Smart #3 review

Smart #3 review

Smart’s all-electric renaissance continues with the sleek #3 family SUV…

The Smart #3 (pronounced “Hashtag Three”) is the second model from the brand which is now a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Chinese giant Geely (also the owner of Volvo, Polestar and Lotus).

Unusually, the Smart #3 has few direct rivals because of its dimensions and pricing.

In other words, it’s about the same size as the £50k Volvo EC40, yet because it starts at just £33,960, it’s also up against smaller EVs including the Volkswagen ID.3.

Smart #3 review

The Smart #3 is one of an increasing number of “coupe-SUVs” such as the Peugeot E-3008 and Volkswagen ID.5. I’m not sure about the use of the word “coupe”, but they do have lower, sloping rooflines and swept-back hatches.

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so I’ll let you decide on the #3’s styling. All I would say is that it’s certainly distinctive and the rear has a hint of the Mercedes-Benz EQA about it.

The Smart #3 comes in four trim levels – Pro, Pro , Premium, and the top-spec Brabus performance-focused model.

Smart #3 review

Pro uses a smaller 48kWh battery compared to the 62kWh unit found in the other #3 models.

Smart claims a WLTP range of 202 miles for the Pro, with the Pro offering 270 miles and the Premium achieving 283 miles. These three all use a 268bhp electric motor mounted on the rear axle, and are capable of 0-62mph in 5.8 seconds and a top speed of 112mph.

The bonkers Brabus adds another electric motor on the front axle (making it all-wheel drive), producing 422bhp and 543Nm of torque for a neck-wrenching 0-62mph time of 3.7 seconds, though range is reduced to 258 miles.

Smart #3 review

I’ll be honest, I thought the Smart #3 would be just another electric SUV, but after a week driving a Pro model, I’d say it deserves to be on any family EV shortlist.

It feels solid and build quality is hard to fault, while the interior has a classy, quirky feel.

Unusually for an electric car, it is possible to sit fairly low in the #3, which means that you feel more involved on the road.

Smart #3 review

The seats are comfortable and there’s good leg and headroom for rear passengers, despite the roofline. Boot capacity is a so-so 370 litres, increasing to 1,160 litres with the 60:40 split seats folded.

Up front there’s a 9.2-inch driver’s display and 12.8-inch central touchscreen, while higher spec models also get a head-up display.

Sadly, the infotainment system isn’t the most user-friendly, intuitive or responsive I’ve come across.

Smart #3 review

There’s also far too much swiping and prodding for essentials such as climate control, meaning that you’re taking your eye off the road, while the on-screen cartoon avatar is irritating.

As with all new cars, the #3 is fitted with the latest safety and driver assistance kit (it scored a maximum five stars in Euro NCAP crash tests), so expect bongs and beeps aplenty. The driver distraction warning is particularly irritating and sensitive, which is ironic considering it often goes off when you’re trying to find a function on the touchscreen.

On the plus side, the infotainment system comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring as standard.

Smart #3 review

Inside, there’s a commanding view of the road, but rear visibility isn’t so good, thanks to that sloping roofline and slim tailgate window. It’s also worth noting that there is no rear wiper.

The Smart #3’s set-up is on the stiff side, so it’s not at its best on really poor surfaces, but overall the ride is smooth and comfortable.

Push on and body roll is well contained. There’s also an impressive amount of grip, while the brakes are effective – and progressive, which isn’t always a given with an EV.

Smart #3 review

The steering offers little feedback, but it’s nice to have the option to adjust it (auto, light, standard and heavy), if you can be bothered to tackle the infotainment screen.

The Smart #3 is eager and there are three drive modes (Eco, Comfort and Sport). As ever, Comfort offers the best balance of performance and efficiency, but Sport is fun for short bursts.

Ultimately, it’s more engaging to drive than I thought it would be, but it still doesn’t gain entry to the small club of dynamic EVs on the market.

Smart #3 review

My Smart #3 Pro was efficient, so I’d expect a real-world of between 220-240 miles – more in city driving.

With maximum charge rates of 150kW (66kWh battery) and 130kW (49kWh), both will go from 10-80% in about half an hour. Obviously, they also charge overnight if you have a connection at home.

The Smart #3 comes with a three-year warranty, which is par for the course, but no match for rivals including Hyundai (five years) and Kia (seven years).

Verdict: Competitively-priced, spacious, safe and good to drive, the rakish Smart #3 should be on your shortlist if you’re looking for an electric family SUV that stands out from the crowd.

