Skip advert
Advertisement
Features

Concept cars – the Dodge Sling Shot

An American car based on a Smart? Seems like a long shot, but it was close to happening in 2004

Few cars seem less appropriate for a US audience than the Smart Fortwo. It’s small, frugal, unthreatening – all characteristics far removed from the country’s best-seller, the Ford F-150.

Yet Daimler continues to sell the tiny city cars in North America, and they do find favour with a small, dedicated audience who appreciate the cars’ unique styling and compact proportions.

Advertisement - Article continues below

We can’t help feeling the old Smart Roadster would have been a better prospect for success in the USA though – the popularity of cars like Mazda’s MX-5 suggest a ready market for fun, affordable sports cars.

Surprisingly, the Smart Roadster did get close to hitting the US market, though perhaps not in the form you’d expect.

Back in 2004, when Daimler and Chrysler still coexisted peacefully, subsidiary Dodge unveiled a sports car called the Sling Shot. Compact but chunky and filled with pleasing details, the concept almost looks like some kind of scaled-down Porsche to 2016 eyes, but under the skin was a different sports car: the Smart Roadster.

The clues could be found throughout: Dodge’s press release talked of a rear-mounted, 3-cylinder gasoline engine, characteristics that match the Roadster precisely.

In profile, the Sling Shot had more than a hint of the Roadster Coupe’s fastback rear hatch too, and in the cabin there was a familiarity to the general control layout, and especially the seats.

But there were differences too. The Sling Shot got its own five-speed gearbox. Not a manual, sadly, though the automated unit was different from the six-speed automated-manual of the production Smart.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

The Sling Shot’s engine was also naturally-aspirated and developed 100bhp, good for a 0-60mph time of around ten seconds – a little quicker than the official 10.6 seconds of a standard Roadster. And where all Roadsters used rear brake drums, the Dodge had discs all round.

45mpg was claimed. Given that figure is quoted in smaller US gallons, the UK equivalent would be a healthy 54mpg – certainly something that would stand scrutiny in the modern market.

So why did the Sling Shot never see the light of day? No official reasoning was ever given, but there are several plausible causes. Smarts may be small but they’re also relatively complex machines, which pushes pricing up – and the US market is very price-sensitive. A car with limited power against rivals may fall flat, however fun it is to drive.

Then there’s the sad fate of the Smart Roadster itself, canned due to lower-than-expected sales. With Daimler holding the chequebook, it might have decided early on that the extra investment in a Dodge version wouldn’t be worth a modest sales increase.

Today of course, such a car would look a lot more plausible, with Mazda’s MX-5 doing well, the Fiat 124 also making an impact and the possibility of a small sports car from Toyota. How special it would be to have an American automaker joining in on the fun.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Bentley EXP 15 looks deep into Crewe's electric future
Bentley EXP15 Concept front
News

Bentley EXP 15 looks deep into Crewe's electric future

British brand reveals latest concept designed to reinvent the traditional saloon car
8 Jul 2025
Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX previews a Porsche Taycan rival with a British heart
Mercedes-AMG Concept GT XX – front
News

Mercedes Concept AMG GT XX previews a Porsche Taycan rival with a British heart

Innovative British motor tech and advanced high-performance batteries are at the heart of this 1341bhp concept and the production car it'll inspire
25 Jun 2025
Lotus Theory 1 concept is a three-seat, 986bhp hypercar
Lotus Theory 1
News

Lotus Theory 1 concept is a three-seat, 986bhp hypercar

With Veyron power, a carbon tub and EV underpinnings, the Lotus Theory 1 is more junior Evija than Emira successor
17 Sep 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
News

£15k off Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio super SUV

If you have to have an SUV, a Stelvio QV is acceptable. Now it's being heavily discounted.
8 Jul 2025
New cars at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed – all the debuts from Aston to Zenvo
Festival of Speed 2025
News

New cars at the 2025 Goodwood Festival of Speed – all the debuts from Aston to Zenvo

The Goodwood Festival of Speed was spectacular yet again. Here are the highlights from the British motoring event of the year
14 Jul 2025
Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track
Ferrari F80 review
Reviews

Ferrari F80 2025 review – near-1200bhp tech tour de force tested on road and track

Maranello’s latest hybrid hypercar and successor to the LaFerrari blends mind-bending capabilities with deeply intuitive character
10 Jul 2025