100km/h in just 3.9 seconds.

Take it for a spin

The first 20 units of the smart #1 Pro+ and smart #1 BRABUS are priced at $207,000 and $242,000 respectively (inclusive of COE, as of April 22).

If you're keen to find out more, head to the smart #1's roadshow at VivoCity's Central Court 1, held from April 22 to 28.

sophia.kuek@asiaone.com

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