http://www.smartusa.com/


I get to thinking the 'new' mini might have been something like the new Smart FourTwo had the re-designers stuck to the original Mini's dimensions and spec's. Thoughts? What was the official word for making the new MINI's bigger? Safety reasons? If that was the case, how did the new Smart car get away with its smaller size?

 

I drove a Smart when they brought them to Annapolis last summer. I can't say I was impressed. The transmission was wonky (automatic with a "manual" mode), the handling sucked ( no power steering on the car I drove), and the interior was cheap looking...all plastic bits.
Granted, I drove a European model as they didn't have the models for the US market available yet. I had high hopes which were dashed completely. I even asked for my $99 deposit back, which I have yet to receive.
The Smart will in no way compete with the MINI...not even close.

 

Nah, the Mini is all about being a 4 seater so I seriously doubt it would look like the Smart in any iteration.

the body redesign on the new-new Mini was driven by the increased pedestrian safety regs in Europe. They wanted more "crushable" distance between the front bumper and hood to the engine. Since the Smart's engine is in the back , I guess they can get away with it. Still doesn't mean I'd want to get hit by a Smart though!

 

The Smart doesn't have a back seat.

 

Also the smart is rear-engine and rear-wheel-drive. Hardly the original Mini spec.

 

I drove a Smart around Harvard Sq in Cambridge Mass a few months ago...not impressed...the thing that impresed me least was what I thought was going to impress me the most, that is, the gas mileage...it only is rated at 44 mpg on the highway, and it is only a 2 seater and not a 'real' car like a MINI as the Smart is underpowered...the only thing going for it that I can see is that you can find a parking place for it in a crowded city but I would not want to drive it merging onto a highway or travel with it at highway speed....for four mile per gallon less, you can get a MINI which seats 4 and is a car not a lawnmower with a cabin on top.....just my opinion

 

But, the ForFour is just that, for four passengers. Is that being offered in the USA, or is Smart just sticking with the FourTwo?

Here's a fun string for Google or Flickr: "smart car tipping".

 

The ForFour is coming just a little later this year.

 

the original poster is talking about the Smart 'for-Two' ( not Four-two) ......I was told by the Smart people at this promotion I test drove one at that the for-Four will not be coming to the US for some reason....but if the teensy for-Two only gets 44mpg, I wonder what the for-Four will muster?

 

Nope, the smart forfour is not coming to the US, and is in fact no longer produced for any market. And I agree, the car (fortwo) is not a MINI competitor by any means.

 

I think the original Mini designers did a great job of modernizing a classic design. The Smart is not a hybrid of a Mini... if all you're thinking of is the size, then you're missing the point of the super-mini.

 

I test drove one in London several years ago. It's a neat car and much more roomy than it looks. It's also funky. I liked it. That's the good news. The bad news is that there's little performance. After the novelty wore off it'd be time to buy something really fun and quick -- like a Mini!!

 

I don't have the link anymore.

But it was a billboard advertisement of the smart car
in or around johannesburg (not sure of spelling).

<picture of smart car>
swiss: design
german: engineering
american: nothing

(or something close to that)

Although I just thought of something funny.
maybe the billboards for them here will be
ditto
ditto
mexican:nothing

(not making a crack on latino people mind you, its a
crack on how these nafta made parts i've used on
other cars are absolute junk)

 

Actually, you are right!!! BMWs MINI got the nod, but the Spritual was a version Rover had earlier proposed.


Looks familiar??

 

Good call on the old Rover concept from the 1990's. BMW took the car in a different direction. focusing more on the Cooper part of the history as opposed the Mini part. They went and made a small boutique hatch, placing design in front of function. I think you could say it was right decision, they have sold more than a million MINIs, while the Mercedes backed Smart has struggled, as did Mercedes' own A-class.

 

+1 on that. When I saw the first concept BMW Mini in a magazine in 1998 I had to have it. After test driving it when it came out the deal was sealed. Had they gone with something that drove like the smart, well, just not for me. An you are correct, smart as a brand has yet to get out of the red financially, which is one reason they discontinued the four seater and the roadster.

