Uploaded September 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
If a car is wildly successful, it’s a recipe for printing money. If it’s an abject failure, the manufacturer licks their wounds and moves on. What’s maybe worse is when a car just does OK, especially when this car kicks off a whole new brand. Should you invest in a second-generation car, or more models, or give up? Will sales improve? What if they don’t? What to do with all those new dealerships? When the Smart Fortwo launched as the Smart City Coupé, neither of its parents were sure they should have birthed it, and that’s never a good start. Just why did the Volkswagen Swatchmobile become a joint project between Mercedes and Chinese company Geely, and just how successful was this fun little city car?
A big thanks to Techmoan for his thoughts on the Smart ForTwo: youtube.com/techmoan
Optional Extra bonus video: youtu.be/-T0pgjYTYq0
If you'd like to support what I do, and get early access to advert-free videos and exclusive channel updates, please consider supporting the channel from just $1 or 80p a month: patreon.com/bigcar
Support me using PayPal: paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
Twitter: twitter.com/bigcartv
My second channel - Little Car: youtube.com/littlecar
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swatch_Group
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(marque)
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(Automarke)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Fortwo
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Fortwo
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Hayek
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/triumph-eines-tueftlers-a-cba184a4-0002-0001-0000-000013687006?context=issue
fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/the-swatch-group-sa-history
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/volkswagen-baut-das-swatch-auto-a-e8b763df-0002-0001-0000-000013489815
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/kommt-das-oeko-auto-a-f388c814-0002-0001-0000-000013488132
below-the-radar.com/mcc-smart-eco-speedster-eco-sprinter
mercedesblog.com/smart-forefathers-eco-sprinter-eco-speedster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cree_SAM
web.archive.org/web/20210418030214/http://www.3wheelers.com/cree.html
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mut-zur-muecke-a-2b2a0167-0002-0001-0000-000013684310
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mini-mit-maetzchen-a-742f4cd1-0002-0001-0000-000009207156
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/motorrad-von-mercedes-a-3d4e0cd2-0002-0001-0000-000008906223
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/modell-fuer-mercedes-a-f611ceb8-0002-0001-0000-000008799308
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/wir-sind-ziemlich-begeistert-a-b729c860-0002-0001-0000-000008707195
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuanghuan_Noble
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuanghuan_Noble
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Roadster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Forfour
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Crosstown
web.archive.org/web/20100411022619/https://blogs.motortrend.com/6209443/car-news/smarts-three-year-loss-more-than-5-billion-report-says/index.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/daimler-hickhack-neue-verwirrung-um-zukunft-des-smart-a-328235.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/artikel/a-329425.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/kleinwagen-amerikaner-bestellen-20-000-smarts-a-488840.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_iQ
euroncap.com/en/search-results/?query=smart+fortwo&x=0&y=0
youtube.com/watch?v=T4LB3xKRfmk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Formore
group-media.mercedes-benz.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/The-smart-fortwo-micro-hybrid-drive-mhd-Even-more-economical-and-environmentally-friendly-thanks-to-startstop-function.xhtml?oid=9919399
euroncap.com
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/daimler-stellt-neuen-smart-vor-a-981458.html
la.mercedes-benz.com/en/passengercars/mercedes-benz-cars/models/e-mobility/project-eq/experience-eq/future-of-mobility/eq-fortwo.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/daimler-smart-wird-kuenftig-nur-noch-als-elektroauto-verkauft-a-1153384.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/elektroauto-smart-wegen-engpaessen-lange-nicht-lieferbar-a-1189399.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/smart-daimler-gruendet-joint-venture-mit-geely-aus-china-a-1260050.html
jalopnik.com/fun-is-dead-at-smart-1846058184
de.smart.com/de
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_electric_drive
#bigcar
If a car is wildly successful, it’s a recipe for printing money. If it’s an abject failure, the manufacturer licks their wounds and moves on. What’s maybe worse is when a car just does OK, especially when this car kicks off a whole new brand. Should you invest in a second-generation car, or more models, or give up? Will sales improve? What if they don’t? What to do with all those new dealerships? When the Smart Fortwo launched as the Smart City Coupé, neither of its parents were sure they should have birthed it, and that’s never a good start. Just why did the Volkswagen Swatchmobile become a joint project between Mercedes and Chinese company Geely, and just how successful was this fun little city car?
