Smart Roadster — The Impractical Car I Loved and Sold

A tiny sports car with a leaky roof, a sluggish gearbox, and an unforgettable driving experience.

Before going car-free, Willem drove a Smart Roadster — one of the quirkiest cars ever made. A mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive micro sports car that was terrible in every practical way and wonderful to drive.

The Smart Roadster is a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive two-seater that weighs less than 800 kg. It's slow by sports car standards (0-100 in about 10 seconds), the automated manual gearbox shifts like it's thinking about something else, and the Targa roof leaks when it rains.

And yet — it's one of the most fun cars to drive at legal speeds. The light weight means every corner feels like an event. The tiny dimensions mean you can park anywhere. The engine note, while not powerful, is always present and always entertaining.

Willem eventually sold it and went car-free. But the Roadster represents something important in his mobility story: the transition from loving cars to realising you don't need one.

The full story is in Life Without a Car.