2011 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet

The good: A compact design makes the 2011 Smart ForTwo an excellent urban vehicle, and its unique looks make it instantly identifiable. Smart offers an iPhone app to replicate many cabin tech functions.

The bad: Both brakes and steering require a lot of effort. The transmission takes too long with its gear changes, which leads to serious power dips while accelerating.

The bottom line: The 2011 Smart ForTwo is one of the most unique cars on the road, but works best in an urban environment.

Tell any car enthusiast that he is about to drive a two-seat convertible with an automated manual transmission, and he will imagine a fast roadster--some bullet-shaped car in Ferrari red or British racing green--cheerily chopping up corners over some winding, wooded highway. Mention a 70 horsepower, three-cylinder engine, and that same enthusiast's glee will turn to bafflement. Could this be some historic car, maybe a 1960s vintage BMW?

How about none of the above? Although a two-seater, the 2011 Smart ForTwo Passion Cabriolet is the opposite of sporty. Despite the convertible top, this is not a grand tourer appropriate for weekend wine country excursions. The Smart ForTwo is a bona fide city car, its boxy shape about as un-carlike as you can imagine.

To come up with the Smart ForTwo, its creators must have had everything they knew about automobile design surgically excised from their brains. Starting with a clean slate, they came up with an excellent mode of personal transport for congested urban centers.

Along the way, the Smart's designers discovered some interesting practicalities, such as the best place to put the engine (answer: in the rear, under the cargo area). And since the engine is in the rear, it might as well drive the rear wheels.

With a CNET editor in the cargo area, the Smart ForTwo becomes a ForThree.

And yes, despite the very short ForTwo, there is a cargo area. In fact, it is big enough to fit a full person, useful for those of you who have more than one friend. But the ForTwo's biggest virtue by far is the ability to park it in places other drivers can only dream about.

Take your average urban jungle, an environment in which people leave cars perched at any legal curb space for weeks at a time, just because leaving that space will mean hours spent searching for another one. Amid this parkacopalyptic landscape lay short curb spaces between driveways, little parking oases of which only the ForTwo can take advantage. That option alone will make the ForTwo attractive to any city dweller.

Smart snazzes up the ForTwo in its Cabriolet version by fitting it with a clever, if frivolous, soft top. The Smart ForTwo on its own is like an engineering nerd. With the convertible top, it's like an engineering nerd wearing a silk shirt. In its first stage, the top rolls back to open up the roof. Press the open button again, and the top bunches up behind the car. At this point, the roof rails can be manually snapped off and stowed inside the rear hatch, which is really going to be too much effort for most people, given that the reward is merely making the identity of the driver even more visible.

The Smart ForTwo's roof rails stow inside the rear hatch.

Stock tech
Highlighting the modernity of the ForTwo, in stock form there is no CD player; audio sources are limited to radio and a USB port in the glove box. And no, that USB port is not compatible with an iPod cable. On top of that, there is no Bluetooth phone system, and the audio system only has two speakers. The stereo is like one big boom box. Directional buttons to the right of the stereo make it easy to browse music on a USB drive, but the audio quality from this stereo is seriously lacking.

The ForTwo's stock stereo lacks a CD player, but does have a USB port.

Fortunately, that is not it for cabin tech. Smart makes a surprising number of options available in the ForTwo, including a Kenwood-sourced navigation head unit. This head unit integrates Garmin navigation, includes a Bluetooth phone system and iPod compatibility. Even more impressive is the available surround-sound audio system, with six speakers and a subwoofer.

But as those two tech options add $1,780 to the price, less ambitious buyers may want to look at Smart's iPhone app. This app is specifically designed for car use, with large buttons to access the iPhone music library, phone functions, navigation, and even a special Smart roadside assistance line, giving the car basic telematics functions. For better integration between app and car, Smart offers an accessory cradle that plugs into the car's power and audio system, muting music when a call comes in, for example.

