Smart

In the early 1970s, Mercedes-Benz designers sketched a tiny two-seat “city car” concept, but it wasn’t until March 4, 1994, that Swatch and Daimler-Benz formally launched Micro Compact Car AG in Stuttgart to bring that vision to life. Three months later the first “eco-sprinter” prototypes previewed the Smart City-Coupé, and in October 1997 the production-ready Fortwo debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show, instantly earning a reputation for clever packaging and customizable styling. Smart’s steel “Tridion” safety cell and interlocking body panels turned heads and helped microcars win European hearts—and the world’s first online car sale rolled out in 1999. Today, Smart has shed its tiny coupe roots, relaunching as a fully electric marque under a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz AG and Zhejiang Geely Holding Group. Its current lineup spans the compact SUV-coupé #3, urban SUV #1 and, as of mid-2025, the versatile #5, reflecting a “China-Europe dual-home” strategy focused on premium urban mobility.