As I very rarely drive my Exige Cup on the road, I decided to add something small, economical, a little easier to use and still fun!

These are some of the details:

2 seater

Turbo

Enigine behind the cockpit

Rear wheel drive

Height: less than 112cm / 44"

Climate control

Electric roof

So, any one want to guess what it is?

911 turbo!

That's not a 2 seater.

My guess is a Smart Roadster. That's the only thing that comes to mind.

Hahaha "slightly" is a key word. Smart Roadster is a good one, I'm not sure otherwise. Don't you ever find yourself in need of a bit more luggage space or additional seating?

fiero

Opel Speedster/Vauxhal VX220?

Or the Roadster-Coupe...

Opel GT?

I dismissed that cuz of


I think the Smart Roadster (or Roadster Coupe...) has a vinyl top which electrically rolled behind the seats...not sure though...

* Max speed -
* 0-62 mph - 9.8 seconds
* Fuel consumption - 53.3 mpg (combined cycle)
* Engine - 698 cc
* Fuel - SU
* Transmission Auto
* Power - 101
* Torque -
* Rear Driven Wheels
* Insurance Group - 13
* Metallic Paint
* Power steering
* Air conditioning
* Climate Control
* Traction Control
* Airbags
* Alarm / Immobiliser
* Seat Belt Pre-
* Central locking
* Alloys
* Leathers
* Electric front windows
* Electric rear windows
* Electric mirrors
* Radio Cassette
* RDS Radio
* CD / DVD player
* Electric Sunroof

* Wheelbase - 2360
* Length - 3427
* Width - 161
* Height - 1192
* Boot -
* Fuel Tank - 35litres
* Kerb Weight 915 kg

You lot are good!

I had a Speedster before the Exige – and I would say it was only very slightly more practical.

The answer is Smart Brabus Xclusive Roadster-Coupé












I do have more practical cars – this is not for collecting a group of kids or lugging stuff from the DIY store, it's just a bit easier to live with than the Exige when I want to "travel light". It is also far more usable all year round: Great heating system – even has heated seats. I also got a second set of the Brabus alloys with winter tyres, so rain / snow is not the problem it is with the Lotus on semi slicks. The 3-point belts instead of harness is better for every day use too. Uses almost no fuel. Best of all is the superb electric soft top: can even be opened remotely on the key fob and, yes, it does roll down behind the driver. Great thing is you can open or close it at any speed The side bars can even be quickly removed (and stored in their locating points in the front compartment) to make it a full targa – though not really necessary, IMO. It also has a hardtop for serious winter use.

I'm very pleased so far. My main criticism is that the door's first stop when open is at about 60cm and it is almost impossible to get my (small) feet out without scuffing the door's speaker pod. Trouble is, the next stop is fully open which is at about 97cm – and there is rarely enough room for that in most european parking bays. Amazingly, the Exige – even with the roll cage uprights and very high sill – is actually easier to get out of with 60cm opening due to the concave shape of the outer sill compared to the slightly convex one on the Smart.

Smart on first stop at 60 cm – note convex sill


Exige at 60 cm – note concave sill


I really hadn't anticipated this being a problem, but it is a bit of a PITA. I'm even considering Lambo style doors as a solution, but that is a bit costly – the looks are not really of consequence, it's the practical benefit that tempts me

.

That is indeed very sexy. Congrats SpeedyK.

Did these have the same sequential manual tranny from the for-two?

That would be pretty cool, and fun on the track, although I did read that people thought it was a horrible tranny...which I cold see if you bought the For-Two, but I think it would fit the roadster well.

Yes they do, Bjorn, and the reason people dislike the ForTwo's transmission isn't just for being herky-jerky but also for being sloooooow. So if anything it's probably even more frustrating on the track.

I've never driven a Smart but I did drive a Toyota MR2 with the 6-speed SMT and it was also horrendously slow and I wouldn't want to even try to track the damn thing. Shame too, what with such a likable chassis. If the Smart's is anywhere near that bad...hooboy.

^so it's an automated manual? I thought it was a sequential like in a GT2 ALMS car. That is disappointing.

I test drove the Smart roadster-coupé 1n 2003 when it first came out in 80 bhp form. The semi-auto box was a real issue – slow, clumsy, automatically changing up when you took the revs up – basically it spoiled the car.

Smart improved the system in subsequent updates so that it was a little quicker, but it was still not convincing.

Brabus altered various things on their version – apart from upping the power, it has an uprated clutch and the changes are quicker and smoother too – the rocking action when changing up under load is far less pronounced.

Because of this I test drove a Brabus Xclusive Roadster-Coupé in June last year. I still wasn't convinced – if only it had a normal manual change I thought. In July I was able to try my brother's identical car more extensively. I still wasn't happy.

