smart ForTwo Design Analysis

Challenges for the next generation model

By Text & Photos edited by F. de Leeuw van Weenen
August 11, 2006 6:57 AM
Filed Under: German, Smart

Press Release

Design: Emotional drive

Giving concepts a concrete shape is a challenge that a designer must face time and time again. But no matter how many times the process is repeated, it can never become routine. Unlike for an engine, for example, mathematical formulae and the laws of thermodynamics are only of limited use when grappling with the concreteness of a three-dimensional product.

Good design should follow function. But that doesn’t just mean mechanical function. The principle “form follows function” also applies to the elusive function of emotional drive.

The path taken to achieve an outstanding design cannot really be described, but only traced back from a finished product. There are no real natural laws available to help us achieve great designs, otherwise every design would be a design classic; in no other field is the process of approximation as essential as in the field of form-finding. For all the confidence that good designers have in their own style, a hint of uncertainty always remains, which only becomes a conviction once the finished product has been confirmed as embodying all of the relevant positive attributes.

Good design stubbornly resists any clear definition. This is largely because a product must first mature in people’s perception before it can truly be considered as good design. What’s more, good design is only fully realised when it is viewed in conjunction with its surroundings. A classic chair can only be classic if the other furniture around it also conveys something of a bygone age.

This explains why, when people are out in the streets, they tend to look at the smart fortwo more than any other car: With its fresh, cheerful look and its likable character, it stands out from the crowd and begs to be admired.

Does design have to be beautiful? Does design have to be popular? Is it acceptable for design to divide opinions? And does it really always have to follow function?

Good design doesn’t have to be about beauty. Agreeable, “love at first sight” design quickly descends into the realms of banality and universality. And yes, it is acceptable for design to divide opinions, because it is always preferable to inspire enthusiasm in some people and scepticism in others than to create simply a pervading sense of “niceness”. If something appeals to the majority, that means it is catering for average tastes. And averageness means mediocrity. That is why good design is initially always controversial.

But it is much easier to recognise a good design than to say what it is that makes it so good.

We know straight away if we like something. But when asked why we like it, we need to stop and think for a while. And the question as to how good design is achieved leaves us almost completely lost for words. Hardly anyone could come up with an answer to that question off the cuff. Possibly a designer.

The principles of good design

The great philosopher Immanuel Kant said that there can be “no objective rule of taste that defines in terms of concepts what is beautiful” – or must be beautiful. However, the tortuous search for some kind of definition has allowed a number of basic principles to be deduced:

Thus giving a form to “things” is far from simple. Particularly when these “things” are not mere consumer goods, but elements in a deep, emotional relationship.

This becomes even more difficult when designing a product whose form is not the essence of the product, but instead must express the product’s underlying high-quality technical nature. A classic chair leaves no room for hidden finesse, and must make its impact through what it is and for its own sake. A car, however, is quite a different matter. Here the design becomes the user interface to our emotions and to our demands on the subtle perception of the technical capabilities that the vehicle represents. Our subconscious expects faultless technology, and our sense of aesthetics wants to be wooed.

These were the issues that the designers of the smart fortwo had to face. To fulfil the requirements, they needed to step back from the formal principles usually applied in automotive design, and take a completely new tack. Their design also needed to respond to specific social phenomena: the oil crises in the early 1970’s and 80’s that were the first hints to the world that natural resources are finite, the success of the car and the growth of private transport in general, leading to increased pollution and a shortage of parking space in cities.

These social developments soon inspired Mercedes-Benz to ask what a car must look like if it is to meet these requirements without depriving drivers in any way. It didn’t take long to decide what basic features a car of this kind must have: four wheels, two seats, an engine, and a length of approx 2.5 metres. That was back in 1981. Discussions took place, but the resulting proposals were not found to meet the stringent safety requirements of Mercedes-Benz. Ten years passed and the project was put on ice again and again until Mercedes-Benz Design in Sindelfingen finally managed, in cooperation with the Advanced Design Center in the USA, to reconcile form with function in such a way as to satisfy the company’s tough requirements. And to ensure that the vehicle had emotional presence.

A greenfield factory was built where completely new approaches could be implemented at every stage of the development process. Unconventional thinking was to permeate everything from the first product specification and the product objectives right through to the structure of the design process. The production processes, too, were to be completely new. In this way, not only was a new vehicle concept conceived, but all of the framework conditions were redefined.

