Yay! I've just reserved my Smart Car! Yay!

[Kutjara]

The reservation program recently opened for the 2008 US launch of the MCC Smart Car. I drove one of these for years in the UK and loved that little car more than life itself. Now they're launching them over here, and I'm overjoyed!



No MPG figures have been established yet, but it's likely to be in the 40+ range, broadly in line with European figures. The car is also very peppy and achieves the same safety ratings as the best regular compact cars.

This time next year, I'll be bombing around LA in one of these beauties. I can't wait!!!!

[redwitch]

1. I saw lots of them in Paris, they are very cute!

Price???

[Kutjara]

2. The basic Pure model is about $12k, rising to $14k for...

...the fully loaded Passion model. That's broadly in line with European pricing, if I remember correctly.

[merh]

3. How do you reserve one?

I want to reserve one. :)

[Kutjara]

4. Go to the Smart website at...

...www.smartusa.com and pay the $99 reservation fee. It's fully refundable at any time, so you're not committing yourself to buy. In the autumn, they'll assign you to a dealer (as soon as they've built the dealerships!) and take your options order. First quarter next year, the cars will be delivered.

[merh]

5. That is so neat,

thank you so much! :wave:

[Kutjara]

6. My pleasure! I'm glad to be able to spread the word about...

...this little piece of automotive greatness. :hi:

[merh]

10. It is just so neat looking

the cabrio is really tempting, but I don't know.

What is the "panorama roof" that is offered in the passion?

[Kutjara]

12. If it's the same as on my old one, it's an electrically operated glass sunroof.

It does the usual slide/tilt thing, and has an opaque screen that slides across it if you don't want any light coming in.

The cabrio is a fun car, but the folding roof reduces carrying capacity in the back to virtually nothing. The hardtop has enough room for a couple of big suitcases or a week's groceries. The cabrio has barely half that. The area under the roof is more like a large glove compartment.

[merh]

14. Then the passion is the better option

thanks for the info and sharing the site, I think I'm going with blue and I am not sure about the interior yet. :)

[Kutjara]

15. I used to drive the Passion.

The Pure is pretty basically equipped and, in Europe, is targeted at the impoverished student market. The Passion is well equipped. Mine had airconditioning, a cd changer, electric windows, sunroof and rear hatch, switchable auto/semiauto transmission (with steering column mounted paddle shifters, just like in the Formula One racers!!!), leather seats (these cost extra) and a more peppy engine. I'm going for the same sort of setup this time, only in silver (my last one was all black) so it'll reflect back some of the fierce California sun.

[Maestro]

7. I need one of those for my commute!

But I will have to put some sort of scary bumper sticker on the back to scare off SUVs.

[Kutjara]

8. Use those radiation hazard stickers.

My dad had to have them on his car when he was doing seismological investigations for the Forest Service and was carrying radioactive instruments. We'd have the highway to ourselves as other cars practically ran themselves into ditches trying to avoid us. Ahh, happy days.

[Maestro]

13. Oh yes, that is good.

I must have one now! :rofl:

[fizzgig]

9. that is so cool

i am jealous!

:hi: kutjara

[Kutjara]

11. I actually shed a tear when I had to sell my Smart Car.

There really is nothing like it for scooting around town. In London, I would regularly see off Porsches and Mercs, simply because the 5' wide Smart could maneuver through gaps that no other car could manage. Add to that the fact that it has as much legroom as a Merc S-Class and has headroom to burn, and it really is the perfect modern car.

:hi:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Is it comfortable for tall people to drive?

My son's 6'3"

[Kutjara]

17. Very. I'm 6'1" and my old boss was 6'7".

He was amazed at how comfortably he could fit in the car. His BMW 7 series was cramped by comparison. Smart advertise that the front legroom is the same as in the Merc S-Class, and the headroom is more like a van than a car. The seats are comfortable and supportive (at least the leather ones I had were), and all the controls and instruments are clear and well laid-out. The Smart is also higher than a normal sedan (you tend to sit higher than in a car, but lower than in a SUV), so getting in and out is less of an origami exercise than in normal cars.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

27. Thanks for the info!

Sounds like a great little car!

[Kutjara]

28. My pleasure! It really is.

Wait a minute, shouldn't I be getting a commission from Smart for all this free marketing? Doh!

[Gold Metal Flake]

18. Cool!

I think these are cool. Perfect urban commuter. They have a website:

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/

[Kutjara]

19. They are indeed perfect for commuters....

...and great for running around town. I hope Smart are able to get local governments here to introduce some of the Smart-friendly measures they have in Europe (half price parking in Smart-only spaces; reduced parking charges at meters if you park your Smart in such a way that there's room for another one in the same space; reduced road tax). I'd love to be able to use the carpool lane like other low emission vehicles.

The latest models and ordering info are on the www.smartusa.com site.

[Gold Metal Flake]

23. Cool, better website.

The second model, the Passion, has AC. Hmmm.

"smart fortwo passion
starting under $14,000*
The value packed, sporty and well-equipped passion includes all the features described on the pure, plus much more. Additional standard equipment includes a panorama roof, alloy wheels, air conditioning with climate control, 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles, power windows, electric and heated side mirrors, and AM/FM radio with CD player."
http://www.smartusa.com/smart-car-fortwo-passion.html

[Kutjara]

26. That's the model I had.

The Pure is really an entry level model. The Passion has all the bells and whistles that most American buyers are used to.

