Smart ends internal combustion with ‘collector’s edition’

While the Smart car is leaving the U.S. automotive marketplace — and also becoming the first of the car brands to switch to all-electric vehicles — the German subcompact will produce 21 final combustion-engine cars it’s calling “the Final Collector’s Edition.”

Why 21 cars? Because the company has been producing cars for that many years.

Smart recruited industrial designer Konstantin Grcic to create the special paint scheme for the collector’s cars, which are being produced in cooperation with tuning specialist Brabus. 

The theme for the design is “breaking boundaries, breaking out, showing your rebellious side,” the company said in releasing news of the final series with internal-combustion powerplants.

The Smart car was conceived by Swatch watchmaker Nicolas Hayek as a way to travel in crowded urban environments. The cars were produced in partnership with Mercedes-Benz, which eventually bought out Hayek’s interests.

“For us, the Final Collector’s Edition marks both the end of an era and a new beginning as a significant milestone in the history of Smart and towards a future horizon,” said Daniel Lescow, head of brand and product management.