Posted on 02/18/2005 7:45:39 AM PST by add925
IT'S Smart but it's certainly not clever, and it has cost Daimler-Chrysler more than e2bn (£1.4bn) since its launch. Now the question is: how much longer will the carmaker continue to underwrite the underperforming Smart car?
Heralded as the future of urban personal transport when it was launched in 1998, the car was environmentally friendly, ergonomically appealing and space efficient.
But DaimlerChrysler's unique minicar has been revealed in the German media as a costly failure with 2004 losses of about e600m, making the overall dent in its creator's pocket up to e2bn.
(Excerpt) Read more at thisislondon.co.uk ...
I think its CUTE!
I just don't know what I'd do with one. Where do I put the kid seats? If I have a passenger, where do I put luggage, computer cases, or groceries? It is nearly useless!!!!!
My mom and dad got a Crosley refrigerator (I believe it was actually called the Crosley "Shelvador") after they got married in '54; they gave it away in the '70's, and I believe it is still in a garage where its main function is to keep beer cold. His automobiles may not have been built for the ages, but Powell built one tough 'fridge.
I'll take your word for it, aR. Couldn't pay me enough to own one.
I'd buy it if it came as a convertible. I would think of it as sort of a motorcycle.
It only sells in europe and its selling point is that it is small. Small in a place where finding parking is very difficult at best.
The inside is not as cramped as you would think. However it is smaller in person. Essentially take a volkswaggon bettle with only the passenger compartment on four tiny wheels. Seats two and enough trunk space for a lawyer's catalogue case.
The three cylinder engine does not leave enough power or endurnace for modest long distance travel outside of cities. Not a problem given the one time zone size of individual european countries.
The neat thing about this car is, you can stick it in your pocket when it's not in use.
I wonder what one of my drives from Seattle to Minnesota would be like in that car...
I'd probably want to make chiropractor appointments at both ends before the trip. 8^>
9000 have been ordered in the US.
I'd buy one just to scoot around my house in.
Interesting how the germans buy Rolls Royce, then launch the german only maybach, then attempt to reduce the Rolls to second class status.
ForFour....
ForFour Interior
I thought the Ka was pretty cool looking. Those and Seats usually filled the streets of Spain. Well along with all the scooters. I bet they would be a hit with the tuner market here if they built up a lot of aftermarket parts for it. Cheap entry price, lots of parts to hop it up...hmmm, must be why Civic hatchbacks do so well in that market.
>> Rather have a 80 hp 350 lb motorcycle.
EXACTLY what I thought when I read that post. LOL.
Crosley with the Cobra engine. No not Carrol Shelby's Cobra. With Crosley it meant COpper BRAsed. Just threw that in.
Bump.
Some of you people are all about looks.
All I know from car threads on FR is that 99% of the people on here are horrible drivers because most of the comments are to the effect of "but it'll crumple like paper when I ram/get rammed by X". According to the car sages here it's Road Warrior 2005 on America's highways everyday.
Actually, the Austrians (BMW) bought Rolls Royce, and the Germans (VW-Audi) got Bentley, leaving former class leader Mercedes Benz looking for a super luxury line to match them.
SO9
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