Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

With gas prices rising, and a minimum 50 mile commute for me per weekday between work and home, I would consider it for sure!

60 MPG = sweet!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060604/...lerchrysler_dc

Another article for those who prefer to get their news from MSN:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5217861/

Canadians will have a chance to drive these too, and their versions will be diesel fueled.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

ROFLMAO, no way, I want to at least have a chance at having a girlfriend someday! :ahh: :yikes:
I'm already geeky enough as it is! :p


(Wasn't that car used in the Pink Panther remake and The Davinci Code?)

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

No way. This car will be bringin it the ladies...lol. I'm serious though. They think everything that is little is cute. Cars dont get much smaller then this. Also, you can have your seat as far back as you want and not bother the people in the back.......no one is in the back. And think about it.....all that money saved on gas....thats more money to make em happy. (Girls please back me up on this one)

Well by the looks of it, its clearly a cool car. They probably wont be too expensive to buy either. A car is a car, and that 60 mpg is just a bonus. I'm personally waiting for the low rider convertible edition. ;) ;)

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Gentlemen, allow me to settle this dispute.

Simply put, a guy who drives one of those will get instant hotness points.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I've already seen a few of those here in SoCal. There are much much uglier cars already selling here. So, I don't think looks on this one is a problem. If I could fit in it, I don't think I would mind having one. The only thing I'd worry about is getting hit by a large heavy vehicle.

I can't wait until E85 starts selling over here though. My truck is a flex fuel vehicle so it can already run on it with no modifications. For those of you who have E85 where you live, is it cheaper than gas? If so, by how much?

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Actually, Canadians already have the gas-powered two-seat version. (It's been sold here for a couple of years, now.)
They're surprisingly strong.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Let's see ...

2002 Saturn VUE (my current vehicle)
+ 5 star frontal and side crash test rating
+ Steel safety cage
+ 5 Passenger
+ Loads of cargo space (63.8 cu. ft.) - great for moving back and forth (home to college) all the time.
+ 250 HP 3.5L V6 engine
+ All-Wheel Drive
+ Weighs 3300 lbs. (good for winter driving)
+ 15.5 gallon fuel tank
+ Able to tow 3500 lbs
- 28 MPG Highway, 22 MPG City

2007 DCX Smart Fortwo
- 3 star crash test rating
+ Tridion "safety cell"
- 2 Passenger
- No cargo space (12.8 cu. ft. with the passenger seat folded up)
- 75 HP 4.7L turbocharged 3 cylinder engine
- Front Wheel Drive
- Only weighs 1600 lbs
- 5 gallon fuel tank
- Goofy Looking
+ 40-60 MPG Highway (depending on the source)

If I lived in a big city it might be practical. But for where I drive, and with what I use my car for, I'll keep my Saturn, thanks. It's much more pratical for me.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Most definitely. I've been wanting one since I saw them in Europe.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Heh.
I saw one of those behind me on the QEW on the way to GTR. I was wondering if that was capable of keeping up with the bigger vehicles on the freeway.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Do you really want to be in the smallest and lightest car on the highway?

Been there... Don't ever want to do it again. :ahh:

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I think this would definately be someones second car, used for short commutes within the city.

Highway in the city at 8am never gets much above 10mph.

I commute about 25 miles a day, on secondary streets across town. If I could actually get 60mpg with it, then I would consider it

(if the price was less than, oh..... maybe $7,000?)

There is no way I would get one if it were going to be my only vehicle.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Ever since they started talking about E85 6 months to a year ago, the price has shot up. Its been more expensive than regualar petrol recently in Indy, but I think now it's 10 cents cheaper now. (regular unleaded at bp cost me $2.78 two days ago).

I understand that it does not get as good of gas milage so it comes out as NOT being more economical than regular.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

What is the advantage of having a 3-cylinder in it compared to a bigger V-twin. They perform fine in motorcycles.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

The only thing (other than money) that would keep me from switching in a heartbeat: One of those can't hold a robot. If I could figure that one out, game on.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Roof Rack!

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

wonder what the horn sounds like -
it would be cool if it was a major honkin' horn
not a little meep beep

edit: when I was in college I had a Rambler. I ordered and installed a horn that sounded like aa-oooo-gah. It was great. If I were to have to give up my big truck, I would want to have a big honkin' horn. Esp. if the robot is on the roof rack.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Although this car gets great gas mileage, how short do you have to be to fit in it? I am roughly 6'-6" and can squeeze into a Focus but this car looks like a Hot Wheels on steroids. I just can't see this thing doing to well.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I would by one...to use as a go-cart :p


and yea the fact i cant drive prevents me from bying one too

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

All the more reason to get one. :D

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Agreed. They could definitely have a market in the big city areas and for new drivers, singles, and college students. Scion could have some competition, depending on the price.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

So is the Davinci Code Movie really just a 90 minute commercial for this car?

I saw some lady driving one backwards in the movie preview, going like 60!

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I already drive a high mileage car, and I can't begin to describe the advantages of that gas mileage in the city.

I'd drive this...for a purely superficial reason. It's cute. Like a kitten!

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I was driving at about 110 km/h on the freeway here in Montreal one time, when a Smart car whizzed past at 130 or so. So if that's any indication, Smart cars can hold their own on the freeway (although I'm sure they'd literally go flying if involved in a collision).