Smart UK

Lotus Emeya completes intensive test programme

Home / Auto News / Lotus Emeya completes intensive test programme

Gareth Herincx

1 day ago
Auto News

Lotus Emeya

The all-new Lotus Emeya has completed an extensive three-year test and development programme across 15 countries and two continents.

Cold-weather validation programme in the Arctic Circle confirms the “hyper-GT” can perform in the harshest conditions, including temperatures as low as -40 degrees Celsius.

It’s claimed the rigorous tuning and testing process ensures the Emeya drives like a true Lotus, so it’s “engaging and desirable, with safe handling so customers can maximise dynamic performance”.

Most recently, the all-electric grand tourer has been in Ivalo, Finland, around 250km inside the Arctic Circle. The three-year test and development programme took place on a variety of terrain and conditions -from the UK’s challenging B-roads to the smooth and fast-flowing German autobahn, through the highest Alpine passes and the remoteness of Inner Mongolia.

Testing also took place at race tracks such as the Nürburgring Nordschleife and at proving grounds like the high-speed loop near the southern Italian town of Nardò.

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Gareth is a versatile journalist, copywriter and digital editor who’s worked across the media in newspapers, magazines, TV, teletext, radio and online. After long stints at the BBC, GMTV and ITV, he now specialises in motoring.

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Celebrating 50 years of Caterham

Gareth Herincx

16 mins ago
Auto News

Caterham Seven 420 Cup

Feast your eyes on these 50 facts to mark the 50th anniversary of British sports car manufacturer, Caterham  From the brand’s success in motorsport to more than 100 variants of the iconic Seven.

Caterham will celebrate its milestone year with its 50th Anniversary Festival at Donington Park on September 2-3.

The timeline begins in 1973 when Caterham was born after a handshake between Graham Nearn and Lotus founder Colin Chapman in Pub Lotus in Primrose Hill, London.

Lotus founder Colin Chapman and Graham Nearn 

In May that year, Caterham Car Sales & Coachworks acquired the tooling, designs and exclusive rights to the Seven and commenced manufacturing in Town End, Caterham, a month later.

Caterham has sold more than 22,000 cars in its 50-year history. There have also been several celebrity owners, including Sir Chris Hoy, Rowan Atkinson, Simon Cowell, Eddie Irvine, Chris Rea, Nigel Mansell, Guy Berryman, Jonathan Palmer, Theo Paphitis and Lee Dixon.

