Smart cars

I know of one person who drives around in one of these pint size cars. At this time I would feel insecure about being in one myself. Unless there are separate roadways for transport trucks, SUVs, & any other vehicles that completely outsize the smart car, I see safety issues surrounding the use of the smart car. At best, I see it simply as a “concept” car & no more.

I’ve also been hearing that those hybrid models are not as fuel efficient as the manufacturers claim when it comes to testing them out in wintery, city conditions.

Both ideas are a nice starting point. But IMO further research needs to be allocated to enhance the practicalities.

The Smart Car
The Smart Car is a two seater petrol city-coupe which is lightweight and has been designed to take up less room in congested city centres. It has electronic power management that prevents the engine from emitting pollutants and it has an economy transmission mode to save fuel.

The Smart Car is assembled in modules which makes design changes easier. For example, new power sources like electric fuel cells could be fitted. It also guarantees that the car, and its parts, can be dismantled and recycled economically at the end of its useful life.

www.tve.org...

files.abovetopsecret.com..." target='_blank' class='tabOff'/>

I read an article about these cars and I think they get about 30 miles per gallon. Compare that to the 10 miles per gallon that a Hummer gets and the 15-19 most of these SUVs get a gallon. Personally, I would love to own one of these SmartCars, but I share the same fear as you do. I own a Accord Couple now, which I think is Midsized or something, and those big SUVs still think they can roll over me. I would be terrified to ride in one of those itty bitty things.

Aside from my personal opinion, I don't think sales of the SmartCar will do well in America. Theres a few people who I know, who wouldn't mind the car. (The price quoted in the article I read was about $10,000, which isn't bad at all) But I was listening to the radio this morning and a spokesmen from some car company said that despite the soaring gas prices, SUV sales are growing)

To me thats the problem in the USA, everyone ones to show off, but buying that biggest baddest thing on the market. But I'll stop there, becuase I would get this thread moved the Rants section.

Hmm. I suppose the more it catches on, the more I'll feel comfortable with one.

A U.S. firm that has licensed the technology used to produced the super-compact Smart Car said Tuesday it had received more than $1 billion worth of orders for the quirky mini-car.

California-based Zero Air Pollution (ZAP) said orders were flooding in as the peculiarly European car made by DaimlerChrysler made its entrance onto the American market, long accustomed to large vehicles but now smarting from the fast-rising price of gas.

dsc.discovery.com...

Living in Europe means that I see many Smart cars everyday, especially in the city. The car is assoiciated with Mercedes Benz, so safety was a prime concern when the car was designed. In Europe, most new cars are put though an independant safety test named EuroNCAP (European New Car Assessment Programme) and the results on the Smart where very impressive given the size.

See them here:
www.euroncap.com...

The most important thing in context to an SUV is the pedestrian protection. In the Smart, it scores 2 stars, on the average SUV it gets zero.

Also, a Smart will average 50 miles to the gallon not 30. They are small, comfy, spacious, fun and have a big following in Europe. But I'm not sure how they would do on a busy, large freeway in the states. Depends on the other drivers really!

[edit on 26-5-2005 by SunChaser]

Originally posted by Shaione
I read an article about these cars and I think they get about 30 miles per gallon.

Fuel Economy.
At 4.2L per 100km (62 miles to the gallon) it is a hands-down winner.
www.akasa.ca...

I own one of these babies and I posted on this thread about it's safety rating which is not as bad as you may think.....
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The only complaints I have after three years of driving a Smart are the instability in high cross winds, and Mercedes Benz have the worst and most overpriced after sales services I have ever come across.

I see hundreds of these little things darting around the roads of Britain everyday and at first thought they were totally disguisting.
But ive grown to like them over the last few years and would even consider owning one, although if i was to buy one it would be this one.....


The Smart Roadster, available now!!!


EDIT: Spelling (Twice)

[edit on 26/5/2005 by MickeyDee]

[edit on 26/5/2005 by MickeyDee]

whoops, wrong thread.... la la la la

[edit on 5/26/05 by belowthemoon]

Originally posted by Shaione
I read an article about these cars and I think they get about 30 miles per gallon. Compare that to the 10 miles per gallon that a Hummer gets and the 15-19 most of these SUVs get a gallon.

30mpg is crap! I get 39mpg in my Audi TT which has 225bhp... and it's not embarassing to drive/be seen near. Yeah there's a price difference, but a VW Jetta TDI will pull down 45mpg. Most Hondas (while I hate them with a passion) will do about 40mpg. 62mpg is a little better, but it's still not in a range I'd consider for the cost of having to be seen in it.

Hybrids are NOT cost-effective. You end up paying more for a low quality, underpowered piece of crap that only does a little better (in fact usually worse) in the mpg category and will cost a fortune to repair. You'll save money buying a regualr car.

And don't let the hippies tell you hybrids are environmentally friendly... they're just as bad as a regular car. Until there's a viable Hydrogen powered vehicle, I'm staying out of the alternative fuel market, and would urge you all to do the same.

BTW... The Audi A8 TDI will do 800 miles to the tank, and is a 4 liter V8 with 272bhp

[edit on 26-5-2005 by Greyhaven7]

Originally posted by Greyhaven7
30mpg is crap! I get 39mpg in my Audi TT which has 225bhp... and it's not embarassing to drive/be seen near.

Right....
If your TT has 225bhp then i presume its either a 225 Coupe or a 225 Roadster, both of which will give you 20/29 mpg, not the 39 that you state. (and this is Audi's claims which will be slightly exagerated for selling!