70 horsepower
Performance tech in the ForTwo is similarly limited, except for one important optional upgrade. The tiny engine is average, tech-wise. No turbo or direct injection, which may be a blessing as these technologies might not make sense on an engine this small. At 1 liters, and with only three cylinders, the engine makes 70 horsepower and 68 pound-feet of torque. But at around 2,000 pounds, this engine delivers enough power to get the car moving quickly, and lets it maintain freeway speeds of 70 mph.

Appropriately sized for the small ForTwo, the engine brings in fuel economy numbers of 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. In freeway testing, the instant fuel meter averaged around 40 mpg. During CNET's time focusing primarily on city driving, it turned in only 26 mpg. Put that low figure down to typical car reviewer driving, mashing the gas pedal at every start.

The transmission's manual mode does not eliminate the slow shifting problem.

Holding the ForTwo back is its most technically advanced piece of performance tech, the transmission. Similar to versions of the Lancer Evo and Volkswagen GTI, the ForTwo's five-speed transmission uses an automated clutch. But unlike those cars' dual-clutch systems, the ForTwo only gets a single clutch, so gear changes take a horribly long time.

This gearbox has evoked much criticism of the ForTwo, and will make first-time drivers of the car think it almost undriveable. Accelerate from a stop, and the car picks up speed until the first gear change, when power drops drastically. And again, from second to third, another long power drop. It is unnerving until you get used to it.

And the transmission's manual mode does not cure the problem; telling the car to upshift delivers the same, slow gear change. After some time with the car, however, you can adjust to it, timing the shifts and throttle control to smooth over the dips. The addition of a tachometer, which the ForTwo lacks, would really help drivers time the shifts. The transmission is one area of the car that Smart could definitely stand to improve.

As much of the car is designed to save money and space, it does not come with power steering, which becomes immediately noticeable on trying to crank the wheel around from a stop or at slow speeds. It takes effort, even with the car's tiny tires. But this issue can be fixed with the optional electric power steering unit, a feature that Smart should really make standard.

Power steering is an option in the Smart ForTwo.

One aspect of the ForTwo that probably can't be helped is the awful ride quality. Its small wheels and short wheelbase lead to plenty of jouncing around, the car getting lifted back and forth by any bumps in the road. The suspension tech in front is fairly modern, if average, with Macpherson struts, but the rear uses a solid bar, a DeDion axle that keeps the rear wheels from completely independent travel.

The brakes are also troublesome, as they don't feel like there is any power assist at all. Drivers of the ForTwo must anticipate braking situations much more than in other cars, as it takes a lot of effort to stop the car.

Although the ForTwo can easily keep up with freeway speeds, it can feel a little scary. Wind and grooves in the pavement pull the car around more than they would a heavier vehicle, and the ForTwo is not particularly aerodynamic. Although the car can feel tippy in cornering, its stabilizer bars keep it surprisingly balanced. And its short length allows for easy traffic maneuvering, jumping into gaps too small for other cars.

In sum
If it weren't for its options, the 2011 Smart ForTwo would have been a complete failure for cabin tech. But the available navigation system, iPod support, and iPhone app all bolster it. The surround-sound audio system is a surprise feature that also contributes to its cabin tech score.

As to performance tech, the engine is only average, and the suspension is very rough. But the transmission, despite its slow shifts, pushes the tech envelope, and the electric power-steering unit also gives it a boost.

The ForTwo's real win is design. Some people might find it ugly, but it is certainly a unique car. And the two-seater practicality is really amazing, giving occupants plenty of headroom along with usable cargo space--more so than in a typical roadster.

Custom cars attract the best to Detroit's Autorama

With a special fondness for the 1962 Corvette, Bruce Milyard of Grand Junction, Colo. worked closely with builder John Martin of Alamosa Colo. to create this Ridler Award contenderatr the 2011 Autorama. Milyard is a newcomer to the prestigious Detroit show. His '62 Corvette is fitted with an LS7 427-inch Corvette engine.

With the sought-after annual Ridler Award at stake, custom car owners and the professionals who create them have brought their work to Cobo Hall here for the 59th Autorama for a showdown.

Billed as Meguiar's Autorama, and presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, the February 25-27 event features some 1,000 exhibits of cars, trucks, vans and motorcycles from around the country.