The smart is an ok car as a commuter for a college kid, urban type, or as a second or third "grocery getter" type car, say if you have a nice car that you don't need/want to drive all the time. For most of the USA, aside from the niche and the initial buzz, I still wonder if it will catch on.

 

We rented a Forfour Passion in Italy - it was a front driver with I belive a 1.1 liter engine - nothing snappy. It drove like a US Ford Focus - not even close to the MINI. Snappy looker though.

 

It is interesting that of all the small-ish, fuel efficient offerings out there, no one except MINI has actually dialed-in a car with such superb driving dynamics. Do they think it's just about cute or something??? I think only MINI owners fully appreciate the real secret of MINI success...it's fun and it's good...(and efficient, and practical, and safe). So one car can do it all??? Sure...why should we not expect this!! Any would-be MINI competitors better take note.

I think MINI would have lost the script, too, it it weren't for the indelible mark left by the classic. Thank you Sir Alec!!! I know we're several variants and a whole new generation into the New MINI story, but all the cars still retain those very unique quality that could only be called MINI-esque. Even the new Clubman with it's added length is still all MINI!! It's just something special.

 

I don't know ... I liked the idea of the Smart car when I heard about it. A 2-seat commuter that just gets you there is a nice idea in this time of rising fuel costs and environmental awareness and all that. But in practice, the car just doesn't do it for me. My wife says it looks like a shopping cart. I say that, where the Mini is functional-cute, the Smart is laughable-cute. I'd love to see it be successful, but I think MB missed the mark on it, where BMW nailed it.

 

heh heh, smart car tipping

 

HAHAHAHAHA Do videos!

Group Flip

Flipped while driving

 

Wait until they bring the Smart Roadster to the states.

http://www.thecarconnection.com/Enth...178.A2077.html

 

It's discontinued worldwide...sorry to be the bubble burster.

 

Personally I think one main reason for making the Mini larger then the original (and now even bigger yet with the R56 and Clubman) has to do with sales and market segment - there is simply a bigger market for a bigger car. I think it has to do with utility as well as perceived safety, clearly most people here are of the bigger is better mindset - and, of course, there is just a limited market for 2 seaters (although the back sat of the Mini is not exactly usable for many people). If the car was only to be sold in Europe perhaps the dimensions would have been different, but BMW wanted to go for as large a market as possible so they seemed to find an acceptable small enough to set it apart and be 'mini' too size.

As for the Smart I just went on a test drive of the new US car a couple of weeks ago and it was a blast Really good connected feedback steering (tried the power steering), fun to drive with that go-kart feel the road short wheelbase can fit anywhere feeling (doesn't hurt that it turns like a top with the rear wheel drive, tiny size and tiny turning radius). I whipped it around some corners and a roundabout and it stuck good, the tallness didn't upset it (perhaps the lightness of the roof helps). The transmission takes a bit of learning to optimize it, like a manual you need to lift or just pause on the gas when changing gears for it to be smooth, a little driving in manual mode with the paddles and you simply adapt and its fine. I didn't try the Euro road show cars and understand the transmission was different, but I didn't find that this one was a problem, was kinda SMG like in that it acts like a manual sans pedal (which is what it is) not an auto - okay no rev matching but you know what I mean

The Smart is in no way a drag racer, the delay from a complete stop is definitely there and will take adapting to (until perhaps some software changes ) but once its going that little bugger is really quite perky around town, and the actually pretty generous hatch space with the nice feature of the rear window popping up independently is very handy. And the parking utility is truly unmatched by anything but motorcycles - very cool and grin inducing for sure

PS: Also fun and practical, having light plastic body panels that are colored all the way through/won't ding and can be swapped out for another color, genius.

 

Pulled next to one a couple weeks ago in a parking lot here in Raleigh. A Bright Yellow fourtwo. Spoke to the owner after she came out of the store ... said she was getting 35 MPG in town ... 40 on the highway ...