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Daimler to launch Smart car in US in 2008
Wed Jun 28, 2006 4:22 AM ET
FRANKFURT, June 28 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler will launch its two-seat Smart minicar in the United States in 2008, eager to offer Americans a fuel-sipping vehicle at a time of near-record fuel prices, company sources said on Wednesday.
http://www.us.smart.isc4u.net/index.php
60 hp, 3-cylinder, rear-mounted turbo engine
sequential 6-speed transmission
automatic or manual mode selectable
Tank Capacity: 8.7 gallons
50 MPG
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Terry Gilliam already did it in Brazil.
- NF
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Did it have to be so ugly?
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I want a 3-wheeled Morgan...
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Daimler to launch Smart car in US in 2008
What? 2008? There is a dealership in Loveland CO. selling the cars. Not cheap though, priced at around $23k.
Some video of crash testing of the vehicle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s&search=Smart%20car
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there was a test 2006 marketing via Zap cars
this announcement is by Daimler Chrysler
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Did it have to be so ugly?
Nope. It could have been even uglier.
Click here for some more automotive nightmares.
- NF
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The crash test footage reminded me of what I-95 in VA must have looked like the past few days-high speed on wet pavement.
I'm not sure the American public will "get" the smart car. There will be a niche market who will like them, some of whom will be very self righetous about their vehicle choice, but the average buyer probably won't. No room for packages, no room for a car seat for kids. Makes me think if a watertight motorcycle-but not as pretty too look at or as fun to operate!
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Man that bubble car is just FOUL!
Looks vaguely like "The Homer" from the Simpsons episode where Homer bankrupts his brother's car company.
This one, on the other hand, is kind of cute.
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corbin Sparrow:
corbin merlin:
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That Corbin Sparrow looks like something that needs surgery...
BTW, the "bubble car" is, believe it or not, a Messerschmitt.
- NF
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You guys don't have Smart Cars in the US? I thought that they were everywhere...
I dunno, they sort-of serve a purpose, I suppose -- an economic city ride for singletons. OK if you just want to get from A to B within town, but pretty limited elsewhere. A friend's mother and his wife both have one and seem to be happy with them, but they're both rather undemanding customers and their husbands have bigger cars when they need to hit the motorway or haul stuff about. I strongly suspect that a lot of Smart Car drivers have another car like that.
Now this is a bit more like my cup of tea! http://www.uniquemotorcompany.co.uk/qtrunner.php
Fugly, but in a good way...
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A BMW Issetta for me. Or a Citroen CV.
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You guys don't have Smart Cars in the US? I thought that they were everywhere...
I never seen one until I went to Canada last year. Quite a few around Toronto.
Didn't think much of them. Two of the guys in our group would have a problem fitting in one. Didn't seem like they would go too fast, either.
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Among my acquaitances, the Chevy Suburban seems to be the vehicle of choice. I don't think they'll be buying many "Smart Cars."
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60 hp, 3-cylinder, rear-mounted turbo engine
sequential 6-speed transmission
automatic or manual mode selectable
Tank Capacity: 8.7 gallons
50 MPG
To be honest, I'm not sure why these specs are impressive, or even noteworthy. Obviously the intent is a small, fuel efficient vehicle. So what? I could have bought something from GM almost 2 decades ago that was nearly as ugly, almost as impractical, and with the same fuel economy:
1990 Geo Metro
And there are many such econo-boxes that have been made over the past few decades. Heck, you could get a brand new VW Jetta TDI -- a real car -- with that MPG rating. It would be slightly more difficult to drive on the sidewalk, but I would much rather get in an accident driving the vee-dub.
Oh well, I guess we'll let the market decide whether this thing succeeds here.
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You guys don't have Smart Cars in the US? I thought that they were everywhere...
I never seen one until I went to Canada last year. Quite a few around Toronto.
Didn't think much of them. Two of the guys in our group would have a problem fitting in one. Didn't seem like they would go too fast, either.
A friend of mine from Germany visiting told me they will do like 120mph. I'd buy one for my wife just to get to and from work.
Oh, I did see the cars bombed in Germany and Mercedes is pulling them.
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I'd buy one. I drive a 30mpg car to work, and when traveling, I either rent, or drive a 3/4 ton van with a trailer.
I think the things were MADE for people who do the RV thing...
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woot:
http://www.microcarmuseum.com/tour/whattadrag.html
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A friend of mine from Germany visiting told me they will do like 120mph.
Huh, although I guess there isn't much weight there. Don't know that I would drive at 120, whenever I hit that with my Cavalier (which didn't do much worse for mileage, and you could fit four people and luggage comfortably in), it got interesting in regards to vibrations and instability. That thing looks a bit topheavy as it is.
