DaimlerChrysler introduced the hugely fuel-efficient, tiny Smart car in 1998. 
The Seattle Times reported earlier this summer it had yet to make money for the company but a top exec felt a new Smart two-seater U.S. sales initiative planned in early '08 would draw customers who question the status quo and seek individuality. More recently, the Times reported that Green imbibers gathered to quaff organic beer and wine, nosh and schmooze Greenly at a Kirkland Smart car showroom. But Forbes columnist Jerry Flint, a former senior editor for the magazine who's been writing on the auto industry since 1958, says the Smart has been a big money loser and is a lousy ride. Flint notes several years ago, a top DaimlerChrysler exec told him Smart losses had reached $3 billion. Flint adds since then DC took another $1 billion write-off on the line; and sales have stayed close to half initial production capacity even though Parisians and Romans love it. A new partnership to market the car in the U.S. via Roger Penske's United Auto Group is savvy, Flint says, but sales will still be a tiny fraction of the U.S. market and the Smart is scary to drive.
No doubt, there will be lots of publicity in New York and Los Angeles, featuring celebrities in their politically correct little cars. But the Smart is too small for the U.S. The present model is just 98 inches long. In contrast, the Mini is 144 inches long; a Chevy Impala is 200 inches. I have driven a Smart, and it can get scary. Entering a freeway with a Smart is not a pleasant experience, and you don't want to be alongside a Chevrolet Suburban when the driver suddenly decides to change lanes.
Nonetheless, if you're moving into one of the new 296-square foot condos being built in Seattle, a Smart could be just the thing, socio-politically. Myself, I'll stick with my Honda CRV, thanks. It actually has room for children, and can just tear up those Forest Service roads.
Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 01, 2006 03:57 PM | Email ThisIf a base model were sold at 5-6k the car would sell like hotcakes. However the effect would be to cannabilize lots of other vehicle sales- thus it would take a kia type of vendor to enter the market and this cannot be allowed if the detroit crowd has anything to say about it.
So instead it will come in with a ridiculously high sticker price - far exceeding the kia rio which gets 35-40/gallon and can be had for under 8k.
Too bad, I'd love one of these things- note the resurgence of the suzuki samurai as a fun rig to get around in and to off road with...I'd take the smart car since a motorcyle in the rain is just no fun.
Posted by: Andy on September 1, 2006 03:57 PMGoofy looking as well but kind of like dating a fat girl, lot's of fun but you wouldn't want your buddies to see you.
Posted by: Jeffro on September 1, 2006 04:14 PMOhhhhhh, and don't worry about the whooooosh sound the logging trucks make going 70 MPH around every corner......it certainly will not blow y'all into the trees. My guess is this little POS will easily clear the 100 ft fir trees and land safely in Hood Canal!
Do they float? Posted by: Mr. Cynical on September 1, 2006 04:27 PM
Nothing says, "I love you" like 6000 pounds of steel.
Posted by: TB on September 1, 2006 04:42 PMIt looks small, but it weighs over 2000 lbs, which is more than the old VW beetles and rabbits. It's solid, stays on the road in wind, goes fast enough, and I never have a problem finding a parking space.
No idea why this is political though, I don't think there is a party preference for these kinds of cars. In my opinion, the Smart is a perfectly decent commuter car. It's safer than the older cars too, full air bags, crumple zones, ABS, all the current safety equipment.
Posted by: John on September 1, 2006 04:43 PMI've seen a few of them around. Folks are probably self importing. I don't doubt that they meet all U.S. requirements before shipping. Better yet, maybe John will let you know how he got his.
Cliff-
Agree and disagree. Bigger than a motorbike, yes. Your bike is safer because of its manuveurability(sp). I will bet you twenty bucks that I can roll a Smart without much effort, even with the wheels placed at the far corners as they are.
John-
It's not you or the rest of us that have made this a political thing, it's the greeny environazis. If, as you say, it's is just practical for you, so be it - but please be safe my friend.
Posted by: Jeffro on September 1, 2006 05:43 PMShe's correct, it's a Mecedes product, I believe the powerplant is produced in Sweden to spec. FYI- advertising in Europe boasts- NO PARTS MADE IN USA. Take that political statement for what it's worth.
Posted by: Jeffro on September 1, 2006 05:52 PMMove on......nothing of note here......
Good riddance, bad rubbish......on to the NRA meeting......
Posted by: Hank on September 1, 2006 06:11 PMPS--Why is Nickels driving one of these things??
Posted by: Michele on September 1, 2006 06:26 PMIt is literally an acclaimed work of design and art.
Almost half of all Smart cars sold in Europe are used for advertising purposes. Even after 8 years they still get attention, and Europeans still advertise with them!