The Ridler Award is unique to the Detroit expo and attracts custom one-of-a-kind vehicles that have never been shown publicly nor featured in the media.

"We submitted photos of our car as it was being worked on plus an artist's rendering for consideration," said Bruce Ricks of Sapulpa, Okla.

Although he has brought vehicles to Autorama three previous times, Ricks' 1956 Ford Sunliner "Suncammer" is his first entry into the Ridler competition. The pewter-gray convertible with red leather interior and 427-inch single overhead cam engine was built largely by Steve Cook Creations of Oklahoma City, Ricks said.

What's the difference between an excellent custom and a Ridler hopeful? 

Bruce and Judy Ricks' 1956 Ford Sunliner "Suncammer" is powered by a 427-inch single overhead cam engine with four-barrel carburetors. The six-year restoration and modification, which features only nickel-plated rather than chromed pieces, took Ricks of Sapulpa, Okla. and his builder Steve Cook of Oklahoma City six year to complete.

"Details, details, details," said Ricks, whose bound background book for the judging included intricate drawings of the custom parts designed and built for Suncammer. "There are 300 special nuts and handmade custom bolts, for example," Ricks explained. What appears to be chromed trim is actually nickel-plated, he added.

"There is no chrome, no billeted aluminum on this car," said Ricks, who spent six years overseeing the Ford project.

Customizers and owners alike are quick to admire each other's vehicles. It was Johnny Martin, a professional from Alamosa, Colo., who pointed out the '56 Ford. Martin was at Autorama with Bruce Milyard of Grand Junction, Colo. Milyard owns a breathtaking 1962 Corvette that Martin built for him over the last four years. This is his first Autorama, Milyard said.

"I love the 1962 Corvette," said Milyard, who launched the project as a 50th birthday gift for his wife. He found a '62 in Colorado Springs and with Martin turned it into a show car with artist-inspired trims and touches -- dazzling in its simplicity.

Dubbed "Elegance," the Corvette consumed some 10,000 hours of work, Martin suggested.

On the adjacent stand a silver-and-burgundy 1955 Jaguar XK 140 belonging to Fred Jaekel of Richmond Hill, Ontario showed no signs of the decay customizers Deez Rodz and Ridez discovered when they started the project two years ago.

"It was rusted out," explained Deez owner Joe Tassone of Uxbridge, Ontario. "We saved the roofline, door skins, cowl, hood and trunk lid. Everything else had to be fabricated and fitted." 

Two years of intensive labor brought this 1955 Jaguar XK 140 from past its prime to show condition, thanks for the efforts of Deez Rodz and Ridez of Uxbridge, Ontario and owner Fred Jaekel of Richmond Hills, Ontario.

Purchased over the phone and shipped to Ontario from England, the '55 XK 140 now is powered by a 350-inch General Motors crate engine hooked up to a five-speed manual transmission. Tassone replaced a carburetor with a fuel injection system.

"This car was built to drive," he said.

Steve Grimes' composite hotrod is barely drive-able but very show-able. The retired engineer from Columbus, Ohio said each of his several automotive creations is unique, based on which parts he has and how he sees the vehicle coming together.

Grimes brought a 1927 Ford roadster with 1948 Buick engine, front drive and rear-wheel steering to the 2011 Autorama.

"I see my cars as sculptures," Grimes said as he buffed the black one-seater with chartreuse trim.

Roberta Vasilow of Flint, Mich. said she sees her 1970 Buick GSX as something to race.

"I have drag raced in this car," said Vasilow, who put a 455-inch, 500-plus-horsepower engine in her yellow-and-black GSX.

A General Motors retiree and Buick specialist, Vasilow was parked in a larger stand celebrating Flint, Mich., and its automotive heritage. Another Flint booster, Karen Borton, was showing her iridescent champagne and metallic gold 1946 Chevrolet.

Completed in 2005 by Ron Box of London, Ontario, in honor of Borton's late husband Brady, "The Borton" has 88,000 miles on its modern engine and likely will rack up many more in 2011. Borton is active in Flint's annual Back to the Bricks as well as tours and other events for auto enthusiasts.

