You know a chef truly believes in their menu when you spot them eating at their own restaurant on a day off. It’s the ultimate, unspoken endorsement. In the automotive world, the equivalent is when the person who penned a car’s design parks one in their own driveway, and that’s exactly what’s just happened over at smart.
Kai Sieber, the Head of smart Design for Mercedes-Benz, has officially joined the customer list by taking the keys to a brand-new smart #5 as his personal daily driver. This isn’t just a PR stunt; it’s the lead designer choosing to “live the smart design philosophy in his driving life” every single day. He’s not just talking the talk; he’s driving the very stylish, all-electric walk.
And what a walk it is. Forget the tiny, two-seater smarts of old that looked like they’d lose a fight with a shopping trolley. The #5 is the brand’s first foray into the hotly contested mid-sized SUV segment, billed as an “active lifestyle 4×4 SUV”. It seems the brand, now a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Geely, has well and truly grown up.
Apparently, it’s not just the head designer who’s a fan of his own work. The smart #5 recently joined its smaller siblings, the #1 and #3, in scooping up a coveted Red Dot Design Award. That’s a hat-trick of design gongs for the new family, with the #1 and #3 winning in 2023 and 2024, respectively. Getting one is a big deal; getting them for your entire lineup is basically a mic drop.
When asked about his new ride, Sieber was beaming. “I’m very happy with my new smart #5, it’s a super practical and spacious all-electric car in everyday life,” he said. “And I love being surrounded by the great work of my team… seeing the design being honoured with a Red Dot Award makes me very proud”. You can’t fake that kind of pride.
While Sieber cruises the streets of Europe in his #5, those of us down under have already had a taste of this smart revolution. The #1 and #3 models landed in Australia in late 2024, offering a triple-threat of specifications for each. Most excitingly, this includes the properly spicy BRABUS versions, which get styling from Mercedes-Benz and a serious performance kick from the famed German tuning house. They are being sold exclusively through LSH Auto’s smart Experience Centres within their Mercedes-Benz outlets in major Aussie cities.
So, the ultimate seal of approval has been stamped. The artist is now living with his art. With the smaller models already on our side of the planet and the boss himself proving the #5 is a brilliant daily, one has to assume it’s only a matter of time before the big, adventurous sibling joins the party here. We’ll be waiting.
