The 2011 Smart fortwo. Image: Smart
We Americans may not think much of the diminutive Smart fortwo urban commuter car, but the rest of the world loves it. In fact, the second generation Smart fortwo has just crossed the 500,000 sales mark, despite just hitting the market in 2008. Dr. Annette Winkler, head of Smart, called the car an “icon, which is indispensable in the cities of the world.” Read More…
Triumph TR4 and TR3
This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.
I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone. So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!
Jay Leno, aside from being one of the most well respected car collectors out there, does not discriminate when it comes to automobiles. He likes fast cars, slow cars, steam powered cars and now, electric cars. What’s great about Jay is that he is first and foremost an automobile enthusiast, which means that he appreciates cars from all time periods and genres. The Smart Electric is powered by a 16.5 kilowatt lithium-ion battery pack that sits in the same place where the Smarts traditional 3-cylinder gas mill sat. This battery power means a range of about 60 to 70 miles and a top speed of about 65 mph, and that’s with the throttle pinned wide open. My advise, don’t even bother with this little bugger, just go out and buy a Chevrolet Volt and be happy. Trust me on this one…
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Maybe we’ve been unduly harsh on Smart through the years. Sure, Mike and I would rather stuff a live weasel down out pants than drive a Smart, but that doesn’t mean their cars are wrong for everyone, or in every situation. Take this ad, filmed for Smart in China, which shows how useful a Brabus edition Smart Fortwo can be if you’re a pro basketball player trying to track down an art thief. There’s no way Bryant could have hunted the guy down in a Bentley or Maybach, which goes to show that Smart Fortwos do have value for urban dwelling, crime fighting, basketball superstars. Video below. Read More…
In 2010, Daimler sold some 100,000 Smart cars worldwide, but managed to push only 5,927 units through Smart USA. That wasn’t enough to keep Roger Penske interested, so his company is turning over sales, marketing, distribution, service and support of Smart cars in the U.S. to Mercedes Benz USA. Smart has already sent letters to owners advising them that all warranties will still be honored, and that the transition is expected to be complete by the end of the second quarter of 2011. Read More…
I suppose it should come as no surprise that Smart, maker of the little ForTwo micro car, ,as finally launched their first electric vehicle in the United States. It’s based on the mini Fortwo, but ditches its regular 1.0-liter, 70 HP, 3-cylinder gas engine for a 30 kilowatt electric motor and lithium-ion battery. The electric motor is said to make the equivalent of about 40 hp with the battery taking about 3.5 hours to return an 85% fill rate. Smart recently delivered its first electric ForTwo to one Mindy Kimball of Silver Spring, Maryland. The car is one of a fleet of 250 vehicles that Smart is leasing to select individuals and municipal / corporate fleets in an attempt to work on the cars technology while in the field. Right now it’s said that the little Smart EV is good for about 98 miles on a full charge. It also has a claimed top speed of about 62 mph, which is just fast enough to get you rear-ended on the Long Island Expressway when a tractor trailer comes barreling down on you. Hmm… for some reason I think I’ll be waiting awhile before I put in my order.
Source: Wired.com
If you’re a regular reader, you probably already know that Mike (Mr. Angry) hates the Smart car, probably even more than I hate the continuously variable transmission. I like to think of myself as more open minded, and believe that there’s nothing at all wrong with the diminutive commuter car from across the pond. Nothing, that is, that an engine and transmission swap would fail to address, and I’ve seen some pretty insane Smart cars powered by Suzuki Hyabusa engines. Want a 200 horsepower, turbocharged-‘Busa-powered Smart with a five speed gearbox? There are companies out there who’ll build you one if you’ve got the vision. And, of course, the cash.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but weren’t bicycles invented as a human powered mode of transportation with the added benefit of keeping your fat ass in shape? Over the past year I’ve been seeing battery powered bicycles buzzing all over NYC and for the life of me I can’t understand why. Ok fine, for the Chinese Food delivery guys I can see the applications, but for everyone else who owns one I’m just taking it to mean that they’re just flippin’ lazy. Apparently Smart, maker of the crappy ForTwo micro car has now decided to jump on the electric bike bandwagon as well by developing their own electric two wheeler dubbed the eBike and debuting it at the Paris Motor Show. After watching the video you can see that the eBike is extremely well made and packed with some nifty technology like a hub-mounted electric motor as well as iPod integration. Let’s face it though, this is supposed to be a bicycle, not a scooter so what the hell is Smart doing building one of these? The way I see it, this bike will appeal to the same hipster urban-ites who purchased the original Smart Car. Sure it’s cool, but at the end of the day it’s not going to help you lose those saddlebags you’ve been carting around on that big ass of yours. My opinion… save the money, go buy a Schwinn and do some real exercise. Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
Source: Youtube.com
Now this is something that makes sense. Smart, the maker of the itty bitty ForTwo micro-car is now said to be delving into the world of two wheels with the upcoming E-Scooter concept. The E-Scooter is said to be powered by a lithium-ion battery that will give the little scoot a range of up to 62 zero-emission miles, while at the same time providing its riders with some new innovative safety features. The E-Scooter was developed with some help from Mercedes-Benz, and with an electric motor integrated into the rear wheel and zero emissions, the E-Scooter (if made into a production ride) will most likely become a favorite amongst those in urban environments.
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Two years ago I was given a Smart Fortwo to road test for a week and to say that I thought it was a monumental pile of crap would be an understatement. Yes it’s small, and yes you can park it just about anyplace, the problem is that after parking it, too many of its owners simply walk away from it without setting them ablaze. When Smart first entered the U.S. car market they brought with them a great ad campaign, the promise of amazing fuel economy and a fun little car that would make you feel happy when you drove it. The ad campaign worked because in 2008 Smart sold 25,000 of these little buggers to people who bought into the hype before ever having driven one.
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