Smart Roadster History

Unveiled at the 2002 Paris Motor Show, the Smart Roadster went on sale in 2003 as a lightweight, rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive sports car powered by a turbocharged 0.7-litre three-cylinder engine in either 45 kW or 60 kW tune. Its styling and compact dimensions gave it genuine sports-car character despite modest power.

The Roadster-Coupé variant added a more enclosed rear body with a glass panel over the engine bay. Production at Hambach ended in November 2005, with a final Geneva Motor Show limited edition presented in March 2006. A total of 43,091 Roadsters were built — a cult-classic number that has since become a sought-after enthusiast car.