Safety Concern Cited on Smart Micro Car

Breitbart/AP ^ | 4/3/08 | KEN THOMAS

[teancumspirit]

I have orderd one, I should have it in sept, there is a nine month waiting period in Seattle. I drove one and had alot of fun in it. I am looking for a comuter and easy parking.

[yorkie]

Stay safe. Those big trucks can’t see little cars very well.

[yorkie]

IIRC, mine was called the Civic CRX.

[nascarnation]

For those not familiar, they are mfg in France by a Mercedes affiliate, and Roger Penske has the USA rights to sell them. They’re not terribly cheap at 15 grand or so.

When you see one on the street it’s definitely a shocker because of the tiny size. If I lived in a city like Chicago or NYC and never went on the freeway, it might make sense, more because of the ability to park and maneuver than the actual gas mileage.

[Obadiah]

Yeah, that’s the thing. The Fortwo is a go-cart on wheels and yet really get no better gas mileage than current technology or even previously built cars. WHAT’S THE POINT? Oh, I get it, it gives the environazis a tingling sensation up their leg.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Smart cars have been very popular around here for a few years. There have been no real safety issues. The big advantage is parking.

BTW, the diesel versions got a lot better fuel mileage.

[upchuck]

"Given the amount of attention on smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles in general and this vehicle specifically, we wanted to try to get the vehicle tested and the results out there as quickly as possible, even if we had to fudge the results a little." Tyson said.

[mamelukesabre]

There were two more letters after that. CRX Si, CRX HF, or the standard one. I suppose it’s possible the standard version didn’t have any letter designation. That would explain why I don’t remember what the letter designation was for the standard version.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

WHAT’S THE POINT?

Parking!

[MHGinTN]

At 1800 to 2000 lbs. it will be easy to pull and just right for in town driving and when out on a jaunt for a week or two. I need something to go to the laundry and grocery store when parked for a spell. I couyld use it around home for the weekly shopping sprints.

[Recon Dad]

As “Fat Bastard” said “I’ve had bigger chunks of corn in my crap”!

[upchuck]

I want the red car...

[Myrddin]

One of these smart cars was traveling southbound on I-15 on Valentine's Day. My wife and I saw it a few times as we made the trip from Pocatello to San Diego. It didn't seem to have any problem zipping along at 75 MPH with the rest of the traffic. It's the first one I've seen in the U.S. There were lots of them in Rome in March 2005 when I visited to present a technical paper.

[mad_as_he$$]

ROFLMAO

[Levante]

They had those “Smart” cars all over Spain when I was stationed there (2003-2005).

I saw one here in DC just last week. On the ROAD. It really surprised me!

[Repeal The 17th]

Nah, looks perfectly safe to me . . . NOT !

[mamelukesabre]

THere’s one car smaller than the smart micro car, that I know of. THis link shows it as purely electric, but I’m sure I read somewhere about 10 years ago that they made a version with a harley v-twin engine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corbin_Sparrow

[RightWhale]

The car might not be safer than a bicycle, but these safety people could find a dozen safety concerns to a dirt shovel.

[DB]

Laid to rest.

[Ole Okie]

LADEEZ AND GEMPMUMS:

Behold the future!