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© 1999-2004
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This concept car embodies the product philosophy - "reduce to the max." - of the DaimlerChrysler corporation's youngest car marque in that it concentrates on the essential - driving pleasure - and consciously dispenses with comfort features. The sporty two-seater, which tips the scales at a mere 700 kilograms or so, shows a way of resolving fundamental conflicts of aims arising from a specification that includes extremely compact dimensions, maximum spaciousness and very demanding crash safety requirements.
Body: Wide track and striking design The Roadster concept car owes its overall length of only 3,223 millimeters to the extremely short body overhangs. The sporty two-seater is therefore amongst the shortest in its class, whereas its width of 1,600 millimeters and wheelbase of 2,270 millimeters are comparable to those of other small roadsters. A height of only 1,170 millimeters and the logical layout of the running gear and power plant mean that the concept car's center of gravity is only some 455 millimeters above the road, delivering sporty, nimble handling.
Kinship with the smart City-Coupé is emphasized by the triangular door handles and the striking tail lights, but also and in particular by the radiator grille and the ellipsoid headlamps located above the air intakes. Other identifying features of the Roadster are the 17-inch spoked alloy wheels and the turn signal indicators integrated in the door mirrors. The Roadster concept car embraces the smart marque's high passenger-safety standards. Like the smart City-Coupé, the Roadster has a clever crash-management system with comparably high safety standards. The TRIDION safety cell, which is reinforced with high-tensile sheet steel, remains partially visible in the areas of the door sills, B-pillar and the tough roll-over bar. A transparent plastic roof can be fitted between the raked windshield and the roll-over bar to connect with the frameless windows at the sides. This roof can be stowed between the backlight and power plant for open-top driving.
Passenger compartment: High level of functionality and sporty ambiance The Roadster concept car, which has been uncompromisingly designed to deliver driving pleasure, has a feel of extreme functionality inside too. Thus the only instrument in the cockpit apart from the speedometer is a rev counter. The two dials also house all the tell-tale lamps which are needed to monitor the car when in operation together with the digital gear selector indicator. The Roadster concept car's dashboard has a twin-wing design and, like the City-Coupé, is upholstered in high-quality fabric. The functional design of the center console, too, is reminiscent of the smart City-Coupé. The center tunnel, which is very stable to ensure a high degree of rigidity, accommodates the handbrake handle and the ignition lock unit plus the gearshift for the sequential six-speed transmission. Two passengers will find very ample space between the solid sills which form part of the TRIDION safety cell. The longitudinally adjustable integral safety seats familiar from the smart City-Coupé offer excellent comfort. MCC smart's designers have opted for a metal structure for the concept car's seat backs. The solid beams fitted in the doors to protect against intrusion in a side impact are very distinct despite the textile covering in the area of the armrests. They perform practical secondary functions, for example the door handles and storage nets are mounted on them. Power plant and running gear: SUPREX three-cylinder turbo and sequential six-speed transmission The Roadster concept car uses the 600 cc SUPREX turbo of the City-Coupé. The Roadster's maximum speed is not restricted and is therefore well above that of the City-Coupé. Apart from the City-Coupé engine, the smart Roadster also uses the same customer-friendly maintenance and service concept for its power plant. The sequential six-speed transmission and the electronically actuated clutch are also borrowed from the City-Coupé. Gently pushing the gearshift forwards is enough to change up, while pulling the lever backwards shifts the transmission down a gear, without the driver having to take his foot off the gas or operate the clutch pedal. The Roadster concept car, whose rear-mounted engine and drive shaft form a compact module, therefore combines driving pleasure with economy and environmental compatibility. The running gear of the Roadster concept car differs from that of the City-Coupé in the different design of the front axle: coil springs are used instead of transversely mounted plastic leaf springs. The double wishbones underneath are connected to a McPherson strut in the Roadster. As in the City-Coupé, a U-shaped DeDion suspension tube with a movable central mount forms the rear axle. The lateral location of the axle is handled by wishbones. The axle and drive components are mounted on a common frame-type integral support and are therefore attached to the chassis such that they are isolated from vibrations. September 1999
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