Mid-range torque has now been dramatically increased, though it's still not enough to test the supremely competent chassis. The remap is also claimed to reduce the gearchange time by 10-30 per cent. It definitely feels jerkier, although I'm not convinced this is a good thing...

I chose this car for a specific purpose, i.e. London commuting, therefore gearchange smoothness was always a higher priority for me than speed, and now the first to second change in particular borders on brutal, especially on full throttle. There also seems to be an intermittent hesitation in selecting a lower gear when braking hard and using the paddles to downchange prior to pulling away again.

However, overall I am pleased with the Digi-tec conversion, which also includes a minor modification to the air intake, particularly as the claimed power output of 107bhp is higher than that of the forthcoming Brabus Roadster.

As is also mandatory on all Yu-mobiles, I have discarded the mediocre standard CD-radio in favour of a decent sound system. There was no hesitation in deciding which installer to entrust my baby to, as Prestige Audio did an exceptional job on the ICE upgrade to my Ferrari F355 Spider.
Director Bob Hobson cast his expert eye over the Smart's bijou interior and advised on the best options. As in all my previous ICE installs, I was not interested in a headache-inducing boom box, but rather a powerful, well-controlled, musical, in-car hi-fi.

Unfortunately, the only component from the Ferrari's install that would fit into the Smart was the reference quality Genesis 5-channel amplifier. It was decided that a custom-made sub-enclosure would again be required, this time installed discreetly behind the passenger seat and fitted with two 5in Focal subs, noted for their ability to produce excellent results from small spaces.

I chose an Alpine head unit complete with DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) tuner and dropped the car off with Prestige just before I jetted off to warmer climes for some Scuba diving. When I retrieved the Smart, I found the audio landscape transformed with rich, clear sound across a wide, well-defined soundstage. The only shock was the large bill, mainly engendered by the ludicrous cost of the Alpine DAB tuner, but such is the price of being an 'early adopter' (i.e. 'mug').