Smart will offer annual all-in finance, insurance and maintenance packages after the new fortwo range goes on sale from 15 September.

The success of the Mini TLC package has prompted smart to develop a range of pick and mix packages for the new two-seater city car it is relaunching.
Mercedes Car Group marketing director Ian Dutfield said he believed the smart buyer would appreciate being able to pick a package to precisely suit individual needs and be able to accurately budget their total motoring costs on an annual basis.

“We are looking at a total ownership package which will include finance, insurance, servicing and we are still looking at the market to decide the best schemes to offer our customers and we will be asking them what they want to see included,” he said at the UK launch of the new series.
He said the new packages would be rolled out as soon as possible after the new smart fortwo goes on sale but declined to give likely costs and said they would vary depending on what a customer wanted.
Mr Dutfield said over 80pc of smart cars were currently bought by individuals but with congestion charges increasing and expanding outside London, and company wide carbon emissions being taxed from next year he expects more businesses to buy the smart to cut their overall carbon footprint.
Most of the new smart fortwo range of coupe and cabrio models, which have a choice of naturally aspirated 61bhp and 71bhp, or turbocharged 84bhp 999cc engines, produce under 120gkm CO² but the “hot” 98bhp Brabus tuned version coming next spring just falls outside the charge-busting limit with 124gkm figure.
smart will also be bringing in the 45bhp 800cc diesel next year which produces just 88gkm and the existing petrol models will be helped as well when a stop-start system is introduced to further cut their emissions. It is also evaluating a hybrid version which could appear in a few years.

He said the range had the lowest insurance group costs and estimates from the used car market projected very strong residual values, which would also help keep down the price of the packages it would be announcing.
“The new model range is arguably more relevant today than when smart was first launched in the late 1990s as more people are now thinking about total running costs and the environmental issues of owning and using a car,” he said.
“At its peak in 2003, we sold 8,500 smart models and we know there are at least 50,000 of them registered in the UK because many were personally imported by people who liked the design and concept.

It is still a cosy fit for a couple but the boot space is now 50pc greater and has a dual hatch and drop down back arrangement for convenience. Oddments space is very small.
While the ride is much smoother than before and it seems less susceptible to cross winds as well, the are some surfaces which shake the car.
Corner hard in a smart2 and it will run wide on a bend, but ease off and it safely tightens line to come back.
Even the livelier Brabus tested was utterly controllable and not too edgy despite the power. It was firmer and sharper handling but otherwise it was still surprisingly comfortable when you realise your bottom is only inches from the rear axle line.

The steering on the test cars seemed to vary in feel and feedback but the brakes were adequate.
Secondary controls were all very close to the driver and the fascia switches are neatly set into the surface while the usual column stalks were immediately to hand. Smart says it has improved airflow by 20pc, but ordering the electrically hooded cabrio with its one touch operation of the sliding hood is a good alternative.

The smart2 is a real improvement over the original and will make any potential owner think hard about what they want from a car. Anyone who is even thinking of a smart2 is probably happy to the pay the premium price asked as well. If you know you can spread that cost over a period with fixed amounts it will possibly be the final factor to make you sign on the dotted line.