The Little Book of Smart

by Paul Jackson

Brand new chapter brings this book right up-to-date for 2009. What started off as an idea from Swiss watchmaker Swatch eventually evolved into the successful launch of the smart brand, now an integral part of the Mercedes-Benz family and - in its first ten years - achieving sales of more than three quarters of a million cars around the world. It hasn't all been plain sailing for smart, though. Well publicized financial woes, the launch of at least...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1845842723
• ISBN13: 9781845842727
• Release Date: July 2009
• Publisher: Veloce Publishing
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.7" x 7.2"

Customer Reviews

Cute little book for the smart lover!!

I must have every book I find on smart cars, and this little book made a great addition to my collection!

Smart is smart!

This book came quickly and tells the history of my Smart car. It is the baby book for my baby. Thank you. Fascinating reading. Hope this car catches on in the USA like it did in Europe!

"The Little Book of Smart" and the Car are COOL

This little book is perfect for the glove compartment of a SMART forTwo, which I currently have on order. The book traces the SMART car line from its beginnings to the current day (DEC 2007/JAN2008) and so is a good source for those interested in the car. I bought two copies, one for the car and one for my desk, and I will likely buy a scale-model of the car for my desk also.....I'm HOOKED

The little book of smart

This book is a good read, for one who already knows about the cleverly designed smart cars or wants to learn some of the interesting story of the line's first decade. Loads of clear, interesting images and well written text, I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

It's a GIANT of a tiny book!

the little book of smart by Paul Jackson Upon a first glance, it would be easy to assume that the little book of smart by Paul Jackson is just a photo album, since the dimensions of the book is a square measuring 5.5 inches and a rather large picture of a smart fortwo cabriolet spans most of the glossy front cover. All thoughts of this just being another picture album are immediately forgotten the moment the reader cracks this glossy cardboard cover to reveal the 128 pages of very detailed and accurate data that accompanies the superb colored pictures that adorn virtually every page. The fact that the pages of the book are also a glossy paper similar to the finest new car brochures found at car dealerships just makes this book's photographs look all that much more impressive. Because the publishing company chose to incorporate a folded over cardboard flaps on both the front and back cover of the book, the book seems much more substantial than most paperbacks when being handled and held. This additional thickness and stiffness almost gives the reader the sense of looking at a thin covered hardback book, which serves to enhance the feeling of `quality' that this small book exudes. The book's diminutive size is a very apt match for the tiniest car being sold in America. Paul Jackson's narrative is concise, informed, and best of all, extremely accurate. One of the pet peeves of most smart fortwo owners is that so many reporters and writers try to do a fair job of representing the vehicle and its decade long history but often attribute so many incorrect facts to their story that owners feel they "just don't get it". Mr. Jackson definitely "gets it" when it comes to writing about this little car and having the most correct and up to date information. Each time I look at my little book of smart and re-read its pages, I come away impressed by a different facet of knowledge that it contains. Not only does the book pay tribute to the vehicles that have been produced in the past but also includes those that have recently been discontinued. Even those discontinued models are represented by the same level of excellent photos as the newest and latest models showing them from different angles and the different configurations in which they were available. There are times I think the book's best feature has to be the magnificent and relatively large pictures that grace almost every single page. Then at other times, I am astounded by the details and how many things are included that only the real followers of smart's history may even be aware of, such as spy photos that preceded the latest 2008 models, or the tiny toys in the shape of smart cars that are available. Mr. Jackson also includes detailed pictures of the different engines that have been installed in smarts over the years. In short, there seems to be something for everyone who's interested in the smart car family or history. I have purposely placed this book in several different lo