Smart Car is coming

[TedTheLed]

..alright first it's the turtles now it's the hamsters you got a problem with???

I can't view this with my computer i hope it's fun:

http://www.videovat.com/videos/2322/thats-one-fast-hamster.aspx

..and another thing, if it were really a Smart Car it would've been here 15 years ago..!

 

[gadget_lover]

As mentioned in another thread, the US version will have a longer wheelbase and a larger engine. It's mileage will be much less than 50 MPG.

I'd probably not buy one, but not for the reasons in the poll. I get a cleaner engine with better mileage in a Prius, and I sacrifice nothing.

Daniel

 

[Coop]

Those things are pretty common around here. I love small cars, but the smart, no thanks.... I wouldn't even want to be seen in one of those with a paper bag over my head.

I think safety will be an issue too in the US. While it may be equipped with loads of safety features, it wouldn't stand a chance in a collision with any american pickup, suv (or most other vehicles for that matter).

funny fact about the smart: a dutch radio dj once issued a cash reward for the first person to push a smart into a canal...

 

[Fallingwater]

As mentioned in another thread, the US version will have a longer wheelbase and a larger engine.

Sounds like the Smart Forfour. If that's the car you're talking about, it's really nothing out of the ordinary... just a bog standard small car.

 

[AndyTiedye]

funny fact about the smart: a dutch radio dj once issued a cash reward for the first person to push a smart into a canal...

So are your canals full of Smart Cars now?

 

[bridgman]

Up here in Canada you see a lot of these around. They're kind of distracting on the highway; first thought is that something fell off a truck.

There are also a surprising number of hotwired smart cars, some running over 200 HP. I was doing perhaps 85 MPH uphill heading from Bowmanville towards Toronto and one of them blew past me like I was standing still. It was really wierd

http://digg.com/videos/sports/Smart_car_with_Hayabusa_engine

 

[Empath]

Sounds like the Smart Forfour.

It's looking more like a Chevy Metro or Suzuki Swift.

 

[magic79]

It's looking more like a Chevy Metro or Suzuki Swift.

Wow. Those things are notorious for not holding up for more than 40-50,000 miles. I rented a Metro once with about 44,000 miles and it was so worn out I drove around the block and immediately returned it because it was unsafe.

I have my doubts about the safety. The British link earlier was purely anecdotal with no sensors or dummies. You could readily see the passenger compartment being impinged and the driver's legs would be crushed. I also had to wonder when the narrator commented about hitting a car weighing "even twice as much" since it seems like the majority of American cars weigh many times that. Not to mention hitting a delivery truck or semitractor...

 

[AlexGT]

I wouldn't want to get hit by a hummer or another big truck/car while driving that thing

So small!

AlexGT

 

[Glen C]

Sounds like the Smart Forfour. If that's the car you're talking about, it's really nothing out of the ordinary... just a bog standard small car.

Tha Smart Forfour is a sister car of a Mistubishi model, I think it is the Colt here. They look different, but the same under the skin.

 

[357]

Probly not. I can't take the poor ride quality, whiney lawn mower sounding engine, and low power of puddle jumpers.

Gas would have to be closer to $10/gallon before I'd considers the puddle jumper class of vehicle.

 

[MacTech]

Heh, if the (lack of) handling of the Smart is as bad as it seems in that linked video on the previous page, i may have to reconsider the Smart, i want my cars to handle well and be able to negotiate the twisties easily

the vid of the Habayusa engined Smart was just sick though, imagine the power-to-weight ratio on that little monster

as far as the Smart goes, i've always considered it essentially an enclosed, street-legal "Quadrunner", drive it like a motorcycle, and assume you're invisible.....

 

[Schnotts]

Nothing can touch the those little smart cars for fuel mileage. They are rated at about 72 miles/gal (Canadian gallons) but a guy I know who has one can get up to 90 miles/gal on the highway. The Yaris is rated at about 50 miles/gal on the highway. I get no more than 44-46 miles/gal on the highway with my Toyota Matrix. The only problem with those little things is there is only two seats.