"The Borton has been in all states except Louisiana, Alabama, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska," said Karen Borton, a first-timer at Autorama. 

Karen Borton on Flint commissioned Ron Box of London, Ontario to build "The Borton" from a 1946 Chevrolet coupe. Completed in 2005, The Borton has traveled 88,000 miles on its new running gear.

The Future of the Connected Car

Most of us who watched Knight Rider as a kid expected that by 2011 we would be driving sleek, self-aware cars like KITT — cars that would take us seamlessly from A to B while cracking witty one-liners.

Though that future has not yet come to pass, things are starting to get exciting in the in-car technology space. Connected cars are hitting the consumer market in a price bracket that makes them a realistic option for many. One prediction sees “near saturation” in the U.S. market in as little as four years’ time.

“In terms of connected cars, we see the growth to be significant,” says Mark C. Boyadjis, a senior automotive analyst for IHS iSuppli. “Our forecasts for OEM Monitored, Telematics-enabled vehicles in 2010 sit at 4.5 million sales, with a heavy part of that coming from the U.S. and Western Europe, whereas this industry grows to 22.7 million by 2015.

“In 2015, however, there will be a much larger portion coming from China, Brazil, and Russia, as well as near saturation in developed markets like the U.S., Western Europe, and Japan.”

So what can we expect from these connected cars? We’ve spoken to a major motoring manufacturer, a futurist, an automotive analyst and other industry experts to find out.

1. Your Car as Your Credit Card

You may currently enjoy contactless payment at tolls via a smart card, but in the future we will see such cashless transactions extended to other areas of motoring, such as parking charges and fuel payments via embedded tech in your car.

Skymeter is one company developing products in this area. Its Financial GPS solution could offer wide-ranging changes to the way we pay for our driving.

“With Financial GPS, consumers can get one bill at the end of the month for every car-related cost: their parking, their insurance, their lease, their roads, even full repairs coverage,” says Kamal Hassan, CEO of Skymeter Corp.

“Everything would be paid automatically per minute or per mile, based on your actual driving and parking. Drivers could then control their costs. Not driving for a week would save you money on your lease, your insurance and even your municipal tax bill.”

We asked Hassan how far off such solutions are for the average consumer. “I believe we are two to three years away from seeing consumer cars with embedded Financial GPS units. GPS navigation units like Garmin started as aftermarket devices then moved into the car. Financial GPS will follow the same path.”

BMW meanwhile is working on a smart car key that, as well as controlling some in-car electronic functions, could be used for contactless payment. Just a prototype at this stage, BMW envisions your car key as your credit card as early as next year.

2. Your Garage as a Docking Station

Wi-Fi technology is the breakthrough addition to the connected car platform that’s going to make all the difference. While Bluetooth is great for in-car communications and streaming music, it’s cellular and Internet connectivity that truly puts the “connected” in connected car.

Ford has recently enhanced its Microsoft SYNC-based MyTouch system with Wi-Fi, meaning cars with the tech, such as the 2012 Ford Focus, can be turned into mobile Wi-Fi hotspots.

We spoke to Jason Johnson, product development engineer at Ford, about why this is such a major development and what we can look forward to in the future. “We’re envisioning, for example, a web browser in the car for when you’re parked,” Johnson revealed, as well as the potential for easier platform updates.

“With Wi-Fi, imagine your parking garage is a docking station for your car, so overnight your car wakes up, SYNC wakes up and it grabs the latest software update via the Wi-Fi,” says Johnson. “So that’s the beauty of the connected car. Just like all your other mobile devices can get updated on the fly, why shouldn’t your car also be able to be updated that way?”

Although this OTA update concept is exciting for the entertainment and navigational aspects of cars, looking further into the future, just imagine how much more convenient it would be to fix software-based technical issues remotely via an update, rather than the current logistical nightmare a recall brings.

3. Voice Controls for Your Car

The connected car, typically with a touchscreen console, has one major flaw — it’s potentially dangerous to interact with while driving. The answer to this is voice control, in which you speak commands to the system.