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

It's about ten cents cheaper here too. As I understand it, the point isn't to increase gas mileage, but to reduce emissions. Then, you get into the whole issue of corn being a very demanding crop. (I'm still waiting for ethanol from kudzu) There is another benefit of ethanol, it has a higher octane rating. I don't know specifics, I've heard it is about 110 octane for pure ethanol, but that isn't from an extremely reliable source. For turbo/supercharged cars that means lots more power, for others, more compression = more power.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I knew a guy who got sick of people pulling out in front of his Harley, so he put a 12V truck horn on it

some lady in a cadellac started pulling out in front on him a few weeks later

he blew the truck horn

she stopped and looked

she didnt see no truck

and she pulled out right in front of him

end of the harley, he landed about 60 feet down the street in some bushes.

the horn survived.

BTW, on the SmartCar - 75HP is a LOT for a car that small. The old '60s VW bugs only had 55 HP engines, and they could do 82mph flat out.

speaking of VW, they had a concept car a few years back, 2 seater with the passenger sitting behind the driver

if I remember correctly it got 100 km on one liter of diesel fuel. It looked sorta like the original batmobile

That comes out to 240 mpg!

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

big woo...

High school kids in Indiana made a 1-seater that gets 1836 mpg at the 2005 Supermileage Challenge. Granted, that vehicle is using a 3.5 hp Briggs and Stratton engine, but that is still some thrifty gas guzzling.

Here are the Supermileage Rules. Lots of high schools in this area are into this competition, and it is well supported by our state Dept. of Ed.

Andy B.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I just got back from Greece and these Smart Cars are everywhere over there. They are cute, I'll give them that. They would be great for short trips and city driving but that is about it as far as I am concerned. I'm just not getting in any car for a road trip on a highway or interstate that only has 3 lug nuts per wheel!

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

but this is something that could be put into production and driven like a regular car

not something designed to go around and around a test track at 18mph

http://vw.co.uk/new_devs/one_litre

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VW_1-litre_car

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

The good thing about this car is that if it gets stuck in the snow you can just pick it up and carry it home! :p Or just flip it over and use it as a tobaggon. ;)

Personally I wouldn't buy one. My Camry is the smallest car I'd like to own.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

If I had a use for a car here in NYC, I'd probably get something like that. However, $76/mo, no insurance, no parking tickets/costs ($400/mo to park a car in the garage next door), and no car payments, for the subway makes me happy. With the way gas prices are going (even with smart cars), I doubt I'll own a car before I'm 30 (and I'll have saved that $100k or so it'd cost!)

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

The car is surprisingly crashworthy for its apparent size. The passengers sit relatively high up, and the passenger cage is extraodinarily well designed for protection. Of course, the heaviest vehicle often wins - simple physics - but your survivability in a smart ForTwo is better than in a 1972 Cadillac Eldorado - even against each other.
You'd fit in it with room to spare. Unbelieveable, but true. I am 5'11" and could adjust the seat so that I couldn't even reach the pedals!. I also had another 6" of head room at that moment, and could get more by lowering the seat adjustment. I was sitting upright, as well. More room than a big Mercedes.

the very coolest is that you can park it in a parallel parking space - nose in! It's under 9 feet long, and so fits nose in against the curb.

The only downside: Not much cargo room. If you sit in it and face forwards, it is one of the roomiest cars you have even experienced. It's a bit disconcerting to back up, though: Normal practice is to swing your body around and look behind you - - and the rear glass is about 6" from your nose. I never did get used to that.

Don

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I need something to replace my bike for what little travel I plan to do going into the college years... this will do the trick. ;)

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Smart to be sold over there then? They are cool little things, shame they've stopped making the Smart Roadster. :(

The Mini sold well from what I heard so I think the Smart should too. However there are more economical cars over here. I think the VW Golf can do over 70 miles per gallon for example.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

I probably wouldn't get one, if only because it's got no room to put stuff. the price tag is higher than you would think, also. I can't remember the exact number. The fuel efficiency is way good, and i think its attractive in a quirky way.
I have also been a fan of tiny cars with less horsepower for a long time. In the end, it is the number of horses per pound and suspension that make the difference, not just raw power.
I WOULD get the sport model that smart makes. the roadster is a nice looking car with good milage. it has room, but is a little underpowered. but a little work can fix the power issue, eh?

edit: judging by the website, the roadster is still available

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

the smart website gives the price of the base model 2 seater as 6,775 British Pounds

thats $12,600 USD. Not cheap by any means. You could get a base model Saturn Ion for the same price, have room for 4 + a real trunk, and still get better than 40mpg highway.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

Well, don't forget, cars in the UK are generally more expensive than the US. They have higher taxes on cars. Over here, a base mercedes C230 costs $29,975. In the UK, they cost 26,045 GBP.. That's over $46,000 USD.

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

It's nice to see super high milage cars coming out, but it's so darn ugly. *shudder*

Re: Daimler-Chrysler may bring this to the US, but would you consider buying one?
 

thats a good sign. Real engineers dont care about appearences :^)

If its ugly then its probably designed to be functional.

Remember when all the bubble shaped cars started coming out, and the consumers chanted a resounding "BLAH!"