new car coming to america

[badgett]

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/41/smart-fortwo-set-to-come-across-the-pond

[skewbe]

http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/autos_content_landing_pages/41/smart-fortwo-set-to-come-across-the-pond

Ha, only 40mpg for a smart car? Only in America :rolleyes:

[Silveredwings]

Then there'll be the Jay Leno edition (one-off) with a 5.0L V8 in it that makes 650 HP. :D

[badgett]

I'm sure american car companies will rape it and take away all it was intended to do. I'm sure we will have to overpower it. Maybe a 3.5 V6 with 255 horses or something. The best thing to do is leave it alone.

[DaX]

Then there'll be the Jay Leno edition (one-off) with a 5.0L V8 in it that makes 650 HP. :D

You can already get the "Smartuki" with a 180 bhp Suzuki Hayabusa engine.

http://www.smartuki.com/home.html

[cfg83]

Hello -

What's the highest MPG non-diesel (aka easier to get into the USA) Smart right now?

Kicking and screaming, USA will grudgingly improve it's MPG (maybe).

CarloSW2

[Red]

Demand would be a factor as well. For 13-15k people could go for a yaris or perhaps a civic which being a larger car might be more appealing. A little under 5ft wide 8ft long and 5ft high (SMART UK specs) and only seats two isn't going to sell well mainstream. A city only car it has potential, but taking a run through say, San Fransisco you still see more cars then bikes or mopeds...

[beatr911]

Ha, only 40mpg for a smart car? Only in America :rolleyes:

Why do they do this? Used to be (probably still is) the european performance cars were faster and the european economy cars got better mileage. When they are americanized seems everything falls to the middle average ruining its original design intent. 40mpg? What's the point? Who are these customers? A corolla or civic would be a better choice. I'm a purist, economy cars should get 60mpg or better, performance cars should flatten eyeballs.

Poor people have to save money, rich people LOVE to save money.

[Matt Timion]

I actually saw a Smart Car yesterday in Salt Lake City.

It's the second one I've seen on the roads here.

[Rstb88]

Its rated at 40mpg because the upped the engine size by.3 litres. Not to mention the size and weight change. They also had to up the horsepower to meet american specs aswell as safety features.

[white90crxhf]

that thing is disgusting. who designs these cars? they must design them to look so disgusting that no one will buy them. why can't they design a new nice looking car that gets good gas mileage?

[Rstb88]

mercedes benz designed it. aesthetically pleasing cars usually are not aerodynamic. Whats your definition of appealing then compare it to aerodynamics. this car may not be aerodynamic but its light enough and engine small enough to make up for it, to an extent

[white90crxhf]

i like the way my car looks, though i think it would look better with a slightly longer front. maybe 6 inches The honda s2000 looks great and i bet the aerodynamics are good too. same with a corvettee since we're talking about 2 seaters. If the car was more aerodynamic it would get better gas mileage and probably would look better by default.(could it get any worse?)

[Davo53209]

that thing is disgusting. who designs these cars? they must design them to look so disgusting that no one will buy them. why can't they design a new nice looking car that gets good gas mileage?
I agree, definatley not a chick magnet. I've often said that a fuel efficient car doesn't have to look like some flamboyent, obscure roller skate.

[cfg83]

Davo53209 -

I agree, definatley not a chick magnet. I've often said that a fuel efficient car doesn't have to look like some flamboyent, obscure roller skate.

I would be happy if they just put the high MPG drivetrains in the cool looking cars. I love the Scion TC, but why not offer it with the Scion Xa/b drivetrain? I know in the case of the TC that it weighs more than th Xa/b, but why should all the cool looking small cars require the monster HP?

I like the looks of the Smart as a function of it's purpose, but it definitely is a hi-density urban vehicle. It belongs in NYC or Boston or SF, like other people say.

Now, the Smart-for-4 is much better looking, IMO, and might compete well against the Honda Fit.

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0502_Smart_Forfour+2005_Smart_ForFour+Passenger_Si de_Front_View.jpg

http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/sedans/0502_Smart_Forfour+2005_Smart_ForFour+Full_Passeng er_Side_Rear_View.jpg

CarloSW2

[Silveredwings]

You can already get the "Smartuki" with a 180 bhp Suzuki Hayabusa engine.

http://www.smartuki.com/home.html
OK, that was amazing. Looks like good build quality too.

[kickflipjr]

http://f3.yahoofs.com/ymg/autos_content_landing_pages/autos_content_landing_pages-519346344-1170831193.jpg?ymZtw_8C_RTZn3i_
http://dailygameplan.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/fortwo_smart_car_5.jpg


They slightly redesigned the exterior of the smart. I like that smart car and cant wait to see one on the roads. I see they pumped up the horsepower so it can keep up with US highway speeds.

They also americanized the MPG (I still think the EPA will end up being around 40/50).

[thisisntjared]

I see they pumped up the horsepower so it can keep up with US highway speeds.hahahahahaha :thumbup: :thumbup: only an american would take it on an american highway hahahahahahahaha. i never thought of that.

[Red]

hahahahahaha :thumbup: :thumbup: only an american would take it on an american highway hahahahahahahaha. i never thought of that.

Course, don't you know german highways are only limited to 40 mph? Those backwards people ;)

[The Toecutter]

That SMART car is gay. It needs better aerodynamics, a smaller displacement engine, and a turbocharger for more punch. I'd rather have the SMART Roadster-Coupe.

All of that sacrifice for only 40 mpg? All of that price tag? Won't fly here in the states.

For that price and fugly looks, it should at minimum compete with a Prius in both performance and economy. Otherwise, any rational person not looking for the look or compact size the SMART has(easy parking) will just get a Prius or a motorcycle.

