Smart to Release Pickup

[Ben]

Apparently, according to the story, the Smart pickup will be introduced for those who don't think the Smart car is manly enough and who want something more utilitarian. What will the Smart pickup do? It will carry two Smart bicycles in the back.

Call me when it can haul a yard of gravel.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/smart-to-unveil-tiny-for-us-electric-pickup-at-north-american-in/

[bedlamite]

I'd still like to see a Ranger/S-10 size pickup with a 2.x liter turbodiesel around 150hp and 250ft-lbs. Something like that might even get close to 30mpg.

[wmenorr67]

No thank you.  Might as well buy an old CJ-8 or Suburu Brat.

[HankB]

Wonder if the pickup will go airborne and spin wildly in a collision the way the little clown car did in the insurance institute's tests . . .

[Harold Tuttle]

that could be a fun weekend escape vehicle, or a way to commute to within a cities bicycle range and then park for free on the edge

[zxcvbob]

I want a full-sized half ton pickup with a supercharged 3 liter diesel engine.  I don't think a normally-aspirated 3.5 to 3.8 liter would be strong enough, but I could be mistaken.  It needs to be able to haul a yard of gravel or load of firewood, or pull a small boat or trailer, or cruise 75 mph down the highway.  Doesn't need to be able to do all those things at the same time.

[41magsnub]

That vehicle in no way meets any definition of pickup truck I have ever come across.  It doesn't even have a bed right? Just the back in contoured with a super proprietary bike rack?

Following that, wouldn't it be more in the same market space as say a Geo Tracker (but less versatile) rather than any sort of vehicle with a pickup bed?

[SADShooter]

Looks like a clown car giving birth to its love children sired by the clown's unicycle.

[dogmush]

I'd still like to see a Ranger/S-10 size pickup with a 2.x liter turbodiesel around 150hp and 250ft-lbs. Something like that might even get close to 30mpg.

Here you go  252ft/lbs and 38mpg. Not turbo'd though. Sadly getting one into this country could prove expensive.  Thank the EPA for the inability to get good small diesels here.

I've heard rumors that the F150 might get a small eco-boost diesel in the next couple years.  That'd be awesome.

[MillCreek]

So you can't even get a normal bicycle into it. The back is built only for the Smart bicycles. FAIL, if you wanted to attract the bicycling community.

[lee n. field]

Apparently, according to the story, the Smart pickup will be introduced for those who don't think the Smart car is manly enough and who want something more utilitarian. What will the Smart pickup do? It will carry two Smart bicycles in the back.

Call me when it can haul a yard of gravel.

http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/09/smart-to-unveil-tiny-for-us-electric-pickup-at-north-american-in/

A growed up 4 wheeler.

[roo_ster]

Here you go  252ft/lbs and 38mpg. Not turbo'd though. Sadly getting one into this country could prove expensive.  Thank the EPA for the inability to get good small diesels here.

I've heard rumors that the F150 might get a small eco-boost diesel in the next couple years.  That'd be awesome.

I want me a nice 1/2 ton turbo diesel.

A few years back, both GM & Ford were looking at such, but they decided on diesels that were too large, in the 4.5L range.  3.0-3.5L is the sweet spot.

[Tallpine]

I want me a nice 1/2 ton turbo diesel.

A few years back, both GM & Ford were looking at such, but they decided on diesels that were too large, in the 4.5L range.  3.0-3.5L is the sweet spot.

That's just it - I may pull heavy trailers from time to time, but I don't need to go up hills at 70 mph.

That's what passing lanes are for 

[brimic]

And THAT is why the people who inhabit Germany will always be inferior to us- they cannot understand the whole concept of a 'pickup truck.'

[Boomhauer]

That's gheyer than two boys *expletive deleted*ing.

I'd still like to see a Ranger/S-10 size pickup with a 2.x liter turbodiesel around 150hp and 250ft-lbs. Something like that might even get close to 30mpg.

It makes so much sense, would be quite efficient, and would be actually useful...so the EPA says "*expletive deleted*ck you, you can't have it!"...which is why we don't get the high MPG diesels that the Europeans have.

[Tallpine]

That's gheyer than two boys *expletive deleted*ing.

It makes so much sense, would be quite efficient, and would be actually useful...so the EPA says "*expletive deleted* you, you can't have it!"...which is why we don't get the high MPG diesels that the Europeans have.

The EPA doesn't want us to have high mpg vehicles.  The EPA wants us to walk 

[MicroBalrog]

Wonder if the pickup will go airborne and spin wildly in a collision the way the little clown car did in the insurance institute's tests . . .

Are there youtube videos of this?

[zxcvbob]

That's gheyer than two boys *expletive deleted*ing.

It makes so much sense, would be quite efficient, and would be actually useful...so the EPA says "*expletive deleted* you, you can't have it!"...which is why we don't get the high MPG diesels that the Europeans have.

Ron Paul would dismantle the EPA.   

[AZRedhawk44]

[bedlamite]

Here you go  252ft/lbs and 38mpg. Not turbo'd though. Sadly getting one into this country could prove expensive.  Thank the EPA for the inability to get good small diesels here.

I've heard rumors that the F150 might get a small eco-boost diesel in the next couple years.  That'd be awesome.

Mahindra almost brought one over, and I've heard those same rumors about the F-150 for about 5 years now since they first announced plans for the 2009 model year. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Tallpine]

I had some friends that took old 20/30's vintage cars, cut off the tops and shortened the bodies and frames so the rear wheels were right behind the front and only seat.  They called them "whoopee wagons" and I think this is what they drove around the mountains before jeeps became more commonly available.

Sadly, I missed out on all that fun and those chopped cars were rusting relics by my time with them.

The Dumb Car could have been a really fun toy  

[bedlamite]

Cut the pan and remove the doors from a VW cabrio and you can sit in the back seat and drive:

[wmenorr67]

I like that.  Gives me ideas for a project when I get home.

[lee n. field]

Cut the pan and remove the doors from a VW cabrio and you can sit in the back seat and drive:

Is that real?  It's kind of cute.

But, I think a 2cv would be a fun car to fart around with, too.

[Hawkmoon]

I don't know whether to yawn or barf.