40 MPG SMART Car Arrives in U.S. (Glorified Go Kart)

AP via Yahoo ^

[Slapshot68]

"The Smart's base price is $11,590, and a fully loaded Smart Fortwo Passion convertible goes for $16,950. The 1,800-pound car gets 40 miles per gallon."

[PAR35]

Kaiser-Willis, which became part of Chrysler, which was sold to to M-B

You left out the stint at AMC.

[Squawk 8888]

They’ve been on the streets here in Toronto for about a year now. If they cut the price in half it would be an excellent value for the money but $18k is far too much to pay for what it delivers.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

I can see this roller skate trying to get over the Cajon pass in a Santa Ana wind...It would end up in San Diego!

[null and void]

It’s customary to ping a person when you name them in your post...

[IronJack]

I like it. It’s so stupid it’s funny. If they get the price down another couple grand and the mileage up to 50, I’d consider buying one as a commuter vehicle.

[null and void]

I saw one on 280 in San Jose...

[M203M4]

If the safety specs are reassuring, I would consider it for a second vehicle when the price goes below $10k. Without cargo or passenger capacity, it certainly isn’t suitable as a general purpose vehicle.

[Dixie Yooper]

I would like to see someone try to earn a “I climbed Mt. Washington” sticker for one of these.

[tumblindice]

I had to peel one of those off my trucks bumper last week. Maybe it was a Toyota Yaris.

[KenHorse]

My 2002 gets 22 MPG around town, 30+ MPG on the highway. 400+ horses, 400+ ft-lbs. torque.

http://www.ah6le.net/corvette/c5front.jpg

[Squawk 8888]

I wonder how this baby will hold up when it gets banged into by a Hummer or an Escalade.

They are quite surprisingly crashworthy. I was behind one when it got hit on the driver's side by a pickup truck and the driver didn't get a scratch. I was first on the scene and didn't even need tools to get the driver's door open.

The key to the safety of smaller cars is that they are light enough that other vehicles simply push them out of the way. In the case of the accident I witnessed, it was moved about thirty feet by the truck that hit it but the side panels were only pushed in a couple of inches.

[Redleg Duke]

I saw one of these down in Mexico a year ago. It looked like a racoon had crapped on some kid’s skateboard.

[beethovenfan]

or even a Honda Civic.

[Andonius_99]

If you live in the Northeast, this thing could save you hundreds a month in parking fees because it will fit in spaces no other cars can use.

Yeah, like my pocket...

[Moonman62]

A Honda Civic is at or near this price range and you get two more whole seats!

A Honda won't fit in my trunk.

[Squawk 8888]

I have a scooter that gets slightly better mileage than that (100mpg in imperial gallons) and it goes twice as fast as a moped. When I witnessed an accident involving a SMART, the cop on the scene suggested sending the tow truck away because I could haul it.

[AnalogReigns]

good for you! I’ve heard that it’s passenger compartment cage literally makes it one of the safest vehicles on the road.

I must admit though I DESPISE SUV’s! (since 90%+ of the people who own them have no actual need for a 4x4 truck-sized vehicle)

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Think of all the fun we could have trying to stay alive dodging drunk Mexicans....It would make getting to work an adventure!...We could all wear Indiana Jones get ups.

[DungeonMaster]

I wonder how this baby will hold up when it gets banged into by a Hummer or an Escalade.

Better than my bicycle.

[Slapshot68]

“If the safety specs are reassuring, I would consider it for a second vehicle when the price goes below $10k. Without cargo or passenger capacity, it certainly isn’t suitable as a general purpose vehicle.”

Exactly. I don’t have anything against the car intself, but the price point is too high...for me anyway. As I said before, you can get a car with two rows of seats that gets near 40 MPG for the same price. Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, etc.