A big thanks to Techmoan for his thoughts on the Smart ForTwo: youtube.com/techmoan
Optional Extra bonus video: youtu.be/-T0pgjYTYq0
If you'd like to support what I do, and get early access to advert-free videos and exclusive channel updates, please consider supporting the channel from just $1 or 80p a month: patreon.com/bigcar
Support me using PayPal: paypal.com/paypalme/bigcartv
Big Car merch: teespring.com/stores/bigcartv
Twitter: twitter.com/bigcartv
My second channel - Little Car: youtube.com/littlecar
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Swatch_Group
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(marque)
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_(Automarke)
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Fortwo
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Fortwo
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicolas_Hayek
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/triumph-eines-tueftlers-a-cba184a4-0002-0001-0000-000013687006?context=issue
fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/the-swatch-group-sa-history
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/volkswagen-baut-das-swatch-auto-a-e8b763df-0002-0001-0000-000013489815
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/kommt-das-oeko-auto-a-f388c814-0002-0001-0000-000013488132
below-the-radar.com/mcc-smart-eco-speedster-eco-sprinter
mercedesblog.com/smart-forefathers-eco-sprinter-eco-speedster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cree_SAM
web.archive.org/web/20210418030214/http://www.3wheelers.com/cree.html
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mut-zur-muecke-a-2b2a0167-0002-0001-0000-000013684310
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/mini-mit-maetzchen-a-742f4cd1-0002-0001-0000-000009207156
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/motorrad-von-mercedes-a-3d4e0cd2-0002-0001-0000-000008906223
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/modell-fuer-mercedes-a-f611ceb8-0002-0001-0000-000008799308
spiegel.de/wissenschaft/wir-sind-ziemlich-begeistert-a-b729c860-0002-0001-0000-000008707195
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuanghuan_Noble
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuanghuan_Noble
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Roadster
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Forfour
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Crosstown
web.archive.org/web/20100411022619/https://blogs.motortrend.com/6209443/car-news/smarts-three-year-loss-more-than-5-billion-report-says/index.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/daimler-hickhack-neue-verwirrung-um-zukunft-des-smart-a-328235.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/artikel/a-329425.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/kleinwagen-amerikaner-bestellen-20-000-smarts-a-488840.html
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_iQ
euroncap.com/en/search-results/?query=smart+fortwo&x=0&y=0
youtube.com/watch?v=T4LB3xKRfmk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_Formore
group-media.mercedes-benz.com/marsMediaSite/en/instance/ko/The-smart-fortwo-micro-hybrid-drive-mhd-Even-more-economical-and-environmentally-friendly-thanks-to-startstop-function.xhtml?oid=9919399
euroncap.com
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/daimler-stellt-neuen-smart-vor-a-981458.html
la.mercedes-benz.com/en/passengercars/mercedes-benz-cars/models/e-mobility/project-eq/experience-eq/future-of-mobility/eq-fortwo.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/daimler-smart-wird-kuenftig-nur-noch-als-elektroauto-verkauft-a-1153384.html
manager-magazin.de/unternehmen/autoindustrie/elektroauto-smart-wegen-engpaessen-lange-nicht-lieferbar-a-1189399.html
spiegel.de/wirtschaft/unternehmen/smart-daimler-gruendet-joint-venture-mit-geely-aus-china-a-1260050.html
jalopnik.com/fun-is-dead-at-smart-1846058184
de.smart.com/de
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smart_electric_drive
#bigcar
