Smart Forrail is the Strangest Viral Marketing Campaign Ever
Smart might have gone off the rails.
In the very competitive automotive world, creating buzz and getting attention isn’t easy — there is a sea of cars out there and clever marketing campaigns coming out every day. But the latest creation from Smart might be one of the weirdest yet, as the automaker has taken one of its compact Forfour models and turned it into a train… sort of. Called the Smart Forrail, Smart UK appears to want to prove that its models handle like they’re on rails, but we’re not entirely sure this campaign proves that point.
Sporting 22-inch solid steel wheels, the Forrail forgoes traditional tires and instead has been built to “drive” on standard-gauge railroad tracks. The company put it on a privately owned railway in the U.K. where it was able to move on its own power. The automaker shared that the one-off creation was built by Interfleet, a train constructor in Derby, England, and took a journey on Bluebell Railway in Sussex.
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Along with the custom steel wheels, Interfleet modified the Forrail to have its steering gear disconnected and had extra supports welded in order to lock the front wheels in position.
Again, we’re not entirely sure what the purpose of creating the Smart Forrail was for, but the company claims that it’s “arguably the most efficient, and fun, commuting machine in the world.”
Maybe there’s a reason why Smart has managed to sell only 2,850 vehicles in the U.S. during the first five months of 2015.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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