The outgoing Smart Fortwo cabriolet proved to be a tough sell, enduring as it did from pipsqueak measurements, tepid acceleration, and a laggard and jerky transmission. In the event its passengers were described by the Fortwo coupe as complete dorks, the open top of the adorable cabrio permitted occupants' dignity to evaporate more readily. Nevertheless, the newest version is much, much better, and although it is almost as miniature, the recently squared-off styling and broader position go quite a distance toward removing the humiliation of driving it.

However, what does not reflect through on the spec sheet is the latest Fortwo feels almost like a real automobile. The full four inches of width that is extra dissolves a lot of the preceding version's scrawny tallandnarrow appearance while helping keep the auto more put to the street. The additional width and rectilinear headlights and taillights imbue it using a French bulldog's trust, although no one can fake the Fortwo cabrio unexpectedly appears butch.

It helps that many of the characteristics of the droptop look more significant, in the removable roof railings that stow to an electrically controlled fabric roof which can be lifted or lowered while at any rate, in a luggage compartment compartment that resembles a rifle case. Convertible -top mechanisms are locked out above 25 to 30 miles per hour; at 96 miles per hour--the small car's top speed, it is possible to cruise in the Smart --and open and shut the roof throughout the day. Try that in a Porsche 911 cabriolet, the single other back-engine, rear wheel drive convertible accessible the U.S.

Together with its own parts and the roof stowed, the cabriolet mirrors a half-cracked pistachio. The view aft is narrowed into a slit fixed structural columns from the folded fabric roof, as well as a tough crossbar; the views forwards and to the sides are grand, yet. Roof upward, the inside is marginally louder in relation to the Fortwo coupe's, and yelling isn't demanded by dialogues at highway speeds.

On the Spanish roads close to Valencia where we drove scooters buzzed around the streets, the Fortwo, the streets resembled pavements, as well as the pavements were filled with attractive people. A young woman, among these grinned at us. Or perhaps she only enjoyed our Fortwo's red-and-white, candy cane-themed paint scheme. We could not find any negative effects from the extra 88 pounds of the cabrio of windshield and bracing column support, but there was exactly zero chassis flex on a curb we drove around for a picture and cobblestone roads.

Escaping to faster roads beyond the city shown that pressing the Smart difficult is a heroic actions. The suspensor is both much more secure and comfortable -feeling than before, with less body roll and much more favorable responses to driver inputs. The 89-hp turbo three-cylinder engine trades linear result for impact--peak power is delivered in a single great ball at higher rpm. The coupe's five-speed manual isn't unavailable in this version, but that appears not inappropriate given the assignment of the cabrio. Languid first result accelerating from the occasional odd equipment choice as well as rest in Eco and Standard styles that are driving will be the sole defects we found in the dual clutch 'carton. Manually shifting equipment utilizing the console lever--or, on specific versions, the steering wheel-mounted paddles--adds some spice. The computer automatically upshifts close to redline while the shifts are fast. The Fortwo isn't, but it's zippy and agile.

The Fortwo cabrio is a much better performance of the little-as-pleasure motif than its coupe counterpart. Well, provided you aren't in a hurry--recall, it's only 89 hp.