[Lisa]

24. in Canada too ...

Several cities have special cheaper parking spaces for them. There was even an attempt to get reduced ferry rates (they're still working on that).

[Kutjara]

29. The more that can be done to incentivize a switch...

...to more efficient, smaller vehicles, the better. Every SUV and truck we can get off the road is an extra breath for the planet (no insult intended to those who need SUVs and/or trucks; every insult possible intended to those who don't, but still drive them :)).

[Lisa]

20. there are a bunch of them driving around on the BC coast ...

The mayor of Vancouver had one. So does the present mayor of Victoria (it's kind of cute to see it parked outside City Hall!).

I can't walk along a major roadway for 15 minutes without seeing one of them drive past. Several companies in town (security, computer servicing, locksmith, real estate) also have them as their "fleet".

[Kutjara]

22. There's a really active Smart Car fan community in Canada.

They love those Smarties up there (how could they not, being people of impeccable taste?) :hi:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. My dear Kutjara!

What a cute little car!

Have fun with it.........

It is great to scoot past gas stations!

I have a Toyota Camry hybrid, and I fill up about once a month...

You'll likely do better....... :bounce: :bounce:

[Kutjara]

25. The gas mileage was a real benefit in the UK...

...where it's pushing $10 per gallon, but it'll be very welcome here too. What I'm really looking forward to is being able to park the thing trunk-in to the curb. The Smart is as long as the Merc-S Class is wide, so it's easy to park in tiny spaces once you get over the weirdness of "perpendicular parking." It's wonderful to watch people's faces as they walk by. :)

[hfojvt]

30. I thought they were supposed to get 60

40 just does not seem like enough for a flea. I could have sworn Hondas were getting that, and more, many years ago. VW Jettas were listed as 40-something. Then the dealer told me that figure was from a diesel engine and that unleaded gas engines did not do near as well. :argh:

[Kutjara]

31. They get 55 to the Imperial gallon (the one used in the UK)...

...so the specs you've seen are probably quoting that figure. The Imperial gallon is about 20% larger than the US gallon, so you have shave about 10 mpg off to get US mpg. It really is shocking that this is the best the manufacturers can do. I currently have a 4 cyl Honda Accord, and it's annoys me that it only gets around 30 mpg. What is this, the 1930s? What the Smart really needs is a high capacity electric motor.

[hfojvt]

32. doesn't that figure

I am reading UK sites and they say 'gallon' the same way they would say 'billion' I guess. I know Canada used to use the imperial gallon, but did not figure that the Brits still did.
http://www.nd.edu/~techrev/Archive/Winter2002/a3.html

Wait, this is a University of Notre Dame site. Did they not translate the gallons? They say "56, 60, and 67" for highway mpg.

[Kutjara]

33. The mpg for the US Smart hasn't been established yet, but they're...

...saying "40+." I'm guessing the real number will be somewhere near 45, unless they've had to add weight for some reason. The figures you quote are the ones I remember from the UK marketing campaign. I suspect the Notre Dame guys forgot to translate.

[hfojvt]

34. They've got to add weight, about 5 stone

for the extra weight carried by the average American. :evilgrin:

[Kutjara]

35. LOL! And a few extra pounds for the 64 oz Big Gulp. n/t

[Debbi801]

36. Not sure how they got here, but there are several driving...

the streets of Baltimore. There is actually one on a used car lot around here. One is being used to advertise a builder. http://www.ashleyhomes.com/index.php

[Kutjara]

37. A few companies have been importing converted Euro models...

...for a couple of years. They're damned expensive, though: around $28-30k depending on options, which is a bit silly for a small two-seater with a 700cc engine. I don't know if the price reflects the cost of conversion and transportation, or if the importers are just gouging people because of the Smart's novelty value. A bit of both, I suspect.

[Debbi801]

44. Yes, we actually went and looked at the one for sale near by....

It is a converted Eurpoean model and they are asking 26K for a used car! 6K was for the US conversion.

I agree that it is over priced for a tiny two seater. They sure are cute though.

[MissB]

38. There are a bunch of these for sale in Oregon

One dealership in Lake Oswego, Oregon (next to Portland) has about 10 of these for sale on his lot. I think another dealership in Portland is starting to sell them too.

on edit: Here is the dealership page... scroll down to "smart" and see what they have on hand. Interestingly enough, no prices listed. http://www.oswegoluxury.com/cgi-bin/showroom.cgi?d_id=990&mode=index

[Kutjara]

39. Interesting. The only ones I've seen up to now...

...have been $30k imports. It would be interesting to know what your local dealer is selling them for.

[MissB]

40. I just updated my message

above with a link to the dealer's site. I don't know the prices... one would have to call. :)

[Kutjara]

42. Thanks for the link!

The description makes them look like imports (particularly the nonstandard dealer warranties and servicing). I might give them a call and see how much they want for these.

[Blue-Jay]

41. Neato! I want the convertable.

As little as I drive, I probably would only need a fill-up once a month.

[Kutjara]

43. The convertible is great fun, but...

...it's not really suitable for long trips. The luggage capacity is severely limited because of the roof mechanism, and ends up being a 4' x 18" cubbyhole. Still, if you only want the car for commuting and bombing around town, it's perfect.