Marcia Blyth’s Smart Roadster is nothing to worry about
Classic motoring is popular for many reasons.
Some classics come from the exalted supercar ranks, others were unloved but are now rare.
Sometimes, it’s because the car represents a moment in time, and that’s when we collectively slip on the nostalgia goggles and get all warm and fuzzy.
The Smart Roadster falls under that rose-tinted gaze as it was built when manufacturers thought building two-seat, budget sportscars was a great idea. There was the Mazda MX-5, MG TF, Vauxhall Tigra, Ford Streetka, to name but a few.
The Roadster had a relatively short production run between 2002 and 2005, selling 43,000 units, and was born out of a slightly weird consortium between Swatch, of the plasticky watch fame, and German giants Mercedes-Benz.
All types of folk own classics, or proto-classics, but the largest demographic is generally older dudes with garage space, cash to flash and a bit of time on their hands. This roadster is slightly different, though.
Marcia Blyth, from Cunningsburgh, has used her Roadster as everyday transport for the last seven years, having bought it just before finishing her degree at the University of Stirling. She paid a paltry and slightly annoying £2,000. It was a low-mileage example, but a few more are on the clock now.
Disappointingly, Marcia says that she has no plans to sell it. In fact, when it was parked in Lerwick, Marcia returned to find a note stuck to the car offering to buy it.
When she climbed in, another note was on the inside, saying the same thing, just to be sure.
Marcia has worked and studied in conservation overseas, meaning the old Roadster experienced periods of inactivity.
It’s been mostly reliable, and her relaxed attitude helps when mechanical gremlins rear their head. Marcia has snuck up on snoozing leopard seals to tag them off South Georgia. Risk is relative to different people, but tagging leopard seals sounds as dangerous as jumping on a tiger’s back and shouting “Rodeo!”.
A Smart Roadster is nothing to worry about.
While Marcia worked on the Isle of Noss with Nature Scotland, the Roadster was parked at Salt Spray Central in Bressay.
A happy German tourist (yes, they exist) noticed it and explained to Marcia that her father had worked on the original Smart design team during the late 1990s.
So, what’s it like to drive? Admittedly, the pavements do not crack under the weight of my strides, but it was more spacious than I thought.
Smart had a “reduce to the max” philosophy, so there’s not much in there.
The engine is tiny, but the car only weighs 790kgs - roughly the same as my nan’s shopping bags.
Consequently, the little 698cc 3-cylinder unit, producing only 60 horsepower, is enough to scoot you along the road at a respectable rate. It’s not quick, but that’s missing the point.
With the little engine growling behind your head, you receive the whole sports car experience without handing in your licence at Lerwick Sheriff Court.
The good news is you can still pick up a roadster or coupe for sensible money. Between two and five grand will get you something different and decent.
Driving Marcia’s Roadster hammers home that teeny sports cars still make sense in 2025.
It’s fun, and that’s in short supply these days.
In fact, it’s almost the smart choice.
By James McConnachie