2012 Smart Fortwo Passion on 2040-cars

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Smart runs a Forfour out of town on rails

What's smarter, driving a city car to get where you're going, or taking the train? The answer likely depends on where you live, where you're going, and how good the train service is between the two points. But Smart is out to answer that question in its own way. The British division of Mercedes' kid brother has taken one of its new Forfours and modified it to run on rails. Not metaphorically handle like it's on rails, but actually drive on train tracks. You know, like an actual train. Only smaller. Much, much smaller. Where a locomotive might have a 17-liter engine and weigh 70 metric tons, the Smart comes in with less than one by both counts. Sounds simple enough, right? Well, Smart says it took six months of engineering and computer-aided design work to get it all lined up. The company teamed up with British train-builder Interfleet for the conversion process that necessitating replacing the rolling stock with 22-inch solid steel wheels weighing around 180 pounds a piece, disconnecting the steering, and welding aluminum supports between the axles to lock everything in place. The result was dubbed the Smart Forrail. It was demonstrated on a 10-mile stretch of railroad through Sussex, UK, run by the privately operated Bluebell Railway. But after the demonstration was done and the video above was shot, the vehicle was converted back to road-going specification. Which is a bit of a shame, because just once we'd like to get into a car (with the engine in the back, no less) and say to a confused passenger: "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." A SMARTER WAY TO GET FROM A TO B: THE smart forrail Note: Do not try this at home... The new smart forfour is a pretty effective point-to-point machine. It can drive from London to Aberdeen non-stop for as little as GBP39. Its four occupants will be comfy on the 540-mile journey too, even if they're significantly taller than the car is wide. The smart forfour is tiny on the outside, yet clever engineering means its interior is vast and is packed with technology to help make the journey fun, relaxing and safe. It stands a good chance of being the ultimate commuting machine, were it not for one obvious rival. The forfour is reliant on roads, meaning the humble train has an obvious advantage in that it can get from point-to-point through a more direct route. When it comes to outright speed and ruthless efficiency, it's one-nil to the train. Not all is lost, though.

Five reasons to love, or hate, the culture of German cars

A few months back, we took a 500-foot view of the culture of American cars, dissecting prides and prejudices on our way to the conclusion that automotive allegiances can be simultaneously embraced and derided. We had so much fun with the narrative that we decided to do it again, this time taking a look at Germany and its world-renowned lineup of automakers, including the likes of Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen, among others. Join us below as we discuss the points and counterpoints that make or have made the German auto industry what it is today. And remember, Germany did pretty much invent the automobile, after all... The V12 Engine If America is known for the proliferation of the V8 engine, an argument could be made that Germany owns the V12. Yes, of course, other companies have created V12 engines – Ferrari, Jaguar and Lamborghini immediately come to mind – but the big 12-cylinder powerplants from BMW and Mercedes-Benz, in particular, have proven to be some of the most effortless, luxurious and downright over-built engines the world has ever seen. These days, having 12 cylinders is more a case of wretched excess than ever before, and yet, you can still stroll into your local BMW or Mercedes dealership and get a brand-new 760i, S600 or even an over-the-top G65 AMG, efficiency be damned. Best of all, since the majority of these German powerhouses depreciate as fast as an anchor sinks, nearly any auto enthusiast who dreams of a dozen cylinders can satisfy their carnal desires. Current Star: 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S600 View 28 Photos Diesel Engines Remember how we talked about those glorious V12 engines? Well, you can even get one from Audi that runs on diesel. If your compression-ignition fantasies err more on the side of fuel savings, that's no problem, either. Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Volkswagen have got you covered, with engines starting as small as 800 cubic centimeters (Smart Fortwo). If you want something a little more practical, it's hard to argue with a VW Golf TDI, which will provide plenty of space for you and three of your best friends, plus a fair bit of luggage, all while returning 50-ish miles per gallon. For the purposes of this discussion, we'd rather focus on the asinine levels of torque provided by Germany's high-end diesel engines than the lower-end fuel sippers.

Smart celebrates 1.5 million Fortwo models built, prepares to upgrade factory

Smart is celebrating 1.5 million Fortwos built since 1998 at its plant in Hambach, France, before it goes offline for an extended summer break. The 1.5 millionth Fortwo is a white Electric Drive Cabriolet, but it isn't known which market it will be sold in.
The milestone is highlighted by the reason for the extended break, which starts in July and continues through August: The plant will be receiving a 200 million euro upgrade to prepare it for a next-generation Smart vehicle, a newly designed "four-seated urban mobility car" (aka, the 2015 Smart Forfour) that will be available in 2014. In addition, a new, environmentally friendly liquid-paint shop will be built at the plant, replacing the old powder-paint shop and representing the largest individual project in the upgrade, requiring a cool 50 million euro.
For more details on Smart's immediate future, check out the press release below.