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USCar Trader import service
Choose a specific vehicle. Where data is available, its detail page shows the import cost calculation. We assess any possible duty benefit with you before purchase.
Important: A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact us before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support through the process. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
CarHub · Smart
The smart fortwo is the quintessential city car: barely 2.7 metres long, rear-engined and able to slot into gaps other cars simply drive past.
Price:7,892.00 USD
Price:10,300.00 USD
Price:10,703.00 USD
Price:5,987.00 USD
Price:8,794.00 USD
Model profile
Two generations reached American roads. The second-generation W451 (US model years 2008–2015) launched the brand in the States under a Mercedes-Benz USA distribution arrangement and was sold as the fortwo pure, passion and the open-top passion cabriolet. The third-generation W453 arrived for 2016, developed jointly with Renault on the platform that also underpins the Twingo.
Powertrain and equipment
The W451 used a 1.0-litre three-cylinder (Mitsubishi-derived) of roughly 70 hp driving the rear wheels through a five-speed automated manual. That single-clutch automated gearbox is the fortwo's most-discussed trait: shifts are slow and nodding unless you lift off to help it.
Body choice is simple: a two-seat coupe or a full cabriolet with a folding fabric roof and removable roof bars. US trims ran pure, passion, prime and proxy depending on year, with the exposed tridion safety cell in a contrasting colour as the signature styling cue.
Vehicle selection
American fortwos were usually second cars or city runabouts, so mileage is often low for the age, though many lived hard urban lives with frequent cold starts and tight parking.
A used fortwo suits buyers who want a distinctive, genuinely tiny city car, a collectible drop-top, or the novelty of a US-market example.
Vehicle data
| Body styles | 2-seat coupe; cabriolet |
|---|---|
| Length | approx. 2695 mm |
| Width | approx. 1663 mm |
| Height | approx. 1555 mm |
| Wheelbase | approx. 1873 mm |
| Kerb weight | approx. 975 kg |
| Seats | 2 |
| Engine (W453) | 0.9 L turbo inline-3 (petrol) |
|---|---|
| Power | approx. 89 hp (66 kW) |
| Torque | approx. 135 Nm |
| Transmission | 6-speed dual-clutch (twinamic) |
| Drive layout | rear engine, rear-wheel drive |
| Electric variant | fortwo Electric Drive / EQ, ~17.6 kWh |
| Reference model | smart fortwo W453 turbo (US 2016–2017) |
|---|---|
| Earlier generation | W451 (US 2008–2015), 1.0 L I3 |
| Displacement | 898 cc |
Values are reproduced verbatim from the existing article table. The documents for the specific vehicle govern.
Pre-purchase review
Mechanically the fortwo is simple, but a few points recur. The W451's automated manual gives clunky low-speed shifts and its clutch actuator can wear; smoothness improves noticeably if you ease off the throttle at each change. The W453's dual-clutch is far better behaved.
Germany and Europe
US-market fortwos differ in detail.
Typical work for approval includes converting the headlamps to a European beam pattern, fitting or activating a rear fog lamp, switching the speedometer to km/h, confirming the odometer reading, and ensuring tyres carry the correct European markings.
USCar Trader services
As a buyer based in Germany, you do not have to inspect the vehicle yourself in the United States or Canada. Within the agreed scope, USCar Trader can coordinate document review, a separately commissioned on-site inspection and purchase processing.
Covered inspection points are agreed in advance. An on-site inspection records condition at the appointment and is not a guarantee.
Next step: Before commissioning, USCar Trader and the customer agree which document, history, inspection and transaction checks suit the vehicle and are included in the service. This records what was actually checked.
Import process
The assessment depends on the specific vehicle and the circumstances of the transaction. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review any possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are considered separately.
Questions and answers
Yes, provided it has a clean, transferable title and passes German technical approval. The most common candidates are 2008–2015 W451 cars and 2016–2017 W453 turbo cars.
No, not automatically. A 0% EU import-duty rate may be available for a vehicle covered by Regulation (EU) 2026/1455 that has US origin and is imported directly into the EU. CETA may apply to a vehicle with preferential Canadian origin. Whether the requirements are met is assessed for the individual case. Please contact USCar Trader before purchase; we review the possible duty benefit and provide non-binding support. Import VAT and other costs are assessed separately.
Import VAT and other taxes or costs are assessed separately under the applicable rules and the circumstances of the individual case. A blanket answer for every vehicle would not be reliable.
Mechanically simple and dependable when serviced. The main quirks are the W451's automated manual and the usual small-battery and roof-mechanism checks.
It uses the J1772 (Type 1) AC standard, so a suitable adapter or interface for European Type 2 charging should be arranged.
Ocean freight plus clearance, TÜV and registration typically span several weeks once a car is secured; timing depends on shipping schedules and inspection slots.
The records required for purchase, export, transport, approval and assessment of the specific vehicle depend on the transaction. Before purchase, USCar Trader agrees the required scope with you and supports the process within the commissioned service.
No, but it needs an individual approval (Einzelabnahme) covering lighting, speedometer and other conversions before registration.
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