3 Months Ago
Why Smart doesn't want to be held down by its tiny car roots
Smart is veering away from tiny cars with its new range of electric SUVs, but the brand claims its DNA remains intact.
Josh Nevett
Smart
Smart was founded in 1994 as a joint venture between Swiss watch company Swatch and Mercedes-Benz, and in 2019 it was reinvented as an EV brand as part of a JV between Mercedes-Benz and the Geely Group, whose founder and chairman Li Shufu already has a majority stake in the German automaker.
Best known for its diminutive ForTwo city car, which will be reincarnated as the #2 EV in future, Smart exited the Australian market in 2015. But in late 2024 it returned with two small electric SUVs, the #1 and the sleeker #3 - both available in three variants including a hot Brabus version.
