Smart cans its Roadster

• Smart to axe the Roadster and Roadster Coupe
• Move part of Smart's plan to break even by 2007
• Existing models' warranties unaffected

Latest News

• Maserati to go diesel in 2014
• Our cars: Jaguar XF
• Our cars: Audi A1
• Latest car deals

Smart will axe the Roadster and Roadster Coupe from its range at the end of this year and has also canned plans to introduce an off-roader called the Formore.

The company announced today that the models have no part in the future of the brand, which is struggling to make money. It hopes dropping the Roadster twins and halting work on the Formore will help it break even by 2007.

Dealers will continue to offer servicing and repair work on the Roadster, and warranties are unaffected by the decision to end production. Smart sold 3383 Roadsters in the UK last year and 1178 in 2003, its first full year on sale. Six hundred of the cars have found owners in the first quarter of this year.

The Fortwo city car and Forfour supermini are safe from the axe. Smart said the new business plan announced today will see development work on the next-generation Fortwo intensified, but the company would not confirm when the new model will appear. We expect it to arrive within the next two years.