They think that they are making a difference…and thats just precious.

It was fun to drive though.

I currently drive a 14 year old Geo Metro. The Smart ForTwo seems like a great replacement vehicle when it’s time to retire my Metro. I can’t remember the last time that I had 2 passengers in my car so I don’t think I’ll miss the back seat. The Smart car will certainly be a safer vehicle to drive.

When they were first introduced in Canada I was living happily carless in Toronto, and thought about getting one, for about 5 seconds. People living in an urban area well-served by transit only need a car for those occasions when cargo or passenger capacity is needed or for driving trips out of town. In both of those cases the Smart is hopelessly inadequate, whatever its green credentials are.
Basically, the people buying these: a)think they’re too good for public transportation, b)probably already have at least one other car, and c) would be better off with a Civic.
Dumb idea.

Concept cars fit nicely into this. Every year our dream vehicles are dangled in front of the starving public, only to be actually served the same old mundane hash. They’re just airbrushed foldout pinups we can’t have.

There are any number of tarty looking things available for Europeans and Far-Easterners to drive, but due to(…insert political stuff here: import/export rules, tariffs, environmental hoohaa and the list goes on…), we in this country can’t get our hands on them.

So when someone actually dangles something that we CAN have, even if it’s just “a cocktail waitress in a Dolly Parton wig”, it shold be no surprise to anyone in this country that people are lining up for a peek at the new kid in town. I’d be wild if I could import from the streets of London, Paris, Frankfurt, even Tokyo or Seoul. AND keep price in line.

The point is, Europe and the Far East have more choice in safe, fuel -efficient, economical and attractive autos than we do over here. A short stroll thru Westminister or along Grenelle or the Champs Du Mars is all it takes to see that. Can’t remember the last time I saw a Trident on a hood or fender in this country. We can only get what the Good Fathers in Washington say we can have. Oh, I know, it’s because that’s just what the PEOPLE want!

That’s my two cents on all the buzz over here about the Fortwo. Most of us are sick of 40 year-old Mustangs, T-Birds, Monte Carlos, Caddys, Malibus, Firebirds, Camaros etcetcetc ad naseum with facelifts and tummy tucks that are hyped as new and exciting. No wonder something cute, young and attractive in a garish, Jennifer Garner sort of way makes us want to go out with her, at least past the first date…

They boast about the Tridion steel frame that suppose to withstand a lot fo impact and would endangered the passengers.

If u look at the sticker price u know u cant afford it, for such a small car being pound for pound.

The ones sold in Canucks land were all Diesel engines, 3 cyl. should get high 60 MPG.
or even more.

Regardless I think I would feel a little bit more comfort with about a foot more car extending both front and back.

Here’s that link I mentioned:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gpo8MsTezWE

While I’m no potential customer for a Smart, I do want to emphasize that we need to drop any and all arguments about crash survivability. Far too simplistic and “gut-driven” to say so, if you take a moment to see the videos and test results of crash-tests.

Amongst many other things, I saw one particular offset-frontal crash test of a Smart with an E-Class, and it is quite impressive. That is one solid shell around the passengers… seems like it’s made from the same material they wrap airplanes’ “black box” in.

I’ll go try and find that link to share it…

Point being, make your arguments for-and-against, but the crashworthiness is not one and needs to be dropped.

A few more things:
The smart is far cheaper than the mini….
The wheels on the smart are 15″ alloys….
You cannont drive a vespa year round…..
Busses and cabs are not viable alternatives to the freedom of a car as many places are not accessable by public transportation not to mention the fact not everyone enjoys busy overcrowded public transportation systems. Some feel un-safe these days taking busses, trains etc.

Also to compare an impact on a vespa to that of a smart car is rediculous altogether.

Sure, the Smart is cheaper, but it’s not *that* much more efficient than Prii, and neither is it *that* much easier to fit into a small parking space than Minii. It’s at a huge disadvantage in passenger capacity, cargo space, and survivability. If *all* that matters is economy and easy parking, ’smart’ money would skip the Smart and buy a Vespa. They’re cheaper, more efficient, only a little less survivable in a collision, and they’re even available with sidecars.

Think the Smart’s got cutes? Nothing on wheels is cuter than a Vespa with a sidecar, unless it’s a Vespa with beagle puppies in the sidecar.

1. The road conditions here will make this short wheelbase car bunch and jump around all over the road. The potholes in NYC will jar the shit out of this little thing. With its tiny wheels and limited suspension certain streets and roads will be downright dangerous. Repairs will be a common occurance for any owner in NYC.

2. Parking, OK, if a 3 door Yaris can’t fit in a parking spot in NYC, IT IS NOT A PARKING SPACE! I guess most of the folks here that are talking about how well the Smart will work in a large urban US city do not live in one.
I have traveled to Europe and Japan and the road, streets, and highways in major US cities are very different!

3. Even if you live in the city center what good is a car that has little to no cargo space? Who the hell needs a non-sportscar car with very limited usefulness? We may be city folks but we actually do more than just transport ourselves and a guest from point a to point b. When us city folks buy cars we do so for practical reasons, like moving things, and shopping. You can’t even pick a friend up from the airport with a decent amount of luggage in a Smart. Plus a two seat car (with no cargo room) is actually a bigger waste of space than any sized four seater you can think of. IF you only need to move your own ass, take a cab, the bus, or subway it is cheaper and more enviornmentally friendly than a Smart.

My folks live in a Golf community in Hilton Head SC with some tiny roads and trails. The smart is not the best choise in this enviornment either, Their golf cart charges in the garage! The Golf cart can seat four, it has a covered roof and it emit NO pollution.In this setting the fact that a Smart is a “real” car becomes the problem, the engine is noisey, it is actually too fast for these pedestrian crowded roads.

The Smart is meant for the same type of people that think Segways are useful.