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[Ocracoke]

Mmmm to my eye its ugly are the door panels metal or plastic ?

Metal. I asked this very question when I was at MB of Liverpool and they said that it was Metal rather than plastic (as is on the C453) because it was a more solid feeling and more luxurious.

[fluked]

I'm a new driver, nearly a year now. The last time I looked at cars was when I was 15, in max power and the like, magazines. The little touches of outer design, would have not have been out of place in the mod car mags back then. Bonnet scoops, fat arches, dual headlights, and as standard on a cdi a fairly fat tailpipe. The 454 design, is just about, relevant today. The brabus styling can hang too.

I feel I'm being harsh when I say the gen2 styling is fairly generic. Wicked touch of the reverse camera being hidden by the smart badge though. Is there anything that sets it apart? I understand the comment about it not looking horrible, as it's okay, just generic. Put next to a 454 gen1, it's not unreasonable to say it's a bit ugly....... You know what though, I recokon it's just the headlights and the goofy grille.

454 gen1...... a little diamond really, 10 years on and still has a place in the hothatch arena.

[evilution]

The new forfour is nice to drive but to other people, they just see someone driving an ugly car.
It's smart's version of the Fiat Multipla.

[Problemchild]

They are getting quite common - I saw a few today

JJ

[CrazyG]

Even though it is  'generic' as Fluked put's it, it's appeal is if
anything, down to it not being a 'box' on the line's of the VW Up.

I suppose one could say it's in the same sort of 'styling zone' as
the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108, Citroen C1...and they're the same
underneath, much as the Twingo is the underpinning of the Gen2.
But I'd rather have any of those in preferrence to the Gen2.

I'd go so far as to stick my neck out here and say that 99.9%
of the people who have bought or leased (now I bet there are
a fair few of those around) the Gen2 are not a Smart enthusiast
(and never will be) in the way that the majority of us on here are.

[Ocracoke]

The problem is the concept of it being "cool" and "of the moment".

I hate the marketing plans of Smart in general at the moment. They are targeting the cool, *sigh* hipster market when trying to sell "a funky looking car" to them. Really, they should be selling it as an alternative, not as a mainstream car (of course, we all know where that got them...)

The w453 is being pushed as the big thing by Smart at the moment, so what I guess could happen is that 3 years later (when the leases run out), there will be a glut of w453s on the market. The target audience (20-somethings, urban lifestyle) will probably have moved on by then (and styles too) leaving just the enthusiasts to carry on ownership.

Still, it isn't a box as CrazyG says. But I can't look at one and not think Twingo, the shape is that similar. I can look at a 454 and not think "Colt" as the shape, while similar, are not entirely the same. Certainly aren't built in the same way.

[fluked]

I looked inside one at merc today, there's this 'orrible bubble thing over the door on the inside. What the living fudge sundae.

Just my own opinion; why not push hard on the technology of the car as it's unique selling point. A super economic engine, churning out 90mpg+. Smart could have established themselves with this niche, and set themselves apart - doing something primarily that others can't touch - MPG. Instead they are known as making those little disabled cars for midgets (according to my teenage niece) -  and now apparently 'ugly funky cars' for urbanites........ (us 454 owners got lucky with an anomaly.

There's a long shot that an EV from smart might be it's saving grace perhaps.

[Brabs]

I still like the new forfour.. Would have to be Edition #1 though, fully loaded and defo not the white interior! Don't think that will age well at all.

 

[Coasterbob]

Well, sad to say, the New Forfour leaves me cold. Ugly as has been said and a Twingo looks nicer. I've owned my trusty Forfour sinc new and it's been an amazing car. But 9 years on and I fancied a change. The New Forfour is too pricey and I wouldn't buy one even if I could afford it. I wanted a Cirtoen Cactus at one point, but that's very pricey too. So after doing some research into city cars and not liking the boring VW Up, Seat Mii, Skoda Citygo trio, I was left with few options. Dacia Sandero too boring. So I have just ordered a new Fiat Panda. At £7000 after discounts, amazing price for a new car, and it looks good too! I think, as has been said, that Smart will lose the customers who used to always buy them, because the new Smarts are just plug ugly!