Smart stopped making the car – BUT there were plans to re-start production under another company. First there was talk of an MG, then an AC roadster based on the Smart was planned – and they intended to fit a manual gearbox:


I would have been right at the front of the queue if this had come to anything (even if they only made the notchback roadster version and not the more practical Roadster-Coupé) – but this year it became clear that they hadn't been able to get all the finance they needed, so nothing happened*.

It was therefore a case of take or leave the original. The car has so much going for it that I was torn for most of this year, then I decided to try it again.

I wanted it for public road use and, though I normally change gear on a manual box very quickly, it really isn't necessary – in fact most people I've passengered with both on the road and on track don't change gear any faster than the time taken by the Brabus. The problem is that it takes a while to work out how best to use the car. By default, it is auto mode. This can be over-ridden to take control via the paddles or on the lever. Then there are various ideas as to how best to use the throttle when changing: many recommend lifting slightly as you change, but in the Brabus at least it's not so necessary. The time for a change from start by flicking the paddle to finish where the next gear is engaged and driving is around 1 second. As I said, fine for road use and I don't intend to track it – my Exige is certainly better suited for that – though I may get my daughter (who is just about to start driving) to take it to an advanced driving course at Hockenheim next year – and go in the Exige myself

I've just been out in the car today. With my thumbs on the spokes of the wheel, my finger tips are on the paddles. Click, click, click, click – up the box it goes at my bidding and with minimal effort. 11°C outside. Amazingly powerful heater soon has the car snug. Light, keen steering eager to follow any twisty road I can offer. Small dimensions mean plenty of room to go fast even on narrow roads. As I said in my first post, it uses almost no fuel – fun doesn't come much cheaper! I like it – and the semi-auto box is not the problem I had feared it might be.

I have to say I really regret not having bought one earlier – it was a taste that took a little longer to acquire than most, but that is not unusual for a gourmet item



*As I understand it, all the tooling for the roadster has now been sold to a company in India. Who knows what might yet happen – maybe it will even be ressurected as an electric fun car...

Hmm, well, it's sure an interesting and unique car...I actually love the way it looks. I hope it serves you well and thanks for sharing.

Glorious late autumn day here in the Swiss Alps, so I took the car out and got some proper pics.



Edit to re-post these from Webshots – wouldn't let me send them full size























Wonderful little car – I'm loving it!

I'm getting a red x on everything but the first one.

^Yeah, me too. What beautiful mountains.

Hope it's sorted now – I've re-posted them.

Oh my god what a magnificient view!!! Sometimes I wish I lived in Switzerland... and they speak french also!!
Nice pictures, and nice cars speedyK.

Thats an awesome little car!

I believe there are some nice places in Canada too


The majority speak a German dialect – but English is taught at school – since recently even at primary school level. >Swiss languages – for those who are interested<




Thanks!

I've now got the winter tyres on a second set of alloys and the lined hardtop is in place for winter.

Except for when it is serious 4x4 weather, this is my winter car now. Amazing heater and ventilation system – especially compared to my Lotus! Furthermore, heated seats is nice when it is absolutely freezing.

Getting to know it a little better now, but have not yet had opportunity to tests its limits to the full. When the roads are very icey, it would be nice to have a full manual with the ability to de-clutch when I want to, but the semi-auto has worked OK so far...



Aside: my elder daughter has just passed her driving theory test and wanted me to give her some practical tuition before she starts with a pro driving instructor. I insisted she use my Lotus Exige PS3 sim cockpit first (with the G25 manual shifter and clutch). She protested, but agreed to use the Mini Cooper S I selected for her from GT5 Prologue – I wanted her to get the fwd hatch feel before she went out with me in our Peugeot 106GTi for the first time.

After the sim, she realised a manual change is a little more complicated than flicking a switch (she'd always used auto mode before), so my Pug was spared serious maltreatment I then let her try the Smart (in full auto mode) just to get some more driving experience. As she was enjoying the whole experience I let her try our Durango too. Guess which car she liked most?












The Durango! She says it would be cool to take a load of friends

But I did have some fun myself in the snow on empty car parks with the Durango in rwd mode last week – and with the Pug using the handbrake to get it to come round. The Smart is next on the list!

SpeedyK, you are my hero.

wow.
Me wants your cars.
And sceenery

Last weekend I put the hardtop away for winter. It is so great to use the electric sunroof on the move again.

Washed the car and took a few pics. The only reason why the softtop is closed is because it needed to dry.

Loving it even more now the sun is shining more

Its legal to wash your car in Switzerland?

looks pretty fucking clean to me. except in pic#5 where the dandelions are reflecting

Nice photos! Switzerland is such a gorgeous place. I love how weird looking this car is...

OH.
MY.
GOD.
YOU PARKED ON THE DANDELINES !!!!!!!!!! YOU KILLED THOSE PRECIOUS FLOWERS !!!!
OFF WITH YOUR HEAD !

before the farmer came to get them with his mowing machine...