The Smart Car is getting ready to invade U.S.A.

Looks waaaaaaaaaaaay too small for my family. Does it even have a back seat?

Joseph Botwinick

 

Oh c'mon Joesph. You can install a rumble seat in that cute little tote along trailor and still have plenty of room for a small bag of groceries.

 

2 year old son...state law says he has to ride in the back with a child safety seat. If it were just me and my wife, we might look into it. But even at that, at 25 grand, it is probably out of my price range.

Joseph Botwinick

 

I don't know if the African Cheetah is in danger of being extinct but they sure have good reason to wanna be now. Why didn't they call this car the Escargot?

 

They had those in Italy. I think they were used like the flexcar is used in Seattle. A fleet of compact cars painted green parked all over the city that you could reserve (and rent) to use for a day, week, or month. You could even go one way and leave the car in a designated place. I used to use those, it was great.

These things are too small. We already have them on our military bases here. The trailor thing cracks me up. I think they should put those flags on the back (neon orange that stick up off the bumper) so people can see them easily. They seem more like an enclosed bike. I dont recommend them for someone with a two year old (obviously).

 

There is also a slightly larger Smart car that may come to the US. I sell Subarus for a living and Subaru markets a tiny car like this in Japan. Last summer some factory guys drove one to our dealership. They are considering modifying the car enough for US safety standards and bringing it to the US. With gas headed for $3.50 to $4.00 a gallon, I would consider a car like this for a second vehicle. I could save enough money in gas for my 10 mile commute to work to pay for the car!

 

Swaimj,
Can you imagine being sandwiched between two tractor trailers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in one of those sardine cans? I wouldnt want my teenage son driving around in one of those death traps. I drive 50 miles one way to work every day. I could move closer to work (downtown Tampa) but then the increase in my rent would offset the savings in the price of gasoline. I stick with my 1997 Lincoln town car for now. Getting 23 miles to the gallon.

 

Aw, it's so cute! It looks like a really good city car, especially in the northeast where the streets are so narrow and parking can be a near impossibility (it used to take me 50 mins to drive to my dad's apartment in Brooklyn and 30 mins to park - with a 1 hour limit).

 

They are.

Hmmm... You could paint a big "S" on the side of it, and then when you drove by, people would say:

"Look at that "S" car go!"

 

Oh man, great pun!

 

The first Honda introduced into the US market in the early '70s looked alot like this smart car. I think it had a motorcycle engine.

Oh and btw...... that was indeed a great pun.

 

*giggles* That was pretty good G.

We use the ones pictured above on base. They are not allowed to go outside the fenceline however, people would run them down around here. They have to be parked near a place they can be plugged in, so parking might not be that easy if your looking for longer term than a few hours.

Oh and gas is 'headed' for $3.50 a gallon? We are just about there. Ill give it till Wednesday. Cheapest gas around (off base) is $3.20 as of yesterday.

 

Yes, this car has a slightly more powerful engine, (it's not an electric) but it isn't that much different than the first Honda. (which was one of the few high-production cars to actually appreciate in value after you bought it.

No way I would use one in Texas, though. That little thing would be roadkill. Out here, your IQ seems to be inversely proportional to the size of the truck you drive.

 

How would it do smacking into a deer at 75 mph ?

That's a nice, brave comment, Galatian.

 

I don't think the Smart car will go fast enough to go onto an interstate highway, so getting smashed by two tractor trailers is only a faint possibility. I drive to work each day and never get on an interstate. I never get over 45 MPH either. A small car like this would work great for me. And if everyone else switched to one, none of us would be much of a threat to each other.

As for your Town Car, it's a crying shame that Ford is still building that car today with little improvements made to it. Analysts estimate that Ford makes about $7000 per copy of that car. Why have they never invested some money into it to improve it? It is woefully underpowered with only 239 HP (and that is an 05 model--yours has less pwer than that). It has tiny little brakes that are imcapable of stopping it within a reasonable distance. It is largely unchanged and unimproved from the cars Ford was building in the mid-1950's. No wonder they are about to go bankrupt!

Now Chrysler is building a modern RWD car with independent rear suspension and HORSEPOWER--340 in the V-8 and 250 in a V-6 (more power than Ford's V-8) and it is rated at 25 MPG on the highway. The Chrysler 300 will soon replace the TC as America's limousine and the Dodge Charger will soon replace the Crown Vic as America's police car and taxi cab. Ford is such a great American success story. It's too bad their management is so inept in its product development.

 

You are right about that but it sure is a smoooootthhh running car. I sink into those plush leather seats, put er in cruise control, some nice music and it makes my 1 hour drive to work a little more pleasurable. As far as new features I heard that they are putting a new feature on the town car that when you push a button the car will take the driver straight to Boca Raton Fla, with the right hand turn signal blinking the whole way.

 

The new Mini Cooper is more fun than a carnival ride. Both models handle like sports cars and the Mini Cooper S can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than seven seconds. It's adorable and affordable, starting at just $16,425

My wife thinks these cars are adorable.

 

My Supra is the best ride I have ever had, but at 14 MPG, I wonder how a smart car will look sitting next to it? (Not that I'm interested in getting rid of the Supra.)