Project Kimber: How the Smart Roadster Nearly Became an MG 

Another very obscure bit of MG lore, I like it. I think as an AC or the AC Ace it would’ve been more appropriate though.

I remember reading an article at the time that the Smart Roadster was everything a small cheap sportscar should be - except cheap.

Perspicacious, lively, thoughtfully researched, brilliantly written scripted and enthusiastically and knowledgably delivered with excitement and verve. Like a good claret, your videos just get better and better. Ed, you rightly sit at the very peak of car presentation through an obvious joy and unbelievable commitment and professionalism. Thank you for my weekly dose of thoroughly enjoyable, sans pariel car reviewing and history! I am additcted! Rob

I was fortunate enough to meet Cecil Kimber’s great grandson quite by accident in a refreshment tent once… of course I immediately interviewed him for my own channel. Jolly nice chap!

I am useless with computers and half of my comment did not make it to the site. But I did want to say that you are at the very peak of sans pareil car reviewing for which I weekly await with huge excitement for my dose of Twin Cam, 'cos I am addict! Thanks for my necessary car drug supply! Rob

A fascinating foray into the minds of wannabe car producers that have a romance overload. Every time I follow one of these great stories that Ed is so very good at researching and airing, I can’t help looking over to our dear Morgan factory ( really just a large shed) and being so grateful that somehow, miracles can still happen! 🙏🇬🇧❤️

The Roadster Brabus had just shy of 100bhp and remapped could see 120bhp, I had my standard Roadie mapped to similar power and the gearbox remapped, made a huge difference to its driveability, this was back in 2006.

Excellent video Ed, right up my street. So tempted by the 75 I filmed yesterday. Well researched production again 👌👏🇬🇧

I just scrapped my rover 45 gsi had it since 2005 never had a problem with it until one of the plastic sill covers fell of to reveal no sill left and ot was bei g held together by hopes and dreams . Miss that car

It would have made a great new MG Midget but, hey, we are talking about the British car industry here so it was doomed from the start. I'd pretty much forgotten about this story so thanks flor the remainder.

Quite a story. Very well researched Ed and another very interesting video.

Enjoying this. In recent months the roadster has got very high on my list of what I'd fancy buying and, running. A fun car.

I've always thought the Roadster makes a good spiritual successor to the Spridget. Relatively humble bits put together in a tiny fun little car that isn't very fast. I'd love a frogeye to go with my roadster. Alas money and space means that will have to wait.

Another great presentation..I learn so much... Thank you so much... Roger... Pembrokeshire

Ed, another superb presentation. the history here is jaw-dropping, linking AC, Benz, BLMC, BMW, SAIC, TVR and Gordon Murray. I doubt many people could do that!!! if I was ever going to buy a Smart car it would only be the roadster. I'm trying to imagine one with a K-Series cut-and-shut in the back (you'd probably have to widen the rear) and why not 4x4 to get more traction? the era in which the Smart car was concieved was a real departure from convention for Benz. the original A-Class (I had one and loved it) and ill-fated Chrysler take-over looks like they were out to try anything as a way to massively boost production numbers, especially in North America and the mass car market. that era cost them a dearly and the scars are still apparent in the longevity of their cars since. Gordon Murray was a customer of my old tool hire business in Guildford. I remember he was working on a new TVR back around 2017 but had completely forgotten about it. looks like its all go now according to the website.

A very dense story given the very best treatment by Twin-Cam.

I have a Smart Roadster - in some ways it is very like an MG (small, fun and cheap-ish). As you said, it also has all the reliability issues of old MGs.... 🙂. If the Smart had been taken on by MG, I don't think it would have helped them survive due to the ongoing warranty costs.....

The research involved here is impressive, and I particularly liked your quip about the slight possibility of the Telegraph not being the most accurate source to rely on. But my favourite quote is "Mayonnaise Making K-series".

An excellent and informative video as always. I still would like to know how comes Mercedes stuck with the Smart project until 2019 when it joined forces with The Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, who seems to be taking over quite a few western companies, VAG redeveloped SEAT (makers of mainly FIAT products), Skoda (unfairly lampooned by so-called comedians), Bugatti and Bentley, whilst BMW threw in the towel after just 4 years and asset stripped what was left of the British automotive industry. MG Rover deserved a better fate, rather than having been left on the scrap-heap.

