Fitted with the Comfort Package, this Silver Metallic 2008 Smart ForTwo is powered by the 1.0L/71 HP inline 3-cylinder engine and an automatic transmission. The black interior features bucket seats, a center console, the Smart sound system, full instrumentation including tire pressure monitoring, power windows, power mirrors, power locks and more. The chassis features a McPherson front suspension, a DeDion rear axle with coil springs, electronic stability control, front disc brakes, ABS and Hill Holder. The silver body is highlighted by black detailing, including the swooping side stripe, which is actually part of the Tridion safety cell, and the grille, which features fog lamps. The Smart motor vehicle concept seems relatively new but actually spans back to the 1970s when Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen both collaborated briefly on the concept of a very small city car. The project was abandoned, but Mercedes-Benz lightly pushed the idea forward, releasing the first version in 1998. During planning, it was known as the City Coupe, a name that morphed into ForTwo. Interestingly, the idea gained steam when SMH, makers of Swatch watches, CEO Nicolas Hayek began developing the idea of a small vehicle packed with personalized options, much like Swatch watches themselves. The compact city car would be known as the Swatchmobile. Taking the idea to Volkswagen briefly showed positivity, but ultimately ended up at Mercedes-Benz which backed the idea and helped facilitate production creating the Swatch- Mercedes-Art, or Smart car, a name that did not come easily by Hayek or Mercedes-Benz. Selecting Hambach, France, as the production site, the factory gained the nickname of Smartville. In keeping costs down, Smart required suppliers to design, assemble and install their components onto the final cars at the plant using their own employees, thus reducing both costs and legal liabilities to Smart. Despite its diminutive size, Smart ForTwos were well regarded for their safety attributes with exceptional road holding abilities, airbags and the safety cell.