Take a quick cruise through your local trailer court; it's mostly 4x4 pickups and SUVs in there.

You'd be amazed how cheap 10-15 year old pickups and SUVs are to purchase. The rural poor drive them because they are affordable and available vehicles. Just as last decade, it was not uncommon for them to drive the old land yachts from the 1970s and 80s. Those were the crop of cars you could most commonly pick up for $300-500 or so.

Many will also be amazed how many 'economy' cars that you can see in those areas like Chevy Cavaliers, Oldsmobile Cutlasses, Geo Metros, and Ford Escorts. But those tend to be less commonly available for a price affordable to these people, so you won't see as many of them.

The poor take what they can get. I'd say you were pretty lucky to find that Tempo you own for as cheap as you did. During $3/gallon last summer, it was impossible to find a car like that for a decent price in my area. There were people willing to pay $3k for rusted out Metros and CRXs, and $2k for beat up Tempos and Escorts.

[DaX]

OK, that was amazing. Looks like good build quality too.

Did you see the videos?

RIGHT CLICK SAVE AS (http://www.smartuki.com/Smart.wmv)

I laughed so hard...that thing is flying and sounds so badass, but looks SO funny whipping around the track like that.

The Smart Diablo is just nuts - sounds awesome but the engine right there?! The video is sweet though.

[zpiloto]

I'd let the Lambo go for $2000!!!

I can find cheap lil' ol' econo cars for a couple hundred bucks all day long! Either these trailer park people aren't looking, or they aren't looking for econo cars. Having rented to many of them I can comment on their financial acumen (I too have done some time in trailers):

If they have any money at all, top priorities are 1. booze 2. smokes 3. cable or satellite tv 4. pull tabs/bingo 5. aftermarket wheels, exhaust, and stereo systems 6. new snowmobiles/motorcycles, then............ way, way down the list, housing, utilities... ya know, the necessities of life. :rolleyes:

Clench you were probably expecting this.

I'm glad I don't live in your neck of the woods where sweeping generalization are fact for everyone. I also have done my share of trailer time in the past and deal with some now and find this not to be always true.

I've been looking for a 5 speed encono car for 6 months( under 500) and still have not found one. Plenty of Chevy and Fords though.

[Silveredwings]

I've been looking for a 5 speed encono car for 6 months( under 500) and still have not found one. Plenty of Chevy and Fords though.

ditto (only longer). I'd never buy a Smart at the same price, lower mpg, less than half the size, and probably less longevity of a Corolla. It's DOA.

[Silveredwings]

You can already get the "Smartuki" with a 180 bhp Suzuki Hayabusa engine.

http://www.smartuki.com/home.html

On another note, what did they do with the front engine and drivetrain? Maybe they left it in and made a twin-engine job out of it (kinda like that CRX Si twin a few years back).

[Rstb88]

The smart car is actually going to start out at 9k$USD and I think i t maxes out at like 15-17k. Not bad for a car that has more safety features than many of the econo boxes you can buy. The smart forfour and roadster coupe have been discontinued. And the forfour has been sold out for months. the smartuki doesnt have a front engine, took out the three cylinder and the passenger seat and put the suzuki engine in its place. sounds like a good idea but i wouldnt want o do the regular maintainance on it. not to mention the inccredible noise that things going to make sitting right next to you

[thisisntjared]

i would be the smart coupe. it would be perfect for my commute to work. but if an electric car is available in 5 years then i will hold out for that

[repete86]

I'm not interested until they bring the European diesel version to the US. 40 mpg is a joke for that car, and I find it insulting that a car with the potential to get 60 mpg will only get 40 here and they're citing its efficiency.

[thisisntjared]

we dont know if thats 40mpg city, highway or combined. its a little less than a year away and definitely a shot in the dark. either way, i am anxious to see it over here and would consider buying one in the 2nd year. if youve been in one you would understand why.

[The Toecutter]

The smart car is actually going to start out at 9k$USD

If it's as low as $9k, it might actually get somewhere(albeit not very far). But I doubt it will sell more than 5,000 units a year even at that price.

I second the notion on a diesel version. If a diesel V8 could be shoehorned into a Roadster-Coupe, and turbocharged, I'd be all over that ****.

To get fuel economy recognized as important in the mainstream car business, it would be very wise to throw copious, almost disgusting amounts of performance to go with it. Otherwise, people just aren't going to get much exposure to it. Haven't seen too many ads for Geo Metros and Honda Insights over the years, have we? But if someone builds a 60+ mpg car that competes with $100k sportscars in acceleration, and sells it for ~$25k, it would be way too much of a leapfrog for the media to ignore it and word on the street would spread very fast.

[Rstb88]

Ilm going to retract my previous statement about the 9k$. I got that from multiple sources but today I saw a page that stated somewhere in 12K range. It made me doubt the others then I remembered, I got some of that information from the smart website. They stated it would be well under 11k$USD

[The Toecutter]

$12k probably won't work. Not when a Corolla is available for about the same price with slightly lower fuel economy, but much greater utility, power, and comfort than the Smart...

If Chrysler really wanted the SMART to get anywhere, they'd have brought the European version over. People are going to buy a car like this for fuel economy. If it doesn't deliver on this aspect, it's probably doomed.

[cfg83]

Hello -

I trolled around the smartusa website and found this :

http://www.smartusa.com/faq.html

4. How much will a smart vehicle cost?
Pricing for the smart fortwo is expected to start under $15,000, excluding destination charges, tax, title, license and optional equipment. Exact pricing will not be determined until late 2007. Once this information has been determined, it will be posted on www.smartusa.com.


One thing I heard was that in Europe, the Smart has never met sales expecations because of it's high price (for what you get). It looks like it will be cheaper here, but with all the trimmings, maybe not by much.

CarloSW2