Bananaman Posted June 9, 2004 Posted June 9, 2004 Click here for full report on other Smart Varients. Rod Ker finds a cure for the Smart's gearbox problem in a 180bhp Suzuki-powered version The Smart Roadster proves that cars don't need huge amounts of power to be fun to drive. Having said that, it's no surprise that the Brabus version, with another 20bhp, is even more entertaining. And as Andrew English found in the Brabus V6, doubling the power is a complete riot. Z-Cars: 180bhp from a 1,000cc Suzuki engine So how about fitting a Suzuki GSX-R1000 motorcycle engine? Not only do you almost double the power of the standard car, the bike engine also saves 60kg and improves the weight distribution. As an additional bonus, you lose the Smart's frustratingly slow, semi-automatic transmission and gain a manual 'box, as befits a proper sports car. Z-Cars, which has long experience of bike engine transplants, is the company responsible for the conversion. Chris Allanson and his team were able to do it in double-quick time because all Smarts, from entry-level City Coupé to the sporty Roadster and Roadster-Coupé, use a rear subframe carrying the engine, transmission and De Dion suspension. Rather than squeeze the four-cylinder Suzuki unit into the restricted space, Z-Cars slots in a new subframe, with adjustable trailing-arm suspension and chain drive to a limited-slip differential. Hey presto, after only half a day's spannering, a Roadster that produces 180bhp at 13,000rpm via a six-speed sequential gearbox. I found this automotive Mr Hyde doing service as a demo car at smarts-R-us, which specialises in tuned and customised Smarts. The engine swap costs from about £7,000, and this car had also been treated to a few grand's worth of other goodies, including huge 18in wheels, lowered front suspension and special paint to which photography can't do justice. Roadsters are not ridiculously cheap to start with but in this form the price is creeping above £20,000 so it's definitely one for the dedicated. Although the standard car's turbo triple makes some delicious gurgling noises, it sounds tame beside the raucous Suzuki four. Push the throttle on the original and the revs increase gradually, under strict instructions from the electronics not to do anything naughty. Do the same in the banzai version and you get a 10,000rpm whoop like a racer's. Starting from rest can be tricky - there's a fine line between stalling and 0-60mph in a shade over four seconds. Lowered suspension, lighter weight and fat, low-profile tyres led me to expect a bone-jarring ride, but somehow it doesn't turn out like that. If this Suzuki-powered roadster sounds too rational, lunatics everywhere will be delighted to know that the same engine package goes straight into its City Coupé sister. Very fast in a straight line, but try to imagine what happens in corners with such a short wheelbase and high centre of gravity... Contacts: Z-Cars, 01964 527725 (www.zcars.org.uk); smarts-R-us, 01159 567896 (www.smartsrus.com). Z-Cars Smart Suzuki Price/availability: conversion kit £7,000 (self-build) or £9,995 (fully built). Complete cars from £10,000 plus the cost of the donor Smart. On sale now. Engine/transmission: 998cc, four-cylinder petrol with 16 valves; 180bhp at 13,000rpm and 70lb ft of torque at 8,500rpm. Six-speed sequential manual gearbox, rear-wheel drive. Performance: top speed 130mph, 0-62mph in about 475sec, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions n/a. We like: Engine's power and noise. We don't like: Tricky getaways (especially in the wet). Quote
Bananaman Posted June 9, 2004 Author Posted June 9, 2004 0-62mph in about 475sec Well it's off the list then.................. Quote
david.c Posted June 10, 2004 Posted June 10, 2004 Saw this car tested on 5th Gear..........and it was But the price David Quote
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