"pjhusa" (pjhuskinja)
09/01/2016 at 11:37 • Filed to: None
6
14|
"pjhusa" (pjhuskinja)
09/01/2016 at 11:37 • Filed to: None | 6
| 14 |
Everyone knows the infamous Smart ForTwo, commonly referred to as just “the smart car”. Many enthusiasts are probably aware of its many outlandish variants, from the Crossblade to the Brabus. But here’s one with slight differences compared to the base model; one you may not have heard about.
What is it?
As you may have guessed, the Smart K was a special variant designed to fit the Japanese kei car regulations.
According to CarThrottle member
TheCopenGuy
, it could properly be described as:
“a German JDM car that was made in France.”
What was part of its “secret sauce”?
This model utilized specially developed rear fenders. The width was also reduced to 1.47 m, thanks to some narrowing of the track width and tire dimensions.
The Smart K had virtually the same appearance as its ForTwo cousin, but it did come with a roof that had ridges. Why? Because ridges are cool, that’s why.
Was it safe?
The standard specification included the ESP and BAS safety assist systems. With the conventional ForTwo earning a 4-out of-5 star Euro NCAP rating, it would be safe to assume the same here. Of course, it would be up to you to choose whether or not you would want to depend your life on it.
Did it sell?
According to AutoIntell.com:
The smart k account[ed] for a major proportion of [Smart] sales in Japan [for 2002], and 2,128 smart k cars were delivered in the first half of the year. MCC smart [was] the only foreign manufacturer to import such a vehicle into Japan.
It seems that, although it did have a start, with production ending in November 2004, the Smart K was not long for this world.
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Hope you liked this short writeup. Thanks for reading!
Photo Credit: CarThrottle (1, 3)
Photo Credit: Wikipedia (2)
Photo Credit: IIHS (4)
Photo Credit: CarSensor.net (5)
jimz
> pjhusa
09/01/2016 at 11:40 |
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with that rigid passenger cage, it was probably far safer than any other kei car.
dogisbadob
> pjhusa
09/01/2016 at 11:49 |
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Yup, the only non-Japanese keicar ever
cool hubcaps
bhtooefr
> pjhusa
09/01/2016 at 11:55 |
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Of course, because of the 660 cc displacement limit in the kei class, the K also didn’t get the displacement increase from 599 to 698 cc that happened in 2002 for other markets.
NostalgicCarLife
> dogisbadob
09/03/2016 at 13:51 |
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Almost - the Fiat 126 was not sold as a Kei car, but could be registered as one after 1990.
Mercedes Streeter
> pjhusa
09/03/2016 at 14:10 |
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10/10 - Completely factual and cited writeup!!! I love all the different variants of the original W450.
AR24-7
> pjhusa
09/03/2016 at 14:26 |
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Interesting, although I would personally take a Honda S600 or something like that over this
Hoccy
> pjhusa
09/03/2016 at 15:03 |
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How would prices compare for this and a regular Japanese Kei-car? I have a feeling that it didn’t last long because it was too expensive compared to the competition.
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pjhusa
> Mercedes Streeter
09/03/2016 at 15:42 |
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Thank you for the praise, Miss Mercedes!
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pjhusa
> AR24-7
09/03/2016 at 15:43 |
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Ah, I concur. But the S660 wasn’t A Thing in 2001.
GE90man
> pjhusa
09/03/2016 at 15:45 |
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Nissan cube
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pjhusa
> Hoccy
09/03/2016 at 16:07 |
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That I don’t know, but it definitely is a valid possibility.
After all, at the moment, a base smart fortwo pure costs more than a base Chevy Spark LS or Nissan Versa S.
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pjhusa
> GE90man
09/03/2016 at 16:07 |
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Yes, that is a car too.
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AR24-7
> pjhusa
09/04/2016 at 00:55 |
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That’s true, but in 2001 I didn’t have a driver’s license...
RT
> pjhusa
09/15/2016 at 19:59 |
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Also if I believe correctly. This, along with the Subaru R-1, were the only modern kei-cars not to make full usage of the maximum size requirements in all dimensions.
In a category of cars all about space utilisation, this would probably be one of the main reasons why it never caught on.