EDIT: Spelling




[edit on 27/5/2005 by MickeyDee]

If your TT has 225bhp then i presume its either a 225 Coupe or a 225 Roadster, both of which will give you 20/29 mpg, not the 39 that you state

Absolutely MickeyDee...no way the TT gets 39mpg! Plus, I have to say, the reputation of a TT in the UK is far worse than that of a Smart...

Originally posted by SunChaser
Absolutely MickeyDee...no way the TT gets 39mpg! Plus, I have to say, the reputation of a TT in the UK is far worse than that of a Smart...

Id have a smart roadster over a TT anyday and keep the 20 grand change!!!

I saw one of these cars last year, it was very cool looking. (I live in the U.S.)
I wouldnt mind owning one of them, the only thing I would want changed, is for it to run on a hydrogen fuel cell, instead of petrol.

smarts realy scare the crap out of me. i have had opertunity to take a bit of a look at a couple. the back of the front seat is a little close to the bumper for comfort. i was involved in a serious highway colliion that bent the frame of a van prety badly. after the accident the bumper that normaly sits at least a foot off the road was now scrapeing the ground (no suspension damage and the bumper was still propperly attached). i shudder to think what the damage to something like a smart would have been. not to mention if it had been the vehicle between the cherokee and van:shk:. i estimate that there would probably have been a death involved.

over the years i have seen the damage caused to many vehicles involved in collisions, you might say i am an accident junki. i have always loved cars and while not likeing injurie and deaths i have a great curiosity about the damage. from what i have seen damage wise i don't hold much hope for people surviveing crash in these tiny death traps. they may possibly do ok in a collision with a like vehicle. unfortunately there are many bigger, better built vehicles on the road. in most rear end accidents that i have seen that have any speed involved there tends to be more crush damage to rear ends than a smart even has behind the driver.

manufacturers need to start designing cars that can survive a crash. in order to improve efficancy they realy have not invested in building better engions but instead have foucased on reduceing vehicle size and weight. the first thing to go was the full frame, we now mainly use a weaker unibody construction.that step reduced weight conssiderably. unfortunately it weakens the vehicle structure. now as i stated in a smart the seat is right in front of the bumper. take a good look at accidents as you drive down the highway. pay close attention to how far the rear of a car typicaly gets pusshed foreward. now take a good look at eactly how little space the smart has between the bumper and driver. not even a much as most decent accidnts crumple a car. that means that the chance of severe occupant injury is increased as the ocupants will likely be phisicaly relocated in a rear end accident.

Is this tiny little "smart car" actually popular in Europe or other countries?


It would be a cold day in hell before I would drive that.

Personally I like the 2005 Mustang...Nothin Like a badass V-8.
This is the MRT (Mustang Racing Technologies) Interceptor, this agressive muscle car would mop the floor with some of those tiny European cars.



Heres a Smart Hummer.


[edit on 28-5-2005 by Murcielago]

Hey Good News !

Toyota will be unvealing their new Hybrid Camry.
Lexus is unvealing one of their full size SUV's in a hybrid.
Honda already has there own pocket rocket hybrid as well as the
Honda accord Hybrid.

I know that others will follow soon.

I cannot wait till we start using our heads and utilizing the power of magnets to propel and even slow and stop our vehicles. This is the way of the future. No more mechanical breakdowns, No more pollution, No more depending on Oil from other countries.

Anyway that's a whole other thread !

Keep on searching !

Originally posted by Murcielago
Personally I like the 2005 Mustang...Nothin Like a badass V-8.

This is the MRT (Mustang Racing Technologies) Interceptor, this agressive muscle car would mop the floor with some of those tiny European cars.

Need I say more?

Originally posted by MickeyDee

Originally posted by Greyhaven7
30mpg is crap! I get 39mpg in my Audi TT which has 225bhp... and it's not embarassing to drive/be seen near.

Right....
If your TT has 225bhp then i presume its either a 225 Coupe or a 225 Roadster, both of which will give you 20/29 mpg, not the 39 that you state. (and this is Audi's claims which will be slightly exagerated for selling!


EDIT: Spelling




[edit on 27/5/2005 by MickeyDee]

No, it has an onboard trip computer that displays the readouts real-time. And I've compared it on long trips with the ammount of fuel consumed vs the distance traveled. The computer readout is correct. I pull 26.7mpg city (usually) and that's driving pretty hard... and 39.4 highway (usually).

How to do this...
1) fill your tank
2) record current mileage
3) go on our trip
4) refill tank and record exactly how much gas you put in. (this will be the same as the ammount of gas you burned on your trip)
5) at refill station record ending mileage
6) divide the miles traveled by the number of gallons at refill and you've got your average mpg right there

I've done it several times (its kindof a game to keep my mind busy while traveling). I'm not just relying on statistics. I did the math for myself.

And its a 225 Quattro Coupe.


And yes that's an actual picture of my actual car.

[edit on 28-5-2005 by Greyhaven7]

New cars usually have onboard equiptment to tell you these stats. My friend bought a brand new 05 plate Clio and it tells you how many miles you have left on the current tank.

Very nice may I say.

Originally posted by MickeyDee
Right....
If your TT has 225bhp then i presume its either a 225 Coupe or a 225 Roadster,

And btw, you clearly google searched that info, if you actually knew what you were talking about, you wouldn't have said that since there are ONLY Coupes and Roadsters. That was a redundant statement. Let me know when you know what you're talking about and then I'll finish talking to you.

You'd be very lucky to get over 30MPG in a TT, they drink the petrol like water.