Caterham: 50 facts for 50 years

  1. Caterham acquired the tooling, designs and exclusive rights to the Seven from Lotus Cars in May 1973. The handshake between Colin Chapman and Graham Nearn took place in Pub Lotus in Primrose Hill, London.
  2. Caterham started building cars in June 1973 in Town End, Caterham, at a rate of circa one Series 4 car per week. Just 38 Series 4 cars were built before production ceased less than a year later.
  3. All of the first 10 Caterham orders were exported, with the first five going to Germany. Three cars went to Luanda, Angola and chassis #10 went to Guatemala. Chassis #6 was purchased by Jose Rebocho to compete in the Grande Prémio Café de Angola, a two-hour race held at the Autódromo Internacional de Luanda.
  4. Caterham relaunched the Series 3 model in 1974 featuring Lotus Twin Cam and Ford Crossflow engine options. It received strong demand from export markets, with the first 100 S3 cars built going to destinations such as the US, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, Hong Kong, Qatar and Libya.
  5. French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo drove a Super Seven in the 1979 French action movie “Flic Ou Voyou” or “Cop or Hood”.
  6. Caterham revealed the Silver Jubilee edition Seven at the 1981 London Motorfair, limited to just eight examples, to mark 25 years of the Seven in 1982.
  7. In 1984, Caterham launched the Cosworth-powered 1600 BDR model. At the time it was the fastest production Seven built to date and boasted a power-to-weight ratio of nearly 300bhp per ton.
  8. In 1986, an HPC model launched with a Cosworth 1700 engine, and sales were restricted to buyers who took Caterham’s two-day High Performance Course. Just 62 cars were built and it was capable of 0-60mph in 5.0 seconds.
  9. Caterham launched Super 7 Racing in 1986, the brand’s one-make championship.
  10. From the onset, cars were built in the town of Caterham but in 1987, production moved to a larger premises at Kennett Road, Dartford, where cars are still built today.
  11. In 1989, the ‘Prisoner’ edition was launched in homage to the 1966 TV Series, in which Patrick McGoohan drove a Lotus 7 at the start of every episode. The Prisoner edition made its debut at the 1990 Birmingham Motorshow with Patrick McGoohan flying in from Hollywood for its launch. It featured a unique colour scheme and alloy wheel design.
  12. In 1990, Vauxhall became a new engine supplier with its engines used in the HPC VX and HPC VXI models.
  13. Caterham switched from Ford engines to Rover K-Series engines in 1991 with the launch of the 1.4 K-Series taken from the then-new Rover Metro GTI.
  14. The 35th Anniversary edition launched in 1992, marking 35 years of Seven production. The model received wide press coverage when it was photographed being driven by HRH Prince Edward and Lord Montagu of Beaulieu.
  15. Caterham won the ‘Longest Day of Nelson’ 24-hour endurance race at Nelson Ledges Road Course, Ohio in June 1992. The HPC Twin Cam car built specially for the race won by seven laps and covered 990 laps and 1,980 miles. The driver team consisted of Jez Coates, Reg Price, Robert Nearn and George Alderman. The size of the trophy meant that on the flight home, it had its own seat on the plane.
  16. The 1992 Jonathan Palmer Evolution (‘JPE’) model featured a Swindon Racing Engines modified Vauxhall 2.0-litre 250bhp engine with a specification almost identical to those used in the British Touring Car Championship. It achieved 0-60 mph in just 3.4 seconds and set a new world record for the fastest accelerating, unmodified production car.
  17. In 1994 Caterham launched the 21, a two-seat roadster which was based on the Seven’s chassis but wrapped in a more practical body style, with doors, side windows and a boot.
  18. The Caterham Scholarship, now known as the Caterham Academy, originally launched in 1995 and has since seen more than 1,300 novices become racing drivers.
  19. The 1999 Superlight R500 model launched with a power-to-weight ratio of 500bhp per tonne. It was powered by a Caterham-modified 1.8-litre Rover K-Series engine with roller barrel throttle bodies to give uninterrupted airflow into the engine on full throttle.
  20. Caterham launched a motorbike-engined car in 1999, the Blackbird, using a Honda Blackbird CBR1100 engine that delivered 170bhp and redlined at 11,750 rpm. In 2001, a specially adapted Caterham which used a Honda Fireblade engine set a new world record for the fastest speed driven in reverse at 102.52 mph at the hands of Darren Manning.
  21. The Seven’s chassis dimensions remained unchanged right up until 2000 when the larger ‘SV’ chassis was introduced, increasing the length by 3 inches and the width by 4.3 inches, allowing for more interior space.
  22. Building on the great success of the R500, the R300 and R400 models were launched in 2002. At the 2002 Nürburgring 24-hour race, the R400 won its class by 10 laps, and came 11th overall out of around 200 starters, at the hands of Chris Harris, Clive Richards, Chris Cooper and Peter Haynes.
  23. The 2004 Superlight R500 Evolution used a K-Series engine increased to 2.0-litres developed by Minister Racing Engines, and achieved a 0-60 mph in 3.2 seconds, 0-100 mph in 6.9 seconds and 0-100-0 mph in 10.7 seconds (faster than the £425,000 Ferrari Enzo).
  24. The Cosworth-powered CSR200 and CSR260 models of 2005 featured the first use of fully independent rear suspension, reprofiled front wings and an all-new interior with a curved cockpit subframe.
  25. In 2006, Ford Sigma engines replaced Rover as the main engines in the Seven, with the launch of the Roadsport models and the Superlight 120 / 150 models.
