Sigh… not again. Is there yet another electric vehicle (EV) model coming to Singapore? But after spending three days with this smart #3, I found myself both impressed and in love.
As a bit of a car enthusiast, I was initially excited, then overwhelmed, and now just desensitised by the flood of EVs arriving on our shores. It feels like there’s a new EV brand or model launching in Singapore every other week, and it takes some effort to understand the unique offerings, value propositions and target markets of each EV model.
Amidst this wave of new EVs, the smart #3 Brabus caught my attention.
The smart #3 Brabus is the red thing in the photo. Not the orange thing in the background. In case you are confused. Photo © Calixto Tay
First, there’s the brand “smart.” Have most of us heard of it?
Then there’s the model name “#3.” Are we supposed to call it “Number 3,” “Hashtag 3,” or just “3”?
And what about Brabus? Strange images of bras and buses popped into my head.
Zzzzzzt. Let’s clear that up!
SMART?
SMART originally stood for “Swatch Mercedes ART” and still does. It was an unlikely alliance between a Swiss watchmaker and Mercedes-Benz, one of the world’s best German car manufacturers, which started back in 1994 and ended up with the first concept car being shown to the world in 1997.
Today, SMART is co-owned by Mercedes-Benz and Geely. Together, they are creating electric vehicles that represent the future of urban mobility.
#3?
It’s pronounced “Hashtag 3.” Don’t ask me why. And no, it’s not smart’s third car—it’s actually their second car post 2019 (the year Geely got involved). Again, don’t ask me why.
Bra…Bus?
Bra… Bus? Image generated with the wonders of GenAI.
Nope, don’t let your naughty mind wonder.
On a more serious note, Brabus is a German tuning company that takes Mercedes-Benz cars and gives them a power and style boost. Basically, they turn high performance Mercedes-Benz cars into supercars.
Supercars by Brabus
smart #3 Brabus
What do you get when you add the fun, hip, urban, nimble and high-tech characteristics of the smart #3 with the performance and styling trademarks of Brabus?
Yeah well, you get the smart #3 Brabus.
And boy, there’s nothing quite like it on the market.
There’s the Fun
Photo © Calixto Tay
The smart #3 is an extremely fun car. It exudes fun in every detail, from the door handles popping out to greet you as you approach…
Every time the latch pops open, I am reminded of how SMART I am.
…to the user interface on the infotainment, featuring a vibrant globe that rotates…
The globe turns red if you move into Sports mode. Photo © Calixto Tay
… to a cheetah mascot that shivers when you get into the AC menu…
That cheetah actually shiversssss. Photo © Calixto Tay
… and to the quirky chimes and beeps from the car’s system, the smart #3 Brabus never fails to bring a smile to my face every time I get close to or hop in the car.
Amazing panoramic roof view from the rear seats
My kids absolutely loved the glass roof. They had a blast counting the birds flying in the sky as I drove along—something they could never do in my dreary, everyday car with its old-fashioned metal roof.
But that’s not even the best part.
The Looks
I know looks can be subjective. But just look at the photo I have taken. Even with my rather uninspired car photography skills, I’m sure many would agree that this car simply is a head-turner.
The colours simply pop! Photo © Calixto Tay
The Mercedes EQC-inspired (in my opinion) hindquarters. Photo © Calixto Tay
I forgot to close the doors before taking the photo. Or perhaps, I just wanted to show off the frameless windows. Photo © Calixto Tay
Just admire the sports steering wheel with Alcantara edges, not the inevitable on-board units (OBUs) coming to your car. Photo © Calixto Tay
Here’s an upskirt shot. Photo © Calixto Tay
If you wish to, you can take a closer look at the interiors. Pinch and drag around to your heart’s content in the view below.
But once again, that’s not even the best part.
The Performance
All-wheel drive.
543 Nm of peak torque.
428 horsepower.
This translates to a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.7 seconds.
3.7 seconds! With this kind of power and torque, whenever I put my foot down in Brabus mode (one level above “Sports mode”), I’m slammed back into the bucket seats, blood rushing to the back of my head—dizzy, even. But I couldn’t get enough of it. I couldn’t help but smile.
I had originally planned on getting a colleague to ride shotgun and record a video of how fast the speedometer climbs from 0 to 70 km/h, but no one on my team had abs strong enough to handle the G-force without messing up the footage. So, sorry, no video for you. You’ll just have to take my word for it.
Whenever I took off from a green light, my son would say: “Papa, why do the other cars look like snails crawling?”
Yes, yes, I’m sure you’re wondering—what’s the big deal about going fast in a straight line? What’s the point? Singapore is so small, the roads are curvy and winding. Can this car even handle speed? Can you corner it like a maniac without flipping it over?
Fair question. But have you forgotten? This is a Brabus.
Let’s break it down:
- 50-50 weight distribution.
- Sports chassis tuning by the Mercedes-Benz team.
- Extremely low centre of gravity due to the battery placement.
- Low driving position.
- 82.7 km/h in the Moose Test.
- 5.5 m tight turning radius.
- 0.4-second switch between RWD and AWD.
- Extremely rigid body and chassis.
Therefore, this thing really moves—and corners. The steering feels incredibly precise and responsive, with no dead zone. I pushed it hard through corners, and the car followed my commands effortlessly—no lazy body roll, no understeer. It’s the kind of performance you’d expect from a hot hatch or a sports sedan, not something that looks like an SUV.
Just take a look at the hill climb and descent I did at Calixto’s Secret Test Track.
Enjoy the two driver’s POV ASMR video (with audio, headphones recommended).
And this silent video from the rear seats.
Notice how planted, precise and silent the ride feels. It looked so effortless.
Yes, I had to stay under 50 km/h to keep things LTA-friendly, but plenty of other cars I’ve tested don’t feel nearly this stable, even at much lower speed.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I do not encourage, condone or recommend driving like a lunatic on public roads. Lives and money are at stake. But when you have this level of handling excellence in a car, you can actually drive safer—because this car does exactly what you want, nimble, agile, without the risk of unexpected understeer or rollovers.
“Cue the multiple cars that crossed into my lane while heading in the opposite direction during my hill test…”
That was dangerous. The other car, that is.
The Final Verdict
You should BUY this if you:
- Have kids or a partner who scream with joy during a two-second 0-70 km/h acceleration.
- Want fun and excitement in your daily commute.
- (Did I mention?) Want an adrenaline rush in every drive.
- Are a young couple or family (your kids must love the acceleration, just like mine did).
- Value performance and appreciate good handling.
- Enjoy supercar performance at EV prices (whatever that means).
- Love feeling like the king of the road—you’ll easily overtake 99% (based on my imagination) of the cars out there.
- Have S$282,000 (as of Oct 2024) to spare (a crucial point).
DO NOT BUY if you:
- Have kids or a partner that screams with fear during a two-second 0-70 km/h acceleration.
- Think of a car as just a simple mode of transportation.
- Think that driving should be smooth and relaxing.
- Spend most of your time ferrying your ageing parents around.
- Don’t understand any of the specifications I’ve mentioned above.
- Are not looking for an EV and believe batteries would explode.
- Don’t have S 282,000 (as of Oct 2024) on hand (consider the non-Brabus Smart #3, which is about S$40,000 cheaper).
Till then, see you in my next review.
For test drives, visit the smart showroom located at Level 3 of Mercedes-Benz Centre, 301 Alexandra Road, Singapore 159968.