The smart fortwo represented the ultimate challenge for designers right from the start, because the aim was not just to come up with a totally new, intelligent concept for automotive individuality, but also to reflect this concept in concrete form. The new vehicle would need to awaken positive curiosity, but not completely disregard existing ways of looking at objects. People should be touched positively by the form of this very short, two-seater vehicle, but at the same time should be able to take it seriously.

Though this design project was completely free from restrictions, and although its development was subject to no preconditions whatsoever, the design of the smart fortwo still needed to reconcile virtually all facets of formal incompatibility. Something totally new had to be born from contradictory requirements in terms of function, aesthetics and safety technology, to create a perfect synthesis from numerous theses and antitheses.

The smart designers, in their quest to identify the right direction for the fortwo, allowed themselves to be guided by four essential principles:

The task was therefore to create a design-oriented city-car that, while offering ample interior space, would satisfy both the high safety requirements of customers and (!) the safety philosophy of the company.

The designers drew their inspiration from everything that makes life worth living, and that makes a vehicle attractive and even lovable. Their imagination was fired by many of the kinds of products that we encounter on a daily basis – fashion, architecture and furniture – and by the ways in which materials are used and combined - but also by icons of automotive history such as the Citroen 2CV and the original Mini.

Ultimately, this process yielded the unique smart body concept that was to open up totally new possibilities: for example the variable colour concept, whereby the smart owner can change the colour of the plastic body parts of their vehicle, to give the car a new look whenever they see fit. Here the designers were inspired by structural plastic-metal connections on motorcycles The smart fortwo is widely viewed by design experts as a “successful” design: it has character, it stands out in a crowd, it is original. Not least for this reason, was the smart included in the collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), as a design that captures the spirit of the 1990’s? What could be a better indicator that this is truly a classic design?

The smart fortwo embodies everything that makes a design good. The smart looks practical, intelligent and honest. It has a strong emotional aura that touches us in a pleasant, positive way. Its characterful aesthetics speak for themselves. Its compact appearance, accentuated yet further by overhangs that are so short they are barely visible, conveys an inviting, modern, fresh sensation. The typical tridion look of the safety cell clearly communicates the safety function that it has been designed to perform. There could hardly be a more eloquent expression of that most basic principle of design, that form must follow function.

Now, almost a decade after the inception of the smart fortwo, smart designers face the question of what the next stage should be in the development of this car, this concept, this unique character. To develop something means to keep its strengths while at the same time turning it into something new. Creating something new without forfeiting any of a product’s original uniqueness – this sounds like a very tough challenge. And it’s true: this is very difficult, yet achievable. The example of Stuttgart Zuffenhausen shows us that the challenge can be met, and very successfully, too. What is needed is for the product idea to be treated with great sensitivity, and the characteristics that define the product and its form to be very clearly identified. On top of that, courage and far-sightedness are essential, and even the smallest details must be subjected to intense discussion. At the same time it is important to take a big step back from the product. If the right balance of proximity and distance is there – in other words, if the designers are able to take an intimate look at the product from an outside perspective – then the result will be a bold successor to the original product with the genes of its predecessor. It will be recognised as new, but accepted as tried-and-tested.

Striking a balance between desire and feasibility: The smart genes

What is success? There are hundreds of thousands of answers to this question – none of which holds true for everyone. Only in biology is the answer relatively simple: success means survival. And a species whose only remaining habitat is in the museum obviously set off down the wrong road at some point. It simply had the wrong genes.

So which are the right genes? The ones that guarantee success. And they do this when they harbour the solutions to the questions of the times.

But is that also true for cars?

It’s certainly true that every car also has characteristics which make it a car and others which distinguish it from all other models. Cars also have close brothers and sisters and distant relatives, and come from distinctive families. Some are well equipped for the evolutionary process, while others have missed the turn-off into the future. Was it perhaps down to their outdated DNA? And if so: How do we recognise the genes of the future?

By considering the success story of the smart car company, for example. There’s no better basis on which to study a car’s genes and DNA. The brand simply oozes individuality, and its genes are so obviously in evidence – which explains why no other small car on the road attracts so much admiring attention as the smart fortwo. This is not merely an assertion. No other car in Germany is decked out so frequently with advertising - and advertisers only chose media which are sure to put their messages across. The smart fortwo fits the bill here. Ever since its launch eight years ago, the car has been an absolute eye-catcher on our roads.

So let’s take a closer look: What is it exactly that makes this car a smart? What distinguishes the smart fortwo from all other cars? And how come it is based on a successful, future-oriented concept that really works? What defines the limits of the designers’ desires and dreams? What is still within the realms of the possible – and what is simply unrealistic?

