- Smart is currently focused on SUVs but could revive the Roadster after 20 years.
- A new electric Roadster would be small, light, and appeal to modern buyers.
- The MG Cyberster has proven it’s possible to build a desirable electric droptop.
The Smart brand is very different now from what it was just a few years ago. Its diminutive cars like the ForTwo and ForFour are no more, and instead, the brand is now only building electric SUVs in China. However, according to a new report, it may be preparing to revive one of its most cult models: the Roadster.
Read: The Smart Roadster Could Stage A Comeback After 20 Years
Smart’s UK boss, Jason Allbutt, was recently asked about the chances of a new Roadster making it into production, and he sounded pretty enthusiastic about the idea. “We used to have one of those in the family, and [it was] particularly good fun,” he told Autoexpress.
He even acknowledged the UK’s reputation for rain, pointing out that the country gets “more rain than probably any other European market,” but still suggested there might be a chance for the Roadster to make a comeback locally, saying there’s a “possibility” it could be sold in the UK.
Smart’s Next Moves
However, Allbutt stopped short of confirming if or when a new Roadster could hit the market. Smart is currently focused on volume models that it hopes can sell in large numbers. In addition to the three SUVs it currently has in its range, it is working on its first-ever electric sedan, known as the #6.
The Smart #6 will be positioned as the brand’s rival to the Tesla Model 3 and could share its underpinnings with the Zeekr 007 sedan, utilizing the latter’s PMA2+ platform. It should be offered in single and dual electric motor setups.
Before Smart can commit to a new Roadster, it also needs to ensure that there will be enough demand for it. Obviously, it would be all-electric like the brand’s other models, and to carry some of the same appeal of the original, it would need to be small and light. Alpine is working on a new electric sports car, while Porsche is also morphing the Boxster and Cayman into EVs. Smart could also look to MG for inspiration as its Cyberster has proven it’s possible to build a desirable electric roadster.
Still, not everyone is sold on the idea of an electric sports car. Speaking with Auto Express, Allbutt expressed some doubt about whether an electric Roadster could truly capture the spirit of the original. “I think a lot of people that drive these cars historically have been traditional car enthusiasts,” he said.
“Part of the joy of having the roof down, in case you have less hair to be ruffled nowadays, is also to hear the sound of the engine,” he added. “Maybe there’s a new audience that would be looking at [an electric roadster] in a different way. I’m not quite sure yet as to who the buyers of that car really are. It’s too early to tell right now, but we’ll see.”
It’s a fair point, though the market for electric roadsters is still largely uncharted.
Note: This article contains renderings from an independent study made by designers Geoffrey Decembry and Pierre Senelet and is not endorsed in any way by Smart.
