Latest news with #SmartForTwo
Auto Blog
17-06-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Smart Roadster Revival Possible, But Don't Expect Old-School Thrills
The last Smart Roadster left the factory in November 2005. Now, a revival is possible, thanks to the reincarnation of the model it's based on. Smart ForTwo Prepares for a Shocking Comeback When Smart introduced the ForTwo before the world panicked over the Y2K bug, the company realized that it had a platform for a fun sports car. A few years later, the Smart Roadster was born, based on the Fortwo platform but stretched to accommodate the sleek styling. It was meant to revive the love for open-top sports cars in the Old Continent, before bowing out in 2005 after over 43,000 units rolled off its French factory. A Smart Roadster revival would be nice, and apparently, it's entirely possible given that the brand is already preparing a successor to the ForTwo. There's one big catch, though – the Roadster will be entirely different, thanks to Smart's EV-only strategy. Source: Smart It Isn't Being Planned… Yet In an interview with Auto Express, Smart UK CEO Jason Allbutt was asked if there's a possibility of a new Smart Roadster given the Fortwo's upcoming turn. Albutt recognized the 'particularly good fun' that the convertible brought to the table before, and the UK's love of coupes and top-downs. 'For a country that has more rain than probably any other European market, we are lovers of coupés and roadsters. So yes, I could see a possibility for such a car in the UK,' said Albutt. However, Albutt emphasized that a Roadster revival isn't being planned yet, with the company currently focusing on the Smart #5 SUV and the Smart #6 hatchback. Both vehicles are electric, which follows the brand's strategy. Source: Smart Roadster Buyers Might Want Noisy Engines, Not Whiny Motors That said, if – and that's a huge IF – Smart proceeds with the revival of the Roadster, it will likely be battery-powered. It also needs to be lightweight and compact to match the original's driving dynamics, while also incorporating the instantaneous pull that EVs are known for. With an electric Mazda MX-5 potentially sitting alongside an ICE-powered Miata – a car like the Smart Roadster would be a worthy rival. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. However, Albutt also expressed his reservations about an electric roadster. Apart from the sensory open-air feeling, he cited that buyers of roadsters typically open their tops to hear the sound of the engine. Of course, this isn't possible with an electric powertrain, though speed won't be a problem given where electric powertrains are these days. 'Maybe there's a new audience that would be looking at [an electric roadster] in a different way. I'm not quite sure yet as to who the buyers of that car really are. It's too early to tell right now, but we'll see.' Source: Smart About the Author Jacob Oliva View Profile
Scottish Sun
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Ten cheapest cars to insure in UK for 2025.. including surprisingly plush saloon & sporty convertible
The model of the car is just one of many factors insurers consider GOT YOU COVERED Ten cheapest cars to insure in UK for 2025.. including surprisingly plush saloon & sporty convertible Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GROUP of car insurance experts have revealed the cheapest cars to insure in the UK in 2025 – with some surprising models included. A new report from Car Insurance shows that it's not just small, low-powered models that help you save on vehicle cover. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The iconic Mazda MX-5 tops list of the cheapest cars to insure Credit: Getty 3 The plusg, long-forgotten Saab 9-3 has also made the list Credit: Getty 3 Joining the top 10 are several small, low cost cars as well, such as the SmatFourtwo Credit: Getty The comparison site recently shared with Sun Motors their latest car insurance price index, revealing that the average cost of car insurance is £450. Typically, smaller, less powerful cars with good safety credentials are the cheapest to insure, such as the ever-popular Peugeot 206 and the compact Smart ForTwo. Unsurprisingly, both feature on list. However, there are a few unexpected entries, including the iconic Mazda MX-5 - which takes the top spot, costing an average of £250 to insure. Long dubbed 'the poster child for convertible cars', the MX-5 has often been recognised as a mechanically reliable choice that's also great fun to drive. The long-forgotten Saab 9-3, praised as a comfortable and practical saloon that also boasts good looks and an excellent safety record, also makes the list. Saab's former Swedish rivals Volvo are also on the list with the S40, costing just £290 to insure on average. top 10 cheapest cars to insure 1 Mazda MX-5 - £250 2 Peugeot 206 - £255 3 Citroen Xsara - £256 4 Smart Fortwo - £260 5 Toyota IQ - £265 6 Fiat Panda - £279 7 Peugeot RCZ - £279 8 Vauxhall Agila - £290 9 Saab 9-3 - £290 10 Volvo S40 - £290 Speaking to Sun Motors, Tom Banks, a car insurance expert at explained that the model of the car is just one of many factors insurers consider. He said: 'When an insurer offers you a quote for your car insurance, they take into account a whole range of factors – your age, the area you live in, and where your car is parked can all affect the price, as well as the type of car you drive. 'Generally speaking, more powerful, sporty cars with larger engines are more expensive to insure, while cars with smaller engines are typically more affordable to insure and run. 'While it's unlikely to be cost-effective to change your car solely to lower your insurance premium, if you're in the market for a new car anyway, it's definitely worth researching how much different models cost to insure. 'And if you're not planning to buy a new car but your premiums have increased, there are certain steps you can take to try to reduce the cost of insuring your vehicle.'
