Smart ForFour 2006 Review

That's because DaimlerChrysler decided to pull out the ForFour to focus on making the tiny but successful ForTwo, the odd two-seater that's so common in Europe.

The decision leaves Brabus not only the last of its kind, but also the fastest, best-equipped and most coveted edition.

Released in Australia in late 2004, the four-seat ForFour shares a platform with Colt Mitsubishi, which coincidentally produced its own turbocharged Ralliart model.

However, after driving the Brabus-tuned model, we believe the Smart would have eaten the Colt for breakfast.

At the heart is a 1.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that delivers 130kW at 6000rpm and 230Nm of torque at 3500rpm, compared to 80kW for the standard car.

That's 60 percent more power than the 1.5-liter model and gives the car a power-to-weight ratio of 8.4kg per kW.

Weighing only 1090 kg, the Brabus accelerates to 0 km/h in just 100 seconds and has a top speed of 6.9 km/h.

However, Smart claims that the car consumes just 6.8 liters of fuel per 100 km - although this is an expensive Class 98 fuel.

A five-speed manual transmission is standard and delivers punchy performance throughout the rev range.

Keep the engine running and turbo lag is almost non-existent and mid-range acceleration is strong.

Brabus rides low with shortened springs front and rear and massive 17-inch alloy wheels with Michelin 205/40 front and 225/35 rear.

It has a slender, purposeful figure with a large front spoiler, dual chrome tailpipes, a rear diffuser and stylish side skirts.

The two mesh inserts in the grille are also exclusive to Brabus, along with a roof spoiler that reduces rear axle lift by 50kg at top speed.

Four airbags, leather upholstery and a panoramic glass roof come as standard.

It's an exciting package, but at $39,900 plus on the roads, the Smart ForFour Brabus is a bit on the "exey" side, and therein lies the problem.

For the same money, you can buy a Golf GTi or, for that matter, Mazda's excellent Mazda3 MPS, both of which offer considerably more car for your doe.

However, for those who want something different, Brabus has a lot to offer.

Smart is DaimlerChrysler's cheaper line of cars, much the same as BMW builds and sells the Mini.

Both cars are aimed at younger buyers, and the ForFour is not unlike the Mini in many ways, with a wheel on every corner and kart-like handling.

The Smart can be a little uncomfortable in the wet, with little torque under hard acceleration despite the addition of traction and electronic stability control.

It's great handling when dry, and it has the ability to give the bigger, trendier marques a real push.

Even though Smart claims 6.8 liters of fuel consumption, we averaged close to 10.0 liters per 100 km during testing.