 

[tradderran]

Will I buy a smart. When Pigs Fly.

 

[qip]

what they need to improve more on is a finding a way to get a big gastank in these great mpg vehicles , i hate when you see a car or suv that gets great mpg but because of the size of the tank you end up with a range of 200-300 miles ...for instance the rav4 gets 23city but has a 14 or 15 gallon tank , my truck similiar size has a 20 gallon tank but gets 16city, you take my tank and that rav4 engine you get over 400 miles city & over 500+highway

 

[greenstuffs]

I would drive this in Europe and only in cities this thing must be a crap to take long trips with. Giving 2nd thoughts thats like Barbie and Ken's HOW COOL may be for a 16 yr old but not for me.

 

[Sable]

I would absolutely buy a Smart Fortwo. I think they look neat, and the one I drove over in Merry Olde England wasn't exactly exciting, but perfectly adequate. They were apparently quite popular in London? I saw a lot of them, at least.

Like several others have said, I don't know that it could be a primary car - there's not a whole lot room inside, which could make getting the groceries a bit of a trick. For a short or medium commute, or city driving, I don't see why not.

Buying a new car is always a basically terrible investment - you can always get used cars at a substantial discount. I find the Smart cars to be rather charming, though, and would be perfectly willing to pay the "New Car Tax" for one, were I in the market for a car.

That said, me and mine are happy with the size and power (If not the efficiency) of our Mazda 3 and Chrysler 300.

 

[ikendu]

Some of you foks really owe it to yourself to actually drive a VW Golf or Jetta diesel.

There's so much opinion here about "puddle jumpers" and poor handling and low power.

I haven't driven a Smart so I can't really comment on that specific model. I have been driving a Golf for 4 years ...they are great cars with great mpg (44 mpg on biodiesel), great pulling power and great range. My Golf will go 650 miles between fillups. I can drive all the way from my home in Iowa to Chicago and back (about 10 hours round trip) without ever stopping for car fuel (body fuel and body stops are another matter).

...and, the Golf can do all of that while operating on fuel grown and processed in the good 'ole U S of A. No support for terrorism, no support for nuclear proliferation and all of the money stays here at home and builds the U.S. economy.

Renewable energy is homeland security. If you care about your country, you have to care about where we get our energy.

 

[TedTheLed]

I used to have a Rabbit, kinda like a Golf I think, used gas though and got only 30 mpg..very much fun to drive..
How did you get your biodiesel Golf? Did you buy it that way, or have a retrofit done? Where do you get fuel? Have you ever really drained a restuarant fryer and put it in your car??

 

[Gunner12]

I think the only reason people in the US won't buy the smart is because of it's small size. Somehow they think bigger = Safer. It's the design of the car that mostly determines how safe a car is. But because everything in the US is getting bigger (have you noticed that every new generation of cars is a few inches larger the the last). Every car manufuacturer in the us is trying to be the "safest" by being the biggest. The Smart has a full metal roll cage to protect the passengers. Here is a video showing it in action(extreme testing).

I think using 4000+ pounds of metal to transport a 100-200 pound human to and from work is a bit wasteful unless needed. The Smart is meant to be a city/commute car with a few long trips thrown in. The Smart is selling well in Europe because people have don't need bigger cars, and gas is much more expensive there.

I don't hate SUVs or Trucks, but I think there are just too many of them then needed. From what I've seen around where I live, many people don't need to carry heavy loads for work or for pleasure.

I read this interesting artical about the Smart car on Popular Science, two people drove the car over 1500 miles in the US in one week. Total gas price was $ 80.92 and total gallons of gas was 40.42 gallons with a lead foot driver.

Quote:I wouldn't want to get hit by a Hummer or another big truck/car while driving that thing

That's the reason why it won't sell well, most americans have the idea that larger + heavier = safer (that is probably the reason they are making the Smart larger and more gas guzzling for the US market). Yes it might be true, but you pay in gas prices , and a well designed car can just as tough and light at the same time.

The Smart should be between $15000 and $11000