Ford has employed voice recognition into its connected car platform and we asked Johnson about it.

“Voice control is now starting to become the primary interface in the car because it allows you to keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road and focus on the task of driving. Instead of picking up your iPhone and browsing through the music, you can just say ‘play artist,’ ‘play genre,’ ” Johnson explains.

But how capable is the voice recognition technology? Do you have to memorize a ton of unnatural commands? Ford’s system can currently understand 10,000 words — an impressive vocabulary for a car.

“What you’ll see from Ford is that we want to make device integration easier to use with voice control, and over time you’ll be able to have more of a natural conversation with the system,” says Johnson. “Over time you’ll be able to say ‘Hey SYNC I wanna listen to some jazz.’ ”

We also spoke to Nuance, the company that powers the voice recognition in Ford’s systems about what the future holds in this area.

“The connected car is the present and future. In the near future, drivers will be able to dictate messages or web searches from the convenience of their car — and the system will respond accurately,” Fátima Vital, senior marketing manager of automotive speech for Nuance told us.

“This functionality isn’t just for a select few either. More and more car manufacturers regard speech recognition is an indispensable feature. A J.D. Powers report shows that drivers with a speech-enabled navigation system record the most satisfaction with their cars. Hence the reason it is now available across a whole range of vehicle segments, from luxury cars to the smallest mass market vehicles. By 2020, expect the majority of the vehicles to have in-build speech recognition.”

And voice control is going to be important for convincing consumers about the safety of driving cars with such advanced dashboards. Garry Golden, lead futurist with NYC-based FutureThink predicts this is one hurdle manufacturers could face.

“We will certainly be more social inside our cars and services such as OnStar and SYNC might serve as a buffer between friends, family and businesses. But as move towards a future where cars can command our attention as much as our cell phones, I expect to see a growing cultural backlash around this notion of distracted driving and inattentive drivers.”

4. Apps to Control Your Car

Currently a fledgling market, controlling certain functionality of your car via your cell phone will soon be commonplace for new car owners.

BMW, Ford, GM and Volvo have already dipped their toes into the water as far as companion apps for your car go, with some more advanced options offering the ability to remotely unlock the car, start the car and sound the horn, all from a distance. The number of such apps is expected to grow significantly over the next few years.

“From the consumer’s point of view, the connected vehicle will be largely accessible via the computer and smartphone. Application integration is growing vastly as OEMs put their daily relevance in the pocket of their buyers. OEMs are making apps for owners manuals, telematics remote controls, new location-based information, plus integrating those existing entertainment apps like iheartradio, radiotime, Slacker, and Pandora,” says IHS iSuppli automotive analyst Boyadji.

While the current crop of apps work on the driver activating the controls, Golden sees the future of this area in proximity-based sensors and related automation.

“Most operations inside the vehicle are being brought onto the web and will be controllable by secured devices. But the real innovations will be those automated systems based on machine-to-machine interfaces that eliminate the need for human commands,” Golden explains.

“As you walk towards the car, your phone will adjust temperature, turn on the music and unlock the door as you step closer.”

Conclusion

As the engineering specifications of rival car models get more and more in line with each other, we’re sure that consumers will be increasingly likely to take into account the car’s connected platforms before making purchasing decisions.

Each manufacturer needs to push to make its platform the leading option for the connected consumer, because as Johnson demonstrates, each manufacturer’s system will be exclusive to the brand, and in competition with its rivals.

“The unique thing about SYNC is that it’s a Ford creation, what makes SYNC is SYNC,” says Johnson. “It’s just not something you could go to another parts supplier and say ‘Hey, give me SYNC.’ ”

In the same way that consumers develop preferences for computer or cell phone operating systems, always sticking to iOS or Android, for example, we think as consumers get used to in-car connectivity platforms, they will want to stick to the same platform with future purchases.

This means that the car company that gets it right at this early stage is set to benefit greatly. As Golden says, “If the battle of the 20th century was Ford versus General Motors, the next century might be Ford SYNC vs. GM OnStar.”