It would be one of America?s most cost-effective cars to repair.
The currently available Smart cars are acquired directly from Europe. All cars are modified to U.S. standards required by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency. The cars comply with all government agencies and come with certification & compliance documentation.
Gray market Smart cars range in cost from $25,500 to $35,500 depending on the model and options.
Smart ForTwo
Weight 1609.7 lbs
0-60 mph 18.3 seconds
Top Speed 84 mph
Engine Configuration Inline (Rear)
Cylinders 3 Turbocharged
Displacement 698.00 cc
Horsepower 61 BHP
Length 98.4 in
Width 59.6 in
Height 61 in
Wheelbase 71.3 in
Cheers,
www.smartcarofamerica.com
At $25K+,the size, and horsepower, the only market it's good for is single people, living in the city, that doesn't like to do outdoor stuff, lives close to work, and has enough money to buy it. By my guess, that demographic counts for 0.5% of the population in Washington.
Posted by: Marc on September 1, 2006 07:08 PMPersonally, a rig of 3000-4000 lb that has some degree of success against a semi, a Greyhound, or another SUV, is well worth the $300 of gas to save my life.
Apparently, as far as far as you are concerned, your life is not worth squat compared to $300 of gas/year. So environmentally concious-a wonderful hero you are. Save ANWR.....
Good for you; your sorry liberal rear end is not worth $300 to me either. Go for it, dude....
Squish, splat, oh well, another dummy bites the dust.....
Posted by: Hank on September 1, 2006 07:37 PMMy point - keep politics out of the market. If Smart sinks, it won't be the first car to bomb.
And if people want to live in real small condos, leave then alone.
Posted by: thor on September 1, 2006 08:23 PMAnd just so you know political kookiness isn't just on this side of the pond, there was a block of "luxury residences" being built in London and the parking spaces were specifically designed for a smart car so the firm could advertise that each unit came with at least one parking spot. The permit police would only allow so many levels of parking. And it is also interesting to note that the bigwigs in London zip about in large autos just like they do here because they are far too important to take public transportation.
I think Al Bore and Mayor Nickelbag should each get one of these and get rid of all of their other vehicles, including private jets and yachts. How many global warming conferences do you think these dunderheads would attend if they had to drive across country in one of these?
Also, as other commenters have noted, you do not see these peewee cars on the Europeon highways. I suspect many people over there have one just for city driving because of the narrow roads.
Posted by: Burdabee on September 1, 2006 08:23 PM98 inch long "cars"
Isn't this just so typical of the liberal mindset... put everyone in little boxes.
Posted by: Cheryl on September 1, 2006 08:56 PMI thought that forced conformity was a lefty thing, but if these comments are any indication groupthink is alive and well.
No one is making anyone drive a smaller vehicle than they choose...if you don't like the Smart, Yaris, Fit, Corolla, Civic, etc...DON'T BUY THEM!!!!
Something like a Smart makes all the sense in the world for Seattle. Has anyone here ever tried to park below the QFC on Broadway? Something that size is perfect.
Horses for courses...most suburban families have at least two vehicles, some three. Count motorcycles, and I have four. If I'm running errands and don't need to carry a lot, my Honda MC is perfect. If I need to haul something, out comes the Explorer, with or without the trailer. But if I'm running to the hardware store for some bolts, I'm not hooking up the trailer...Hello? Is this registering?
Small though the Smart may be, I'd still be safer than riding my motorcycle. There are some people for whom a car is just another appliance, and if they live in Seattle they could do a lot worse.
If you have four kids to haul and go nowhere without them, DON'T BUY A SMART!!!!
Jerry Flint is wrong when he says there is no market here...look at the success that Toyota has had with its Scion brand, and the Yaris...Honda is building a plant here in the US to build the Fit, another car everyone said was too small, because they were sold out for this calendar year...back in March.
If anyone wants to drive around in a 6000 lb pickup, and it makes you feel safe, go for it...of course, you don't expect me to listen to you whine about gas prices, right?
Anyone here more than 35 years old remembers the way Americans used to talk about "Jap" cars, right? Many of you sound the same way now...you have become your parents...no, scratch that, you've become your eccentric Uncle Herb who drove the Rambler, and before that it was a Packard...
Catch a clue, please.
Posted by: South County on September 1, 2006 09:51 PMand to south county: Truly, if I spend $26k+, I need a car that can hold the family and have decent, useable trunk space. Thus, this car does not suit a lot of people's needs, esp. at that price. If some business wants to hire someone to drive it around with a big advertisement on it, that could make sense. But for a family or hauling any kind of gear, it's not useful at all.