Let’s adopt a scientific approach and begin with the fundamentals: What makes a car a car is three or four wheels, an engine and two windscreen wipers for clear vision. That’s the material side of the equation. And then there’s the essential ability to transport at least one person from one place to another.

But here we’re interested in the specifics of a smart: There are, to be precise, four different genes that define and at the same time limit the vehicle’s design. Two concern the hardware and two are of a conceptual nature. Let’s begin with the most immediately striking element of every smart’s appearance and structural design: the tridion safety cell.

The tridion was invented in the course of developing the smart fortwo, when the designers were faced with the apparently insoluble task of building a small car which is as safe as a large car, but as small as the latter’s luggage compartment. They came upon the solution when they started doing their sums: Whatever direction the other vehicle involved in an accident comes from, on a vehicle this short it will always hit at least one wheel and one axle. And so the engineers and designers drew up plans for an extremely rigid safety cage, which they called the tridion, and as a crumple zone they used wheels and axles. In crash tests the fortwo repeatedly emerged as best-in-class in terms of safety. The engineers subsequently adopted the cage as the essential, load-bearing element of the smart. This also had consequences for the remainder of the vehicle.

The bodypanels and the resultant two-colour look are the second gene which immediately distinguishes (almost) every smart from all other cars. Of course, every so often a customer will opt for the combination of black tridion with black bodypanels, or silver tridion with silver bodypanels – combinations that are still perfectly in line with the two-material concept that is inherent in every smart vehicle. It’s just that in these cases, a little more attention is required to spot it.

The third gene is more difficult to define, although it is immediately evident in every model. In unscientific terms, it could be described as “emotional design” - or an “automotive affirmation of life”. This is not the run of the mill. There are cars on our roads that look like giant frowns captured in metal, or biceps pumped up on steroids. smart, on the other hand, is a “smiling face on wheels”. Here again, the conflict between the will of the designer and the reality of what can be manufactured is often substantial. That’s because between the designing and the building of a car there are other weighty matters that need to be considered, including crash safety, vehicle ergonomics, choice of materials and the feasibility of production. Not until this controversy has been overcome through a long, painstaking process involving all of the relevant disciplines can a car – a smart – be created that bears the smart genes yet can realistically be produced.

The "smile" is also expressed on the road. This quintessentially smart driving experience is the fourth gene. It can be summed up as the philosophical principle that driving can be about more than mere transportation. It can also be about fun, for example, or intensity, passion, happiness - and sometimes a notion of a better world. Because a smart is not just safe, agile, and extremely practically oriented – it is also an economic miracle on four wheels. That’s not just in terms of its fuel consumption though – though it sets standards in that area as well. smart spells economy thanks to its intelligent use of parking space, materials and production resources – quite simply by omitting those car seats that you never needed anyway!

Is this overstating the case?

After all, we’re talking about the great issues of our time here. The future of our cities, for example. And the laws of our mobile world. Critical mass on the roads. The point at which populations begin to take out their aggression on themselves.

Our cities are developing along the same lines. Too full, too little space, too many people fighting for the available parking spaces. In traffic, others are experienced not as human beings but as rivals or hindrances. It is difficult for us to find our way out of this spiral and back to the light.

But there are ways out of this dilemma. One goes by the name of the smart fortwo. Finding a parking space is never a problem in this car - and this puts a smile on everyone’s face. Because showing consideration is no longer a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s simply a demonstration of a pleasant and likeable character.

So you don’t consider fun to be a gene? You’re probably right. But it is undoubtedly a unifying element at smart. And proof that cars are a success when they provide answers to the questions of our times. One of which was: “Whatever happened to the smiling motorist?”

smart fortwo: “The smart” in (almost) endless variations

At a glance

The two-seater smart fortwo, the ‘classic’ smart, has quickly evolved into a cult car, with some 750,000 having been sold to date. It now enjoys a special place in motorists’ hearts in 36 markets.

Whichever city you lived in – Munich, Rome, Barcelona, London, Vancouver or Tokyo – the “city-coupé”, as the smart fortwo was initially known, promised a totally new approach to city driving. It was economical, environmentally friendly, particularly easy to drive, at home in the smallest of parking spaces and on the narrowest of streets, had a characteristic, cheerful design, was built by the Mercedes Car Group, and came with the very latest safety features.