The Irish Sun
18-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Ten cheapest cars to insure in UK for 2025.. including surprisingly plush saloon & sporty convertible
A GROUP of car insurance experts have revealed the cheapest cars to insure in the UK in 2025 – with some surprising models included. A new report from models that help you save on vehicle cover. Advertisement 3 The iconic Mazda MX-5 tops list of the cheapest cars to insure Credit: Getty 3 The plusg, long-forgotten Saab 9-3 has also made the list Credit: Getty 3 Joining the top 10 are several small, low cost cars as well, such as the SmatFourtwo Credit: Getty The comparison site recently shared with Sun Motors their latest car insurance price index, revealing that the average cost of car insurance is £450. Typically, smaller, less powerful cars with good safety credentials are the cheapest to insure, such as the ever-popular Peugeot 206 and the compact Smart ForTwo. Unsurprisingly, both feature on list. However, there are a few unexpected entries, including the iconic Mazda MX-5 - which takes the top spot, costing an average of £250 to insure. Advertisement Read more Motors News Long dubbed 'the poster child for convertible cars', the MX-5 has often been recognised as a mechanically reliable choice that's also great fun to drive. The long-forgotten Saab 9-3, praised as a comfortable and practical saloon that also boasts good looks and an excellent safety record, also makes the list. Saab's former Swedish rivals Volvo are also on the list with the S40, costing just £290 to insure on average. top 10 cheapest cars to insure 1 Mazda MX-5 - £250 2 Peugeot 206 - £255 3 Citroen Xsara - £256 4 Smart Fortwo - £260 5 Toyota IQ - £265 6 Fiat Panda - £279 7 Peugeot RCZ - £279 8 Vauxhall Agila - £290 9 Saab 9-3 - £290 10 Volvo S40 - £290 Speaking to Sun Motors, Tom Banks, a car insurance expert at explained that the model of the car is just one of many factors insurers consider. Advertisement Most read in Motors Breaking He said: 'When an insurer offers you a quote for your car insurance, they take into account a whole range of factors – your age, the area you live in, and where your car is parked can all affect the price, as well as the type of car you drive. 'Generally speaking, more powerful, sporty cars with larger engines are more expensive to insure, while cars with smaller engines are typically more affordable to insure and run. 'While it's unlikely to be cost-effective to change your car solely to lower your insurance premium, if you're in the market for a new car anyway, it's definitely worth researching how much different models cost to insure. 'And if you're not planning to buy a new car but your premiums have increased, there are certain steps you can take to try to reduce the cost of insuring your vehicle.' Advertisement car insurance top tips Pay annually: Paying monthly for your car insurance could cost you more - insurers view this as a loan and add interest, making it more expensive over the year. So if you can afford to, pay it all in one go. Consider the cover type: While you might think that opting for less cover is cheaper, this isn't always the case. Our data shows that third-party-only policies cost an average of £588, £138 more than comprehensive policies (£450). Job descriptions matter: If there are multiple titles you can use to describe your profession accurately, try them all out, as your car insurance premium could vary depending on which you use - but remember to always be truthful and accurate with your insurer. Time when you buy: Our data shows that you can make some serious savings if you shop in advance of your renewal date. In fact, it could cost you 30% more if you leave it to the day your policy is due for renewal.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Living In A 2006 Smart ForTwo Allowed This Woman To Retire At 65
Thanks to the decisions made by President Donald Trump and his administration, the American economy is in a more volatile place than it's been in several years, and that's arguably most consequential for our country's senior citizens who are preparing to retire. This is true for members of my family who are hoping to retire, and for Kai, a former backpacker who now lives full-time in her European-spec 2006 Smart ForTwo. Kai chose to live in her ForTwo because she wanted to retire at age 65, but, like many Americans, can't afford to do so while also waiting until she hits age 70 to collect the maximum allowance provided by Social Security. Her solution? Move into her car to save money. She's been living out of her 100-inch-long 2006 Smart ForTwo for over a year, and she seems to enjoy it despite the lack of a toilet or shower. Read more: These Are What You Wanted As First Cars (And What You Got Instead) A large portion of our lives is spent sleeping, and sleeping comfortably in a Smart car sounds impossible, but Kai says it's plenty comfortable for her. She folds the passenger seat flat, and stacks several inflatable sleeping pads on top of it. Kai stands 5-foot-5-inches tall and says she has plenty of space to comfortably sleep on her side since her sleeping arrangement provides three extra inches of space to spread out. In order to hoist herself into her makeshift bed, she has to enter through the driver's side, turn her back to the passenger seat and brace her feet against the driver's door to push herself up on top of the pile of inflatable pads before kicking her feet toward the back window where she can stretch out. At least since she sleeps with her head near the windshield, she gets a great view of the stars every night. This level of downsizing would be too drastic for most people, but not for former backpacker Kai. She is used to living minimally, which is a good thing since she lives without a bathroom, bedroom, traditional kitchen, or really any creature comfort that's provided by a house or even a studio apartment. Normally Kai takes care of bathroom duties out in nature, but since she appears to be set up in a desert, she says she's faced severe sand storms that force her to take care of business inside the car. When necessary, she sets a plastic bin that's lined with a trash bag on the driver's seat, sits in that and does her business in the tub into a plastic zipper bag that's filled with pine cat litter pellets. She refers to it as her emergency toilet. To cook, Kai uses the Smart's fold-down tailgate as the cooking surface, where she has a kettle for water boiling and a single-burner alcohol stove that's fueled by isopropyl alcohol. She has one bin that can be used as a cool box, and she uses insulated water bottles for other things. Kai has already lived out of her ForTwo for 14 months, and hopes to continue doing so until she hits the age of 70 and becomes eligible to receive her maximum Social Security benefits. While she seems to be just fine living out of her car, I believe it's unfortunate that people like her who have earned the right to retire have to turn to such extremes in order to live off of the government assistance program they've paid into their whole lives. But maybe I'm the extremist for holding such controversial views. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox... Read the original article on Jalopnik.
