Makes a Mini look like an Excursion

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » December 10, 2004, 5:29 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... otohosting

I'm surprised I didn't see feet popping out from underneath this thing

MooZilla · Post by **MooZilla** » December 10, 2004, 9:02 pm

oh baby

60 hp, 3-cylinder, Rear-mounted Turbo Engine

really gonna impress the ladies with that hunk of detroit muscle.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » December 10, 2004, 9:38 pm

Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the Smart is a Norwegian car. Seen quite a few of them back home owned by people who only drive short distances within a city. It is damn handy for that, can park it anywhere, uses no gas and is basically a large moped with a roof.

Btw Ford tried to send 350 of these to be wrecked even though there are waiting lists for them around the world.

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » December 11, 2004, 12:21 pm

Kelshara wrote:Actually, if I'm not mistaken, the Smart is a Norwegian car. Seen quite a few of them back home owned by people who only drive short distances within a city. It is damn handy for that, can park it anywhere, uses no gas and is basically a large moped with a roof.

Btw Ford tried to send 350 of these to be wrecked even though there are waiting lists for them around the world.

You are mistaken. The original Smart Car was a joint venture between the Swiss watch maker, Swatch, and Mercedes Benz around 10 years ago. The Smart brand is now a wholely owned subsidiary of Daimler Chrysler. Daimler Chrysler has spent a decade persuading the European market that these cars aren't too small or unsafe, but I suspect that the American market will take longer to get to that point.

Do bear in mind that this car is solely an urban automobile - as Kelshara pointed out. When I first started seeing them parked in Paris, I was envious of how easy it was for their owners to squeeze in and out of the tiny parking spaces that even the small Peugots and Opals would pass over as not large enough. This is a great car for that environment and may attract a following in places like New York, San Fransisco, Boston, and Washington, D.C. (to name a few), which is "coincidentally"

the market that they will be aiming for in 2006 - or whenever the marketing begins.

The first Smart car being targeted at the US audience will be a SUV.

More information can be found at MSNBC (a few months old) here

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » December 11, 2004, 1:17 pm

hm could have sworn Smart was Norwegian.. might be Think then, the two cars look a lot alike.

Yah just did a search I mixed up Think and Smart. Oh well!

Fash · Post by **Fash** » December 11, 2004, 4:20 pm

but a 60 hp 3-cyl, and its still $23,000 ??... whats the point

Deneve · Post by **Deneve** » December 11, 2004, 4:28 pm

Yeah, the price is what get's me. It would be understandable for say, $5,00ish, but at the price it's at I could get a 2000 BMW M3 or something similar.

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » December 12, 2004, 10:20 pm

really gonna impress the ladies with that hunk of detroit muscle.

Who wants a woman that is impressed by a car? That would be a pretty big warning sign that she was a shallow bitch with fucked up priorities in my book.

Xorian · Post by **Xorian** » December 13, 2004, 12:01 pm

Smart is swiss powah

!

Expensive car though

When Smart were launched on swiss market (and euro market too i think), it took time to see some in the street, but now you can see them regulary.

There is a roadstaer model too, doesnt look too bad, but not for the people who like big motors and such !

Estrosiath · Post by **Estrosiath** » December 13, 2004, 4:30 pm

The smart is a car for cities where parking is scarce. I visit my sister regularly in Rome, and I see more each time I go there. Of course, if all you are interested in is a. Size of the car b. Horse power... Then you can safely forget about it. As aforementioned, its only volition is to be an urban car - and it's good at what it is.

Funkmasterr · Post by **Funkmasterr** » December 13, 2004, 8:30 pm

You would have to be extremely out of touch with reality to pay that price for this car.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » December 13, 2004, 8:41 pm

Funkmasterr wrote:You would have to be extremely out of touch with reality to pay that price for this car.

Ok! I'll put you down for 5! =D

Kidding...hey put that away!

-=Lohrno