When the Smart car company (then still Micro Compact Car AG) was founded in 1994 , its main goal was to produce stylish cars for young people . However, it was only in 2002 that the Smart arrived , which was really stylish and practically defined what the car company was trying to achieve from the beginning.
At the same time, the production of the Crossblade concept , presented in 2001, was originally almost not expected at all. After all, what fool would make a car without windows, fenders , with a strangely shaped rear, smooth tires and even without doors? Just one year later, however, the German car company, then owned by the DaimlerChrysler concern , came up with a very simple answer to the question of who would do such madness!
The management of Smart decided to produce only 2000 copies of a very extravagant roadster (if this car can be called that), based on the City Coupé and City Cabrio models of the time. In order for the car to go on the road, the engineers had to make several major or minor modifications . The most obvious one is the installation of mudguards, which, however, are only rather symbolic. The front bumper was slightly lengthened, but only to cover the width of the treads of the 16-inch wheels with a three-spoke design . By the way, they are shod with classic tires measuring 195/40 R16 at the front and 215/35 R16 at the rear. The most changes, now stylistic, were made in the rear part of the body. Instead of too tuning-looking headlights, reflectors found their place here, after all, more similar to classic Smarts. Also different is the bumper (again slightly extended) without the twin tailpipes , the boot lid and the clear third brake light replaced the conventional red one.
What was left instead? Above all, an excellent-looking front deflector instead of a windshield , which is also stylishly attached to the body with rivets. Conventional doors would also be hard to find here – the Crossblade is equipped with braces that open upwards thanks to gas struts! Like its conventional siblings, the Crossblade has a Tridion safety frame , which is finished here in a light gray matte color to contrast with the black gloss bodywork .
In addition to the protective frame, compact dimensions were also imported from classic Smarts – the Crossblade is 2,622 mm long , 1,618 mm wide, 1,508 mm high and has a wheelbase of 1,812 mm . The miniature luggage compartment in the rear can hold 122 litres, even thanks to the absence of any roof.
Speaking of practicality, the interior will of course fit only two passengers , who will enjoy more or less the same design as the City Coupé/Cabrio. After all, the Crossblade is of course based on them. To match the interior with the exterior, the compact roadster received red seat upholstery as well as the design of some plastics on the dashboard. The good news is that the radio is waterproof (if you get wet during the trip), the bad news is that you will have to let the fabric seats dry for a few days after the rain. To complete a short probe into the interior, which is very simple, we must mention the two-spoke steering wheel and the large speedometer hidden behind it. In addition to the radio, the center console also has ventilation controls and a larger box for small items.
From a technical point of view, the Crossblade is almost a twin of the classic Smarts of the time. Only the engine, located at the back of course, is slightly different. Yes, it's a 0.6-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol , but its output has been electronically boosted to a final 71bhp at 5450rpm and 100Nm at 3120rpm. The front wheels are driven via a Softouch automatic six-speed transmission with the option of manual selection, while the maximum speed is limited to 135 km/h. Of course, this car is not about that.
Production of the very stylish Smart was limited to the already mentioned 2,000 units , while at the time of its launch the price on the Swiss market was approximately 720,000 crowns. There is currently one unit for sale in the Czech Republic with 8,252 kilometers driven . Price? 295,000 crowns! And by the way, Robbie Williams himself bought a piece with serial number 0008.
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Source: Smart