Sehr interessantes Video! Alles habe ich nicht verstanden (my english is under all pig), aber das Projekt war durchaus spannend. Ich habe bei smart auch am roadster gearbeitet und habe mich gefreut, dass der kleine als MG, oder später AC weitergeführt werden sollte, aber plötzlich war nichts mehr von dem Projekt zu erfahren. Von Kollegen habe ich gehört, dass die gesammte Produktiosanlage nach England verschifft wurde. Es wäre also nicht so schwierig gewesen, das Auto einfach weiter zu bauen.

Fascinating.

I love these type of reports looking behind the scenes at car companies and the personalities behind them. Pretty sure I remember the MG Roadster being discussed in Car magazine at the time complete with the obligatory renderings. Sadly Rover’s final breaths seemed to see management ever increasingly clutching at straws; the fairly terrible CityRover a case in point. The MG versions showed Rover had some talented engineers. My Dad had a 25 1.6 and it was a great car to drive. Not necessary outstanding in any area, but really came together as a package. Greater than the sum of its parts you might say.

The Smart Roaster may not have been perfect, but it looks like it would be a blast to drive on the windy roads up in the local hills.

Mayonnaise making K series! Love it, I'm gonna use that whenever possible! Great video by the way!👍

A fascinating project - good to learn about. The AC plan seems very sound, as a coupè we could have got a new Aceca or ME 1000. It would have been expensive to make, so the quality would have needed to be outstanding to justify the price.

It is amazing how the liquidation of MG Rover only concluded a couple of years ago (happed to know due to connections at work).

Very interesting, Ed. Somehow I get the feeling that the roadster might have done rather well in North America with the MG badge on it. Of course, that is predicated on having the glitches out of it. It would also have had the fun of meeting US emissions standards, and in particular the California emissions. That really would not have been impossible as the gas engined Smart Fourtwo was sold in all 50 States and Canada. Certainly an interesting prospect.

Very well researched piece, learned a lot of new stuff here. I guess the Smart Roadster would have fit into the range as a modern day MG Midget.

Interesting. I never knew about this . But often thought the roadster would make a great modern midget

Am digging the correct pronunciation of Daimler.

A very interesting story and so articulately portrayed... Such a shame the Smart roadster died..

Very interesting👍

Fascinating video. So Ford still owns the Rover nameplate? Perhaps it passed to Tata when they created JLR. Vague memory that Ford wanted to buy Rover in the 1980s but the Thatcher government declined to sell it to them. Did BMW keep hold of the Triumph, Austin, Morris, etc. names?

Theyd make awesome commuter cars. Just needed the 1 litre engine from the start to keep maintenance down

Proud to tell all of you I own 2 REAL MGs 🇬🇧 (80 roadster, 72 GT hatch) both in show cond and in regular use, keeping them forever bc no new car even comes close for sheer FUN

thank you, regardless... wanted a Smart Roadster so much as a kid so keen for any story of it's continuation.

SJK Setright proposed a new midget/sprite in Car magazine- not too different to the smart in concept- suggesting a Honda gold wing engine in the back- so 6 instead of 3 cylinders ; ) who knows, except that a gold wing now costs more than many small cars : ( nice idea though with a similar roof concept in my memory . . .

I remember this being proposed and thought it was ludicrous then. Who knows what might have happened if this actually happened.

It also nearly became an AC Ace.

If only

Why the clamour to buy the rights to an existing brand name? Why not just come up with a new brand name that costs nothing? MG was tainted by the recent collapse of MG Rover, and associations with British Leyland. Brand recognition for good and bad reasons - a potentially poisoned chalice. AC had little to no marque recognition, other than with people really into cars. Yes, the AC Cobra had been a big deal, but that was 40 years earlier, and most people just referred to them as Cobras anyway. Plus the motoring press would no doubt have gleefully pointed out that the car had nothing to do with these old marques, and it was all just a badging exercise. It seems a strange business decision to go after a defunct marque name to apply to an existing car design from yet another marque. Why not just call the company something like Kimber?

Daimler is pronounced dame-ler, it's not dime-ler.

Another 'if only'.........sadly.

dime ler??!! DAIMLER