Originally it was only released for the Roadster Light to save smart money having to fit a soft top folding roof.
However, Roadster owners enjoyed the more solid nature, quieter cabin and more complete apprearance that the hard top gave.
Fitting was very easy as once the soft top roof was fully retracted, both hard top pieces simply clipped in place.
Each side had a built in side strut so the normal roof bars were stored in the front storage compartment.
Small adaptations had to take place for the hard top to be fitted. This included new interior roof trim pieces, catch recesses and water drain collectors and pipes.
When not in use, the hard top could be slotted into a pair of polystyrene carriers and placed into a specially designed roof bag.
The change from the 1 generation gloss roof to the 2nd generation textured roof by smart was because many owners reported scratches in the finish from general use and from storage in the bag. The textured roof had a more robust and mark resistant finish much like the fortwo 450 pure roof.
The roof pieces are a black textured polycarbonate laminate that was very resistant to scratches but could suffer from UV damage leading to delamination and water leaching under the surface.
The popularity of the hard top roof has caused problems though. Initially a hard top and fitting kit could be purchased for about £300 but this escalated.
2nd hand roof panel pairs regularly sell now for £700+ without the fitting kit (which is necessary but now no longer available).
The high price and lack of lock means that these are quite often stolen from cars.