Posted by: Michele on September 1, 2006 10:44 PMAs kids we occasionally watched Isettas attempt to climb the relatively benign grade of the street we lived on. They would struggle mightily, coughing and sputtering. Inevitably the driver would give up and turn around.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on September 2, 2006 09:06 AMWeight 1609.7 lbs
0-60 mph 18.3 seconds (downhill, wind assisted, Mexican for lunch)
Top Speed 84 mph (downhill, wind assisted, Mexican for lunch)
Engine Configuration Inline (Rear)
Cylinders 3 (functional 1 not)
Displacement 698.00 cc
Horsepower 61 BHP
On the plus side, if you can get it up to the Newcastle Golf Course, you are permitted to use it as a golf cart.
Seriously; Car & Driver, Oct 2006- Starting 2008, 3 models of Smart Car to be sold in US. Don't buy yet, the ForTwo model will start at around 15k.
Posted by: Jeffro on September 2, 2006 09:37 AMSticker price in Canada is a much more reasonable (if still not cheap) $16k Canadian ($14.5k US). Still more than a Kia.
Posted by: cheaperthanthat on September 2, 2006 11:45 AM-25k for a new smart car.
-My used, 4100 pound Mercedes 300SEL with a 6 cylinder gets 21 MPH.
-4k for my Mercedes.
-21k saved for buying gas (I'm not going to include the insurance savings or lower yearly license fees).
-21k will buy me about 6500 gallons of premium gas at about 3.25 per gallon.
-6500 gallons of gas will get me about 135000 miles.
-135000 miles will give me about 6 years of driving.
-6 years of driving a car that can hold 5 people very comfortable. Has a full trunk as well and has many safety features that the smart car has and I will live if I get hit in an accident.
Hmm, and using the savings from insurance costs and licensing, I will go out for dinner tonight.
We bought a NEW Kia Rio 2 years ago for 6712 (including tax!) for a commuter a few years ago. It gets 35 MPG consistently. It has more oomph than my old ford pick up. I'd call it a a helluva smart car.
Posted by: Andy on September 2, 2006 06:37 PMI'm not arguing with that at all. For a childless couple, or someone who normally has a long, solo commute, it might make sense. Anyone else who bought one, or bought it thinking it would car pool, or haul furniture, or a fifth wheel, would be disappointed and shouldn't buy one.
That leaves potentially a large market.
Posted by: South County on September 2, 2006 07:06 PMSee Alex (did you know that you misspelled your own name?!), That's what opinions are all about - They reflect attitudes about stuff.
We're thrilled that you're happy with your choice, and you're perfectly welcome to suggest that others buy them too. That's your opinion.
Mine is that they're a joke (and an expensive one at that). I couldn't possibly respect anyone who would be duped into forking over a sizeable chunk of change for one (much less be caught dead in one). That's my opinion.
See how it works?
Posted by: alphabet soup on September 3, 2006 08:18 AMSeems to be a reasonable choice for multiple-car owners. I have an efficient little car that I drive 95% of the time, and a truck for when I need one.
But for the SUV drivers who get a chuckle over the thought of smashing a little toy like the Smart, remember that you're not the biggest wheels on the road. I drive my kids to soccer practice in my Peterbilt! Hah!
Posted by: RedStateOfMind on September 3, 2006 11:19 PMi'll back the insurance companies' moves to charge owners of these more if they get injured more or more seriously; after all, market proponents shouldnt whine about responsibility, right? my guess is injuries in these will tend to be more serious; but hey--life's a constant tradeoff
Posted by: Jimmie-howya-doin on September 4, 2006 06:19 AMObviously, the only one here who feeeeeeeels threatened is you. Equally obviously is the fact that you're incapable of thought.
F your ownself stooge...
Posted by: alphabet soup on September 4, 2006 07:42 AMAs for accident safety, well, don't you watch NASCAR? Every car on the road COULD be that safe with a roll cage and 5-point seat belts, but we're not likely to see it in dealer showrooms. Because the manufacturers and the customers don't want to spend a little extra money for their safety, we have air bags and "crumple zones." But, that's free market, isn't it?
Posted by: RedStateOfMind on September 4, 2006 08:05 PMCity streets, go ahead. Highway; Simple answer no. 0-60mph in 18+ seconds is unsuitable for most of our short entry ramps. This poses a risk not only to the Smart car but to the traffic in which it will merge. Most motorcycles can achieve highway speed in 3-4 seconds.
Besides, I'd never use Canada as an example of what we should be doing down here.
Posted by: Jeffro on September 5, 2006 03:33 PM
In 6th gear, it was easy to hold 140KM/hr = 80mph.
Climbing some of the hills here, it goes up them in 4th or 5th.
So, it is small, (we have a 84 Olds Delta 88 as well, but it is fast as it needs to be.
As for crash protection, check some of the Youtube videos.