MCC Smart

The paddles are part of a facelift for the city car, and will be offered as a £235 option. This seems great value considering Ferrari will ask £6,500 for the gearbox on its 575M F1- around the same price as an entry-level Smart.

Available on the 54bhp Passion and 60bhp Pulse, the new steering wheel-mounted levers are less frustrating to use than the old push-pull lever, while MCC also claims to have made the Smart gearshift quicker.

The facelifted model is otherwise little changed. The Cabriolet's peanut-shaped headlights are adopted across the range, while different rear lamp lenses, a modified rear heat shield and a new range of colours are all that will mark out new Smarts from older cars.

A sliding electric sunroof now joins the options list for all models, as does an external temperature sensor, while a bigger fuel tank, increased from 22 to 33 litres, gives the newcomer a much better range of up to 270 miles.

We found the gearbox greatly improved, although it still lacks the smoothness and refinement of a conventional manual or auto box. Other-wise, the dynamics remain the same, with an unsettled ride and twitchy high- speed handling. But that's hardly the point. By giving it a nip and tuck and adding a more user-friendly gearbox, MCC has ensured the Smart will continue to thrive as a popular city slicker.