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 market vehicle for urban situations where parking is tight and expensive.
People who want to make a green statement will find the 8-foot-8 Smart ForTwo getting more attention than 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 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 (seats 2), the smart cars are expected to appeal to urbanites in 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.
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, Smarts reach a top speed of 90 mph after considerable persuasion.
EPA fuel economy ratings for 2008 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 over 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 hurdles all minicars face.
Crash tests, with videos available on the web, show that the 4-2 is safer than other small cars, especially those made in China.
In extensive crash tests, the steel roll cage surrounding the passenger compartment has resisted deformation.
The economy car has standard safety features normally found in luxury vehicles; four airbags, antilock 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 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 radio; Passion $13,590; and Passion Convertible $16,590.
And hey, it’s modern. Smart already has the environmental brand image that competitors try to buy with advertising.
Tired of colour? Just unscrew the plastic body panels and replace with whatever shade you have.
Will the Smart market, which has never been profitable, hold up after the new one disappears?
Yes, it is modern, it saves fuel and it is profitable. 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 boxy frontal area that 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, gas mileage isn’t significantly above 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 got 40 miles on a gallon of gas.