Smart choice of colour
The lime-green Ford Focus RS, the yellow Ferrari 458 Italia and the baby blue Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder are probably the ultimate show-off cars in Hong Kong. But look out for the new Smart ForTwo Nightorange.
The two-seater is unlikely to match the speed of its flamboyant rivals, but this special edition could turn as many heads in Lan Kwai Fong.
Smart has always offered a striking range of body colours and its ForTwos have interchangeable plastic panels that can mix and match the driver's mood, and withstand the occasional ding of tight parking without going to the paint shop.
The ForTwo Nightorange's orange-metallic and black look shows Smart has probed the minds of hip, urban showoffs, however.
'Colour psychologists regard orange as active, confident and trendy, while black is seen as resolute, elegant and strong-minded,' says Mercedes-Benz Hong Kong. 'The limited, special-edition ForTwo Nightorange is an exciting mix of both colours and is bursting with urban chic.'
Available as a coupe (HK$159,543) or, we hear, just one 'cabrio' convertible (HK$205,500) from Smart Hong Kong (tel: 3428 8666), the Nightorange models have a black Tridion safety cell and radiator grille with matching three-double-spoke 15-inch alloy wheels.
The cabrio has a black soft top and matching mirror caps with Nightorange logos. The interior is predominantly black with an orange sport and stripe on its knee-guard and along the middle of the leather and fabric seats.
Both models are available with a 999cc, 71bhp turbo micro hybrid drive petrol engine, which consumes 4.2 litres per kilometre and emits about 120 grams of carbon dioxide. As with all Smart ForTwos of this latest generation, the Nightorange is also designated an environmentally friendly car and eligible for discounts on first registration tax. Motors took a standard ForTwo around Hong Kong and found its new one-litre engine accommodated two large adults up some of the steepest parts of Hong Kong.
The gearbox appears smoother, although the pedal positions may take a while to get used to.
Boot space seems tight for weekly shopping, but the seats are comfortable and legroom is surprisingly good. The two-seater can hit 100km/h in about 11 seconds.