  26. Caterham partnered with Axon Automotive in 2006 to create the Axon 2R/Eco-M prototype. It featured a carbon fibre spaceframe and enhanced aerodynamics, enabling the car to achieve 131mpg in the 2007 Eco-Marathon.
  27. The Superlight R500 badge was reborn in 2008 with the launch of a Duratec-engined model. It had 263bhp with a power-to-weight ratio of 520 bhp per tonne. Options available for the first time included a six-speed sequential gearbox and launch control. It was subsequently named ‘Car of the Year’ by Top Gear and famously set a lap time of 1:17.9 around its Dunsfold test track – faster than the £1 million Bugatti Veyron.
  28. In 2011, Terry Grant set a new world record for the greatest number of non-stop donuts, managing 566 in a 150 bhp Roadsport.
  29. Caterham Cars was acquired from Corven Ventures by Team Lotus Enterprises in 2011, a group led by Malaysian, Tony Fernandes. Team Lotus Enterprises entered Formula 1 that year as Team Lotus (though it was not related to Lotus Cars). For the 2012 to 2014 seasons, the F1 team became ‘Caterham F1’. A Team Lotus edition Seven was also launched, finished in a matching colour scheme to the F1 car.
  30. In November 2012, a deal was signed with Renault to jointly develop a new mid-engined two-seater sports car, the Caterham C120 / Alpine A110 – separate cars with shared architecture and components. However, Caterham and Renault/Alpine parted company in mid-2014.
  31. Since 2013, Caterham has no longer been based in the town of Caterham, after it relocated to a larger, more modern unit near Gatwick Airport.
  32. Caterham revealed a new concept for a low-cost karting championship in 2013, aimed at novice drivers aged 13 to 16, which would have used its own newly designed kart, the CK-01.
  33. The 620R was launched at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed by F1 drivers Charles Pic and Alexander Rossi. It was powered by a supercharged 2.0-litre Duratec engine, featured an all-new six-speed straight-cut sequential gearbox, a LSD and race dampers.
  34. Caterham launched a new entry-level model, the Seven 160, in 2013. Weighing just 490kg, it was powered by Suzuki’s 3-cylinder 660cc turbo engine delivering 80 bhp – a similar engine is used in today’s 170 and Super Seven 600. It featured a rear live axle, rather than the normal De Dion unit. In Japan, the model was launched at an event at the British embassy in Tokyo.
  35. Since the launch of the Seven 160 and 620R, Caterham has used a ‘double horsepower’ naming strategy. This was continued in 2015 with the launch of the 2.0-litre Duratec-powered 360 as a replacement for the Roadsport 175, along with the 270 and 420 models.
  36. Caterham launched the Kamui Kobayashi Edition for the Japanese market in 2014, designed by F1 driver Kobayashi, which was a single-seater and featured green lacquer carbon fibre front wings and rear wing protectors – Caterham’s first use of this finish. All but one of the cars built were sold in Japan.
  37. Caterham partnered with LEGO in 2015 to produce a 620R LEGO set consisting of 770 pieces. More than ten LEGO Sevens have been sold for every full-size Caterham.
  38. The limited-edition retro inspired Seven Sprint launched in 2016 was created to commemorate 60 years since the launch of the Lotus Seven. It was based on the Seven 160 with the same Suzuki engine, but featured flared wings, red leather seats, red dashboard and a wood-rimmed steering wheel. It was only available in paint colours offered by British manufacturers in 1967. All 120 cars (60 in Europe and 60 in Japan) sold out within days.
  39. The Seven 310R launched in 2016, based on the 1.6-litre Sigma engine used in the 270R but with reprofiled cams and a remap to deliver 152 bhp (compared to 135 bhp for the 270R). It featured double-wishbone front suspension and a LSD.
  40. Caterham launched its ‘Signature’ customisation programme in 2016 with a special Harrods model to demonstrate the breadth of options available.
  41. In 2017, Sir Chris Hoy – both a former Caterham owner and racer – set a new world record for the number of donuts in 60 seconds, managing to do 19 in a 620R.
  42. The limited-edition retro inspired SuperSprint of 2018 used an uprated 95 bhp version of the 660cc Suzuki engine, tan leather seats and race-inspired details such as an LSD, round chrome mirrors and period decals. It was available in six colour combinations, each named after a historic racing circuit such as Zandvoort. Limited to just 120 units, it sold out within the first day.
  43. Caterham starred in The Grand Tour’s ‘A Massive Hunt’, with James May using a 310R with off-road modifications to travel across Madagascar.
  44. In 2021, a Seven 170 was built in less than six hours in the world’s highest car dealership – the top of Brighton’s 450ft British Airways i360 Tower.
  45. At 440kg, the 170R (launched in 2021) is Caterham’s lightest model yet and one of the world’s lightest production cars.
  46. Last year the 420 Cup was launched, a road legal car built for the track. It features a 210 bhp 2.0-litre Duratec engine, 6-speed sequential gearbox, fully adjustable dampers and carbon seats.
  47. Now owned by VT Holdings, Caterham has had three previous owners over the years: the Nearn family until 2005, Corven Ventures until 2011 and Team Lotus Enterprises until 2021.
  48. There have been several celebrity Caterham owners, including Sir Chris Hoy, Rowan Atkinson, Simon Cowell, Eddie Irvine, Chris Rea, Nigel Mansell, Guy Berryman, Jonathan Palmer, Theo Paphitis, Lee Dixon and Jeremy Clarkson who purchased one for his ex-wife Frances Cain.
  49. There have been over 100 variants of the Seven since it was introduced in 1957.
  50. Caterham has sold over 22,000 cars to date, in both kit and factory-built form, and used over 35 engine variants. 2021 was a record sales year for the brand, with 670 units sold.