Although the follow-up model has already been announced for the coming year, the original smart fortwo has lost none of its appeal. Sales figures remain at a high level – above target, in fact, as smart boss Ulrich Walker is pleased to point out. The smart fortwo continues to sell so well in its eighth year that the planned production output for 2006 has been raised once again.

Safe and robust

The smart fortwo established the unique smart body concept featuring two materials that are also manifested in the visual design. High-strength steel for all safety-related components, reassuring and visible in the tridion safety cell, and plastic for all exterior parts – robust and scratch-proof. The flexible bodypanels are an innovation offering the utmost utility value in busy city traffic. They withstand minor knocks unscathed. And plastic does not rust, either.

The exterior parts are available in a wide range of different colours. Most of them form a striking contrast to the tridion safety cell, which is always painted either black or silver. Anyone wishing to change the colour of their smart fortwo can do so without the help of a paintshop. The bodypanels are easily replaceable within just an hour. The same applies in case of damage: Replacing a wing costs less than 100 euros, and all the exterior parts can be replaced for barely 700 euros - for a complete make-over in the right colour. The ecologically-minded will be pleased to hear that the bodypanels are fully recyclable.

Three equipment variants and the BRABUS top model

The smart fortwo is to be seen at smart centres - and increasingly at Mercedes-Benz showrooms, too - in three equipment lines and the exclusive BRABUS version. The basic model already incorporates all the essential safety and comfort features, including standard esp (which many rival makes of small car do not even offer at an extra charge), hill start assist (which prevents the car from rolling back when moving off on an uphill slope), electric windows, central locking with remote control and a sequential six-speed transmission without clutch pedal (softip).

Additional features on the sporty smart fortwo pulse include a glass roof (with sun blind), alloy wheels with wider tyres, additional storage nets and compartments and a sports steering wheel with paddles for gear shifting. The comfortably-equipped smart fortwo passion features an air conditioning system and glass roof as standard. It also has alloy wheels and an automatic gearshift programme for the six-speed transmission (softouch).

Low fuel consumption

In 1998, smart's turbo engine anticipated what is now just emerging as a downsizing trend in other makes of car: A small and particularly economical engine employing a turbocharger (and charge air cooling) to boost it to the sort of power level which is expected even of small cars today. The three-cylinder petrol engine has a capacity of 698 cc. Power ratings of 37 kW / 50 bhp or 45 kW / 61 bhp are available (cabrio: 45 kW only). The maximum speed of both variants is limited to 135 km/h. With a fuel consumption level under standard conditions of 4.7 l/100 km, the smart fortwo is one of the most economical petrol-engine cars available.

The smart fortwo cdi embodies three superlatives: It is powered by the world’s smallest turbodiesel engine, featuring state-of-the-art common-rail technology. It is the smallest vehicle to be fitted with a particle filter as standard. And it is by far the most successful “three-litre” car worldwide, i.e. consuming less than 4 litres of fuel over 100 km.

In figures: The three-cylinder engine has a capacity of 799 cc and generates a power output of 30 kW/41 bhp. This is sufficient for a top speed (limited) of 135 km/h, and the fuel consumption under standard conditions stands at only 3.8 l per 100 km. The smart fortwo cdi has notched up sales of 140,000 to date – several times the figures attained by the “three-litre” models once offered (and since discontinued) by several competitors. smart additionally offers retrofitting of the particle filter on older cars, irrespective of when they were built.

Portable navigation system

A new feature for the smart fortwo is a portable navigation system which is fitted securely on the instrument panel and provides clear directions via the car radio and its loudspeakers. The radio is muted while the directions are announced. The optionally available smart sound system additionally incorporates an MP3 interface, enabling connection of an MP3 player, for example. The smart fortwo BRABUS demonstrates once again just what a pleasure driving an ultra-short two-seater can be. Designed for particularly active driving, it delivers 55 kW/75 bhp from an unchanged engine capacity of 689cc. A top speed of 150 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 12.3 seconds mean lots of oomph - as often as not to the amazement of other motorists.

Icon with a future

Referring to market research results, Ulrich Walker is convinced that “the market for small cars is a strategically important segment which will continue to grow in the coming years, not least because of current discussion surrounding the issue of depleting resources. Small cars are in keeping with the spirit of the times. They offer value-for-money transport, low consumption and are also a factor in the environmental debate which has now also reached the USA.” This is confirmed by the brilliant start that the fortwo has made in Canada: The planned production figures have had to be increased a number of times, and the smart fortwo is well on its way to achieving cult status here, too.

Walker is convinced that “smart is in an excellent position with the smart fortwo and its successor, whose development is progressing according to plan.”