Apparently SMART is coming to America in 2005. The cars are suppose to have a base price of $13.5k. Kind of a nice small city car alternative.

 

Not for me, but I’m sure they’ll find a market here in the US.

 

I hope so. It would be nice to see the market for smaller cars develop. :smile:

 

Any more info on the specs? Size, powerplant, etc.?

 

:smile: :smile: I think it's cute! And I, too, like the idea of more smaller cars finding acceptance here in North America! More short cars = shorter lines of traffic!

Cheers!
Clover

 

I believe the SMART cars to date have had a 3 cylinder engine with two different capacities being offered (.6L or .7L) with 60 hp to 80 hp. I'm not sure what the specs are for the model pictured above (which is the one coming to the U.S. from what I've seen).

 

I'm familiar with the Smart car from my time living in Europe. IMO it won't do well here. For a number of reasons:
1) It's really a city car, much too small for American tastes and needs.
2) It's underpowered by almost anyone's standard for a modern car.
3) It's already a six year old design (or older).
4) Mercedes doesn't have a dealer network ready to market the Smart. (In Europe many are sold in a "gumball dispenser" type showroom.) Dodge/Chrysler dealers might even try to give Smarts away as "motorized spare tires" on Hemi Ram purchases.

I think Mercedes sees $$$ due to BMW's success with the MC and MCS, and just wants to capitalize on this niche market.

 

You do know they have a V6 two seated.

Motor on

 

1.4L DOHC V6 with twin turbos
Sequential 6 speed
167bhp @5500 /162 ft lbs @2250 (wow)
140mph top speed
0-60 in 5.7s

 

Ah, that's the SMART I was thinking of, the one I saw in Road & Track a few months back. Seems like a poor man's Lotus Elise to me.

 

I like both cars and hope they do well, too. My old Metro had a 3cyl. engine and it was peppy enough for me. However, if Smart is coming here, they'd be wise think through a US package similar to what MINI did with the MINI One vs the Cooper.

 

You know what would make these successful in America?

If gas was about 5 bucks a gallon like it is in Europe

 

jds beat me to mentioning that Mini knew to market a larger engine in the U.S. by not selling the Mini One here. So, I will add my ditto that I think they'd not go with their smaller engines.

I will take the bold stand of saying I think it would be worth it to pay European prices here at least for auto fuel. It would force us to drive more sensible vehicles and technology can sure allow that. We'd see lots more small cars like the Mini and that would be, IMHO, good for us and the world.

I like both these Smarts posted. Maybe we need more Smarts. I could always use more.

 

Actually, I was excited to hear that Smart was bringing their cars to the States. So after waiting with baited breath whether it would be the city car or the new roadster (the perfect stable mate for my Cooper), imagine my surprise when I learned they are actually going to base it on something called the Fourfour (a "large" 4-door smart). Unfortunately, they're going to make it even bigger like a kind of mini SUV. Just what we need. At least the Lotus Elise is on the way! :smile:

 

Gee and I like the thought of a small car that didn't have a lot of power as a first car for my son when he's old enough to drive (in 16 years that is!).

I'm a strong believer that a kids first car should be a small underpowered thing. Speed kills when you're a teenager.

If the Geo Metro was still on the market I'd say that there would be a niche for the smaller Smart's. However I'm not so sure. Anybody know what did the Metro in, the ugly bubbly redesign of '95 or something else?

 

>>
>>
>>
>>
>>1.4L DOHC V6 with twin turbos
>>Sequential 6 speed
>>167bhp @5500 /162 ft lbs @2250 (wow)
>>140mph top speed
>>0-60 in 5.7s

That may be true, but with European specs and US laws – set by Detroit, do you think this car will be here with this design – I think not. Not on these roads. It’s too sporty and to cheap, with to much gas mileage.

And by the way as a photographer you should know that panning always makes the car look so fast and sporty in the shots. Find some stills and I’m sure it’s not going to look as appealing. I’ve seen them and I still don’t like it.

 

yesterday i happened to be driving past Mercedes USA in montvale, nj. I thought i saw a smart car in the parking lot so i decided to pull in. Low and behold there were a number of smart city coupes in the lot and one red smart roadster sitting in the parking lot:


i wish i had a camera with me.

If they want to start selling smart cars in the US, this should be the one, we don't need another SUV varient we have enough of them already.

 

hah. Small, yes. But thats not even the 2-door model. That one above is the Smart ForFour that is not as of yet being sold (as far as know, here in Paris). The SUPER-small 2-door is not even legal on high speed autoroutes, but it is popular in the cities as a runaround car.

The Fourdoor model should be and improvement in power, and probably safety as well, seeing as they are bringing it to the US market. I know that the Roadster model is well respected as a less expensive, fun two seater with enough power and decent handling.

As for US distribiton, I doubt that Mercedes showrooms are going to be selling these. I think that a small corner in chrysler showrooms is in order for this...

Patrick

 

>>And by the way as a photographer you should know that panning always makes the car look so fast and sporty in the shots.

And that's also a "Photoshop" pan.

Look at the specular hilights and the reflections in the front, and
you can see the car was sitting still when it was photographed. :smile:

 

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You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer. - Frank Zappa

 

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clover@northamericanmotoring.com | "Wicked Wanda" '03 All Jet Black MCS!!!

 

I dunno...I like it. Maybe I'll go to hell with DiD for saying that.....

 

[quote]Originally posted by kgdblu:
I dunno...I like it. Maybe I'll go to hell with DiD for saying that.....

 

Thanks DiD...do you prefer the window or aisle seat?

 

I hope the SMART cars do well as I saw them all over Europe this summer. Sure they are mostly urban cars but very practical and lower cost- great for short commutes and tight city stuff. Think of them as enclosed motorcyles with a few extra wheels. Usually great gas mileage for those days when fuel prices make you stagger.

By the way if you wondered how they manage in Europe with gas prices of $5 per gallon? They simply drive cars that get 45+ mpg and if you do the math you see that while they may pay 2x times more for the fuel they get 2x better fuel economy so it's not as bad as it sounds.