Smart Fortwo Mini-Cars, the shape of things to come?
When the Mercedes Smart ForTwo microcar begins arriving in the United States in January 2008, a new subcompact segment will be created.
This is a special niche vehicle for urban situations where parking is tight and expensive.
People who want to make a green statement will find that the 8-foot-8 Smart ForTwo gets more attention than the increasingly common hybrids. This car is more than a meter shorter than the Mini-Cooper – those who call it a “golf cart” are not far wrong.
Do you want to attract attention? Simply back your Smart car directly onto the curb like a motorcycle instead of parallel parking. Two can fit in an ordinary parking space.
With a surprisingly spacious interior (sleeps 2), the smart cars are expected to draw urbanites from San Francisco, Manhattan and other congested cities along both coasts.
Most of the smaller cars sold in the US have been cheap, most are built in Korea.
The Mini Cooper and Toyota Scion have shown that there is a growing market for quality small cars.
And ForTwo is diminutive. Weighing in at 1,800 pounds and powered by a 70-hp three-cylinder rear engine, the Smarts reach a top speed of 90 mph after considerable coaxing.
2008 EPA fuel economy ratings are 33 city/40 highway.
Performance is impressive: 0-60 mph in 12.8 seconds.
Penske Automotive Group, the second largest dealer chain, has contracted to distribute the Smart and has contracted with 73 dealers across the country.
Europeans have been driving Smarts for more than ten years, during which time around 800,000 have been sold in 36 countries.
The version configured for export to America will be made in France.
Mr. Penske intends to sell a minimum of 30,000 ForTwos in 2008.
Although this seems ambitious with a well-established Mini only making around 38K, thirty thousand potential buyers have already put down a $99 refundable deposit.
Mercedes has designed this skid to overcome the safety obstacles that all minicars face.
Crash tests, with videos available on the web, show the 4-2 to be safer than other small cars, especially those made in China.
In extensive crash tests, the steel safety cage that surrounds the passenger compartment has resisted deformation.
The economy car has standard safety features normally found in luxury vehicles; four airbags, anti-lock brakes, electronic stability control, and a folding steering column.
The US government will test the smart car after it hits the market. Builders predict it will receive four out of five stars in American crash tests.
European models recently received four out of five stars in the Euro New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) tests.
The Smart comes in three affordable trim levels: the entry-level Pure, which at $11,590 lacks air conditioning and a radio; Passion $13,590; and Passion Convertible $16,590.
And hey, it’s modern. Smart already has the environmental brand image that competitors are trying to buy with advertising.
Tired of colour? Simply unscrew the plastic body panels and replace them with whatever shade you have.
Will the Smart market, which has never been profitable, hold up after the new one is gone?
Yes, it’s modern, fuel efficient and cost effective. But the “Smart” may not be the automotive shape of the future.
Designers made compromises to meet safety standards: occupants ride high, at eye level with other traffic.
The upright stance distributes impact energy under the car. This creates a large square frontal area which hurts fuel efficiency.
Smart’s very high drag coefficient of 0.38 causes fuel economy to drop in proportion to speed more quickly than other designs.
While the ForTwo could be a start toward a space-efficient America, the gas mileage isn’t significantly above the Honda and Toyota 4-seats.
With the asphalt-ripping 505-horsepower 2008 Chevy Corvette rated at 29 mpg highway, 40 mpg for a microcar hardly qualifies as progress.
In 1966 I bought a 1958 Morris Minor 1000 to drive to high school. It was initially designed in 1948. The Morris was modern, economical and fuel efficient.
That 60-year-old design also did 40 miles on a gallon of gas.