Bigger, quicker After a long waiting period, the highly anticipated next-generation smart fortwo will arrive in showrooms at the end of the month. Order sheets are already full and its general acceptance among consumers keeps spreading. Why? Simply because the fortwo is an excellent urban car. For 2008, the all-new model will satisfy city dwellers and shoppers, everyday commuters, out-of-towners and even country drivers who just need a little runabout. This German import can serve as your first, second or even third car. Subtly brilliant and efficient, it's actually the only "smart" two-seater on the market (pun intended). Full Article
Thanks for the link! I'm a bit disappointed by the mileage. The official numbers quoted in the article are: 40/44/49 mpg. I was hoping for more like 50 mpg combined. As you can see the official quoted combined mileage is less than I get with my TDI wagon. I guess I'll have to see what else is available in 1-2 years when I'm ready to replace my TDI. I'm quite interested in the Honda CR-Z concept. Of course I may just have to break down and convert a car to an EV.
The only questions I have are - Where's my local Smart dealer? - Where can I and my wife test drive one? - When will they be available in Chicagoland? Follow-up question: When will Mercedes bring the A-series to the U.S?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Nov 21 2007, 10:56 AM) [snapback]542532[/snapback]</div> Yeah it's quite a bit less than our current diesel smart fortwo. But then again, I prefer my 5-passenger Prius vs. the 2 passenger smart. We get the same mileage . Although I do envy the smart's ability to park ANYWHERE. (I don't mean free parking, I mean being able to squeeze into spaces). <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 21 2007, 11:17 AM) [snapback]542547[/snapback]</div> I can't answer the first 3 but the A-Class won't be coming over. If you want, hop over the border and check out our B-Class. Comes in 134hp B200 form or 198hp B200 Turbo form. Starts at under Cdn$30k (or about the same as a base Prius in CAD). Not bad for a Mercedes. Oh and it's FWD and the automatic transmission is a CVT. That and it crashed on me in the middle of an auto-cross test course when I test drove it but you know.. no biggeie :lol: :lol: Btw, you guys will find this amusing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkjZtfgqC2w...feature=related
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 21 2007, 03:17 PM) [snapback]542547[/snapback]</div> I don't know where your Smart dealer will be but you should have one in Chicago. Smart has not announced which Mercedes dealerships will car Smart's yet. You can't test drive one until the cars arrive at dealerships. You missed the Smart demo fleet that came to Chicago in June. Damiler AG will not bring the A Class to the US. The A Class will be discontinued after this generation. The next generation B-Class may come the the US if Damiler can find a company to share the platform. If they can't find another company willing to split the development cost, the B-Class my be discontinued as well. (Current rumors have BMW and Mercedes teaming up to share a B-Car Platform. That would mean the next Mini and B-Class will share a common platform.)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ 2007 11 21 13:14) [snapback]542589[/snapback]</div> That was great. Car smart. Hummer dumber.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Nov 22 2007, 06:41 PM) [snapback]543062[/snapback]</div> Yep. That's what I heard too. It's gonna be a big MINI or a small B-Class lol.
Do you know how Italians are parking it in Rome? They are smart enough. Ken@Japan [attachmentid=12580]
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ken1784 @ Nov 22 2007, 09:27 PM) [snapback]543121[/snapback]</div> Actually I have a picture from the US where a BMW is sandwiched in by a delivery van. It's on my cellphone and I can't get it off lol. I'd like to see that owner get his Bimmer out.
In fairness to the H1 in the video the H1 has about the smallest amount of room of most SUV's. The drivetrain is tucked so far up in the chassis (for off road reasons) that it severely encroaches in the interior. In fact I'd say the old Pontiaco Fiero's probably had more passenger room than an H1. Mike
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Nov 22 2007, 08:41 PM) [snapback]543062[/snapback]</div> Thanks for the info. I was in Europe last month and saw a few MB A-series and thought they were really cute. Of course, I also saw a few Smarts, of course. This is not to discount all the other small (rightsized) vehicles. My wife really wants to test drive a Smart. Personally, if I could choose, it would be close between an A-series and a Smart. Though I have to admit that to see her in a Smart convertible would be really cute in itself.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Nov 23 2007, 03:03 PM) [snapback]543385[/snapback]</div> The concept of the smart is ingenious, seriously. The only thing holding me back is the very jerky transmission. Now I heard it's fixed for this new generation. I swear a teenager learning how to drive a manual shifts better than the first gen smart's transmission.
Hey, did anyone happen to look at any other Smart Car videos on YouTube? Like the one with a 1300cc Hayabusa motorcycle engine that outdrags a Ferrari? Apparently there's a 500hp twin turbo version of the bike, too. Hmmm. Zoom zoom boom.