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That car that small should do way better than 50 mpg. There is no weight to it, so put some higher road gears in it or a two speed tranaxle, one for in town and other for highway speeds.
-C
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Wouldn't like to do 120 in one. Someone I know has one, seems ok for pootling about the town. Clutchless gearbox is nice.
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Hmmmm...
They are so proud of their "small but very efficient crumple zones and extremely rigid passenger compartment" but lament that the combination mght "transmit more energy to the occupants during a collision".
Sounds a lot like the robin's egg blue '75 Bel-Air station wagon my parent's had when I was in high school. Didn't we just spend the last 30 years in a govt mandated move away from that?
Gimme an Excursion any day. 4x4. Diesel. Black.
Brad
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Sweet, a shuttle craft for my truck.
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OK, NOW I see... For some reason, the Corbin Sparrow was coming up as a raw link.
The Corbin Merlin is the thing that looks like it needs a proctologist to snip it.
The Sparrow, OTOH, looks like Old Mother Hubbard's ride.
- NF
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One advantage of the Smart car.
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"Sweet, a shuttle craft for my truck."
BBBBBWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!
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Hal, open the pod bay doors
I'm Sorry Mike, I can't do that
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A friend of mine from Germany visiting told me they will do like 120mph.
60 HP and lets say 1500 lbs.
Thats gonna take a lot of gearing... and a runway.
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75mph sounds about right. I can't say I've ever seen one on a motorway here, when 70mph is the speed limit (and 80mph is common practice) you're going to be thrashing that engine a little.
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One advantage of the Smart car.
How much narrower is it than, say, a Neon or other small car?
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It's not much narrower, but there is an awful lot of difference in the length of a smart car and a Neon. The point of that picture is that the Neon or similar would sticking out well into the road.
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i await the smartcars with auto nav
drive up to the freeway,
engage the automerge, and forgetabout traffic delays on the thruways
its really the only way i can see further capacity expansion on the daily commute
Can we merge with this memory byte?
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It's not much narrower, but there is an awful lot of difference in the length of a smart car and a Neon. The point of that picture is that the Neon or similar would sticking out well into the road.
Yeah, but I can see that being a good way to get a ticket or a wrecked car. I know I'd be pissed if I was the driver of one of the vans.
Heck, could 3-4 people tip the sucker up onto it's back?
Hmmm 1600/4=400 pounds each. Engine's mounted in the rear, and probably the heaviest part. Heck, two people might be able to do it.
Put it on it's roof or side, out of my way to move my vehicle.
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Yeah, but I can see that being a good way to get a ticket or a wrecked car. I know I'd be pissed if I was the driver of one of the vans.
Heck, could 3-4 people tip the sucker up onto it's back?
Hmmm 1600/4=400 pounds each. Engine's mounted in the rear, and probably the heaviest part. Heck, two people might be able to do it.
Put it on it's roof or side, out of my way to move my vehicle.
I don't know if they actually give parking tickets in Nice. Considering what I saw, I'm thinking that they don't. I just happened to have my camera on me for that picture but I saw that same thing a few times over that week.
The front of that car was dead even with the left sides of the two on either side. And there's maybe a foot parked on the sidewalk. One advantage for a tiny little car like that. The only advantage, as far as I'm concerned.
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I was passed by a Smart Car yesterday in Northern California, between Corning and Red Bluff. I was going 60mph (+5ing the eighteen wheeler), the Smart Car 70-75. On a flat stretch. CB slang used to call VW Beetles "pregnant roller-skates." I am sure the moniker will be resurrected.
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But Dannyboy, we are talkin' about Smart Cars here in the States, so those advantages might not translate. Especially with our stricter laws on traffic and parking, more open territory, wider streets, and what-not.
pregnant roller-skates
Nice.
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The front of that car was dead even with the left sides of the two on either side. And there's maybe a foot parked on the sidewalk. One advantage for a tiny little car like that. The only advantage, as far as I'm concerned.
That's why I figure that vandalism might also be a problem. If the smartcar guy blocks the wrong guy in, he might find his little auto in a different orientation than what he left it in.
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But Dannyboy, we are talkin' about Smart Cars here in the States, so those advantages might not translate. Especially with our stricter laws on traffic and parking, more open territory, wider streets, and what-not.
Point taken.
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I'd buy one. My commute is nearly 25 miles one way, and never breaks 60mph.
Actually, that's why I've been looking at motorcycles, trikes, Citroen 2CVs, etc. But all the used stuff is beyond my budget (used gets bought cash, newer gets a loan) and motorcycles are going to take training and extra equipment.
I'd love to lay hands on one. Heck, I'd love to lay hands on a geo metro 2 door with stick shift and AC but they're scarce these days...