New York Post
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- New York Post
I live in a tiny smart car so I can afford retirement — I even have an ‘emergency toilet'
She's giving the van life a minimalist makeover. An enterprising woman has devised a unique way to retire on the cheap amid the housing crisis — by transforming her European Smartcar into a house on wheels. Kai, who did not reveal her last name, gave a 'Cribs'-style tour of her tiny digs in a viral video posted to the YouTube channel CheapVRLiving. 'I discovered I could actually lay flat in her and take everything I needed,' said Kai, 65, while describing life in the driver's seat. For the last 14 months, the retiree has been living in the 2006 Smart ForTwo, a smart car range from Mercedes-Benz. At just 8 feet, 2 inches long and just 4 feet, 12 inches wide, her abode seems like it barely has room for one — let alone all of her belongings. 4 Kai keeps food, spare parts and kitchen utensils in bins in her trunk. @CheapRVliving/YouTube However, Kai said she had a good reason for her unusual arrangement. 'I wanted to retire at 65 and I couldn't afford it,' she said. 'I need to wait until I'm 70 to have Social Security.' She added, 'I already had the car and she gets 55 miles a gallon.' While living in a smart car might seem like hell on wheels, Kai said she's devised some MacGyver-esque ways to make the fun-size automobile feel like home. For sleeping, she's reportedly stacked up two small air mattresses on the passenger side so she can lie down. This is pretty much all she has room for because she stands 5-foot-5 and has only 5 feet, 8 inches of space inside. 'I can sleep fully stretched out,' said Kai while demonstrating the contortion-like process of getting into the slumbering position. 'My head is toward the dash and I can see the stars at night through the windshield.' 4 Kai demonstrates how she beds down at night. @CheapRVliving/YouTube She claims her car bed is quite comfortable despite requiring some agility to get into. As for her other necessities, the self-proclaimed 'old backpacker' doesn't have a kitchen but rather keeps her 'survival food' and snacks in bins in the trunk along with a portable stove, spare parts, and clothes. Meanwhile, Kai fits three gallons of water in front of the passenger seat as well as personal hygiene products — like a real-life clown car. 4 'I wanted to retire at 65 and I couldn't afford it,' said Kai while explaining her rationale for converting her car into a house. @CheapRVliving/YouTube There is no bathroom, either. 'Usually — I'm an old backpacker — I go outdoors,' she said. But in the event of inclement weather when she can't leave the car, the automotive MacGyver said she simply pops a squat on a bin filled with pine-scented kitty litter. 'My emergency toilet is right here. There's a bin inside of a bin,' she said as she demonstrated sitting on top of the container. 4 Kai sleeps on two air mattresses in the passenger seat. @CheapRVliving/YouTube The minimalist said she hopes to be in the smart car until she receives 'double social security' at 70. According to it is legal to live in one's car in most states as long as the person follows local loitering ordinances and makes sure to only park at open campgrounds and designated overnight rest areas like truck stops. However, site experts warn that 'spaces can become overcrowded or less safe as time passes, so it would be wise to have more than one place where you can seek shelter.' In fact, both young and elderly Americans are resorting to living in their vans for a variety of reasons, including freedom, convenience, and the difficulties of navigating the increasingly expensive housing market on a fixed income, Business Insider reported. Of course, van life is not without its speed bumps, ranging from unforeseen repair costs to isolation and tiresome logistics. However, for van lifer Siena Juhlin, 23, the juice is still worth the squeeze. 'Everything is 10 times harder,' she told the Wall Street Journal. 'But everything is also amazingly beautiful and rewarding.'