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Introducing the awesome Lotus Eletre

Jenson Button - Lotus Eletre SUV

Lotus has unveiled the “world’s first electric hyper-SUV” in front of several hundred VIP guests at BBC Television Centre at White City, London.

The 60-minute launch show, which featured former F1 world champion and Lotus customer Jenson Button, was also live-streamed across the globe.

Lotus Eletre

Naturally, we were there to see the all-new Eletre, which “takes the core principles and Lotus DNA from more than 70 years of sports car design and engineering, evolving them into a desirable all-new lifestyle car for the next generation of Lotus customers”.

The event, staged inside and outside the iconic venue, included aerial ballet and parade of Lotus cars – old and new – including an Eleven, Eclat, Esprit, Elan 2, Excel and Elite, plus the ‘John Player Special’ Lotus 72, which won three F1 world constructor’s titles and no less than 20 races between 1970-75.

The collection was brouight right up to date with the the Lotus Evija (“the world’s first all-electric British hypercar”) and then Emira (“the most accomplished Lotus road car ever to come out of the Hethel factory gates”).

Jenson Button drove the Eletre on stage for the big reveal. It’s a car that delivers a significant number of firsts for Lotus – the first five-door production car, the first model outside sports car segments, the first lifestyle EV and the most ‘connected’ Lotus ever.

Lotus Eletre

And yet, Lotus claims it “remains a true Lotus, a beautiful car ‘carved by air’, packed with pioneering technology, genuine sporting performance and simplicity of purpose”.

The Eletre is the first of three new Lotus lifestyle EVs over the next four years and it’s expect to coast around £100,000.

Lotus Eletre

Lotus claims the 4×4 has a 600hp power output and a range of up to 373 miles, while a rapid 350kW charger can deliver 248 miles in just 20 minutes.

It also joins the exclusive ‘The Two-Second Club’ – capable of 0-62mph in less than three seconds.

“The Eletre is a hugely significant moment in our ongoing transformation of Lotus; we are delivering on our commitment to move the business and brand into completely new segments to widen our global appeal and accessibility,” said Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars.

Did you know? Eletre is pronounced ‘El-etra’ and means ‘Coming to Life’ in some Eastern European languages.

Lotus Eletre

Manufacturing at all-new hi-tech facility in China to start later this year.

Lotus Cars has been majority owned (51%) by Chinese firm Zhejiang Geely Holding Group since 2017, with Malaysia’s Etika Automotive taking the remaining 49% share of the company. Geely also owns Volvo, Polestar and the London Electric Vehicle Company which makes taxi cabs.

Lotus Eletre

End of an era at Lotus

Production of the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora sports cars has ended in readiness for the ramping up production of the all-new Emira – the brand’s last petrol-powered car.

Between these three model lines and over the course of 26 years, a total of 51,738 cars will have come off the production line at Hethel in Norfolk.

Combined, they represent almost half of the total production of Lotus in its 73-year history.

In addition, 9,715 sports cars were built on the assembly lines for Lotus’s third-party clients, including GM and Tesla.

From 1996 to 2000, the first-generation Elise and Exige sports cars were built in a small assembly hall at Hethel alongside the Lotus Esprit.

The current assembly lines, which were installed in 2000, will be dismantled and replaced with all-new state-of-the-art facilities in support of the all-new Emira factory.

Full Emira production begins in the spring, after the prototype and test phases currently underway are completed, taking Lotus sports car production into an exciting, high-tech and semi-automated era, and increasing capacity up to 5,000 cars per year on a single shift pattern.

The last examples of the Elise, Exige and Evora models are reserved for Lotus’ growing heritage collection.

Joining the collection will be the last Elise, a Sport 240 Final Edition finished in Yellow and the last of 35,124 cars; the last Exige, a Cup 430 Final Edition in Heritage Racing Green – number 10,497; and the last Evora – a GT430 Sport finished in Dark Metallic Grey – the last of a production run of 6,117.

The Elise and Exige sports cars are built around the Lotus ‘small car platform’. On the same platform, and also manufactured by Lotus at Hethel were the Opel Speedster / Vauxhall VX220 (7,200 cars built between 2000 and 2005) and the Tesla Roadster (2,515 cars built between 2007 and 2012).

When the Lotus 340R, Europa, 2-Eleven and 3-Eleven cars are included, this brings the total Lotus small car platform production volumes to 56,618 cars.

Next out of the Lotus stable will be the Evija electric hypercar, followed by Lotus’s first SUV, which will be revealed to the world in the spring.