Smart Fortwo 1st gen

The Smart features an automated manual transmission without a clutch pedal, six-speed for the first generation, five-speed for the second. Input from floor-mounted shifter or optional steering wheel-mounted paddles controls a servo-operated clutch and sequential automated gearbox. The vehicle may be driven in automatic mode, though the shift points are not as smooth as in a traditional automatic transmission. In paddle shifter mode, the operator controls the shift points but cannot feather or adjust the speed of the clutch. Thus some skill, and a slight lifting of the accelerator pedal, is required to achieve a smooth shift.

From 2009, second generation Fortwos were delivered with improved software that made automatic gear changes both smoother and faster than earlier models. The software, in the form of a free ECU upgrade was also made available for 2008 second generation cars, along with a new battery in certain cases

The Smart car allows back-in parking in otherwise parallel parking zones; its length of 250 cm (98.4 in) equals the width of a truck or a regular parking slot, allowing two Smarts to park in a standard space reserved for a single car. However, this type of parking has been banned in Munich, Germany, amongst other places. Such parking in parallel-designated spaces is illegal in most U.S.A jurisdictions.

The Smart features interchangeable body panels—whereby one car can easily assume a different look. To accommodate a licensing agent's notation of a vehicle's color, the fortwo is sometimes registered as silver or black based on the Tridion frame color, which remains constant regardless of the body panels

The first generation first appeared in 1998, and it was replaced in 2002 by a facelift version.
Engine

The engine ranges featured turbocharged three cylinder motors. Originally, the base petrol engine had 599 cc, but displacement increased to 698 cc with an early restyling. It was available in 37 kW (50 hp) or 45 kW (61 hp) variants. The turbodiesel engine has 799 cc displacement with 30 kW (40 hp). Engines are mounted in the rear of the vehicle.
Models

The "fortwo" is available as a Coupe or Cabriolet. Originally called the "city coupe" & "city cabrio" respectively, now called the "fortwo" & "fortwo cabrio" which was introduced in 2000, and was restyled in 2002. Model variants include the base model Pure, sporty mid-spec model Pulse coupe, and luxury top-spec model Passion Cabriolet.

    Limited 1: The first limited edition of which 7500 were made. All left hand drive. Released at the time of the original launch in 1998. Black Tridion cell and White body panels. Alloy wheels, Limited 1 insignia, Blue interior with Beige Leather finishings. Supplied with certificate showing which number out of the 7500 made. A plaque with this number was mounted just below the windshield on the inside.
    Cdi: has the world's smallest production car diesel engine, which uses common-rail direct injection. With a consumption of 3.3 litres (NEDC) per 100 kilometres (71.2 MPG) and CO2 emissions of just 88 grams per kilometre, it has the lowest current production car CO2 emissions worldwide, since Audi's and Volkswagen's retired "3 litre" cars, the A2 1.2 TDI and the Lupo 1.2 TDI respectively.
    Crossblade: a 2002 limited-edition variant of the city cabrio, a roadster without a windshield, roof or conventional doors, limiting its use. Its weight was still 740 kilograms (1,600 lb). The Brabus-tuned engine developed 52 kW (71 PS) from its 599 cc engine. After Robbie Williams purchased Crossblade number 008, smart began a marketing association with the British singer, using Williams to promote the brand and the new ForFour.
    Crosstown: a convertible with a foldable windshield based on the fortwo, was presented at IAA Frankfurt in 2005. No plans have yet been announced to bring this model to market.
    Michalak C7: a sports car using mostly ForTwo parts.
    Nightrun: includes instrument panels, steering wheel, paddles, shifter, Monoblock VI alloy wheels, leather seats and engine upgrade from Brabus. Edition Nightrun is only available with the fortwo coupé.
    Truestyle: painted in metallic paint colour, ruby red, available in pure trim.
    i-move: a special edition run of 70 fortwo cabrios, based on the passion cabrio specs with Brabus Monobloc VI wheels, Leather interior trim, and Lite White Panels. The Addition of an iPod cradle which held a special edition 20Gb 3G iPod, and an aluminium name plate on the dash confirmed its special edition status.
    Forfun2 Concept: an off-road version of the fortwo introduced at the 2005 Athens Motor Show by Greek 4x4 Rally Champion Stefan Attart. The forfun 2 Concept combines the body of a fortwo with the chassis and drivetrain of a Unimog. It sports monster truck-like 26-inch wheels wrapped in 140 cm diameter tires and winding keys where the fortwo's rear wheels are supposed to be.
    Brabus: In 2003 Smart and Brabus introduced the jointly developed Brabus version of the Smart Fortwo. Based on the 698cc engine it had 75 PS (55 kW; 74 hp) of power and 110 Nm of torque. It was available in both coupe and convertible versions. It also featured wider wheels, revised front spoiler and grill, and a revised rear exhaust.
    Smart K: The smart K was launched in October 2001, exclusively for the Japanese market. It was designed exclusively to fit the Japanese kei car regulations by adopting specially developed rear fenders and narrowing the track width and tyre dimensions. As a result, with the width reduced to 1,470 mm, the smart K complies with the Japanese kei car regulations. Also, the engine displacement remains unchanged from 598 cc, as specified in the standard. Safety features include ESP (Electronic Stability Program) and BAS (Brake Assist System) as standard. The Smart K also facilitates the driver's starting procedure with the Hill Start Assist that makes a starts on inclined planes easier. The Smart K was discontinued as of November, 2004.
    Smart ForTwo Edition Limited One: Featured special edition "pyrite grey metallic" body work with contrasting silver Tridion Safety cell. It featured "Cognac Brown" Used look Nappa leather on the seats, steering wheel, and shift lever. The velour floor mats also were trimmed in the aforementioned leather. This was a new model to commemorate the launch of the model 451 Smart.