SMART #1
It differs to its Volvo twin more than you might expect
WHY WE’RE RUNNING IT To see if a bright future lies ahead for the Smart brand reinvented under Geely
Have you ever known twins? It’s remarkable how similar they can be in many aspects that they themselves don’t realise – but also how different they can be.
Take a pair I know. They are both very clever, have the same sense of humour and look, of course, very similar. Yet one works in medicine and the other, well, doesn’t.
Clearly, the Smart #1 and Volvo EX30 aren’t identical twins. They look very different: one is a bulbous, contemporarily designed crossover marketed to premium customers, and the other is a sharp-looking raised hatchback, positioned to undercut premium rivals. Their interiors are also very different, with the #1 pushing Mercedes-Benz E-Class levels of luxury and kit compared with the EX30’s simplistic, minimal spec. However, under the skin, they are largely identical.