There are many potentially positive attributes of the all-electric smart car that is due to hit showrooms at some point in the future, it has been stated.

Writing for the Times, TV executive Dianne Nelmes reveals that the car is a strong option for those who do not drive too fast and only cover short distances.

In her review of the vehicle, Ms Nelmes indicates that the car "will happily bowl along a dual carriageway at 60 miles per hour", which is the vehicle’s top speed.

She also remarks that the biggest benefit of owning the vehicle is the additional advantages it affords when driving around London.

Ms Nelmes highlights that owners will be exempt from having to pay the £8 daily congestion charge in the capital, where electric vehicles can also profit from their own parking spaces.

Other facts about the car is that a driver can travel for between 50 to 70 miles on a full charge and it then takes eight to ten hours to recharge the engine back up.

Mercedes-Benz has previously stated that small scale production of the vehicle will begin from next year, although businesses can currently lease the car.

Discover all the big benefits of the smart at thesmart.co.uk

Motorists looking to take advantage of the scrappage scheme announced by Alistair Darling will have the chance to take £2,000 off the price of the world’s lowest emission cabrio.

Mercedes-Benz has announced that all of the vehicles under the Mercedes-Benz Car umbrella will be available as part of the voluntary scheme, while selected vehicles from the smart fleet can also be bought.

One of which is the smart fortwo cdi cabrio, which generates CO2 emissions of just 88g/km.

Models from the smart BRABUS performance range will also be available to buyers through the scheme, alongside all of the Mercedes-Benz fleet from the A-Class to the S-Class.

Furthermore, the manufacturer’s new range of BlueEFFICIENCY vehicles are also on offer through the scheme.

Simon Oldfield, Sales Director at Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: "We welcome the government’s objective of the scrappage scheme to replace older, more polluting vehicles with clean new cars.

"It seems appropriate to offer the world’s cleanest production cabrio, our new smart cdi, to customers."

He added that it is expected that the Mercedes A-Class and B-Class models will be in the highest demand.

Under the scheme, cars that have been on the road for ten years or more can be scrapped with the owner receiving £2,000 to put towards a new car.

Read more about the scrappage scheme on the Mercedes-Benz website

Few cars lend themselves better to the use of start-stop technology than the smart fortwo, it has been indicated.

Auto Express has chosen to drive seven cars fitted with the technology around the busy streets of Bristol to test which vehicle is most suited to its use.

The publication highlights that the vehicle was built with the prime intention of being used on congested streets, with its ability to park in small gaps and high fuel efficiency.

It is noted that the system is easy to use in the smart fortwo with the engine simply cutting out when the vehicle rolls to a stop and a driver’s foot has the brake pressed down.

The reviewer also noted that the micro hybrid drive system worked "faultlessly" in the smart and the way it worked became second nature almost instantly.

Furthermore, the system began to work less than a mile into the test route, as it only begins to kick in once the 1.0-litre engine has warmed up.

According to smart, the micro hybrid drive technology helps to cut CO2 emissions by up to 29 per cent when the vehicle is used in urban areas.

Discover all the big benefits of the smart at thesmart.co.uk

Companies debating about whether to lease a smart car or not have been told of some key facts to do with the iconic brand following the introduction of a financial incentive scheme for owners of electric and hybrid cars.

The Labour government has announced that it is to allocate £250 million over the next five years to promoting vehicles that run on low amounts of carbon.

This means that buyers of electric and hybrid vehicles could be subsidised a maximum of £5,000 on their purchase, with the plans expected to begin in 2011.

On the back of this news, smart has offered some reasons why companies and motorists may want to consider vehicles from its fleet, with the smart ed currently undergoing tests with business customers around the UK.

These include that the smart ed was the top selling electric car last year and remains at the head of the market thus far in 2009.

Furthermore, the vehicle fails to generate any harmful emissions, while being exempt from both the London congestion charge and Vehicle Excise Duty.

Other benefits of the vehicle are that it retains all of the safety features present on a regular smart and motorists can expect to complete the equivalent of 300 miles per gallon of fuel.

Although, smart ed vehicles are not currently able to be bought at present, the cars will be available to businesses on a leasing strategy.

Discover all the big benefits of the smart at thesmart.co.uk

Mercedes-Benz managed to deliver over 100,000 vehicles to customers worldwide during March, it has been revealed.

Last month some 110,400 vehicles from the fleets of Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart and Maybach were delivered globally, with the Chinese market witnessing noticeable growth.

Some 5,400 vehicles were sold in China, which is a 42.3 per cent increase than those sold during March last year.

Dr Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: "Orders for the E-class sedan in Germany in the first quarter of this year were more than double the number posted in the same period in 2008.

"We had already received about 50,000 orders for the new E-Class sedan by its market launch at the end of March."

Overall for March, Mercedes-Benz shifted 98,500 vehicles, while the smart brand was responsible for a further 11,900 sales.

Jack Rix recently stated when writing for Autocar that the Mercedes-Benz E220 CDI is "smooth at all times" and comes "stuffed with technology".

View the current Mercedes-Benz offers available for your sound investment

Although the smart fortwo may not be every motorist’s cup of tea, it has plenty of appealing features, according to a reviewer.

Writing for motors-merseyside.co.uk, Patrick James states that the smart fortwo pulse cabrio has many positive attributes that may appeal to potential buyers.

These include a lively 1.0-litre petrol engine that develops 71 brake horsepower.

Mr James reveals that this engine is both powerful and clean, while being "as stable as many other small cars" on motorways.

As well as being a lively and economical car, Mr James also highlights that the instrumentation "looks funky", while being well placed and sturdy.

Furthermore, the smart fortwo comes fitted with the likes of electric windows and door mirrors as standard, alongside safety features including assisted anti-skid brakes and front and side airbags.

The smart fortwo cabrio can be bought in colours including white, blue, red and black.

Discover all the big benefits of the smart at thesmart.co.uk