In most places within North America, auto insurance represents one of the most costly ongoing expenses attached to automotive ownership. A monthly or annual cost that varies wildly between driver, we barely understand the number of factors affecting our individual insurance rate. Driver’s age, gender and history behind the wheel plays the key part in establishing what we need to pay in order to venture on roadways legally.

Besides the human factor, your chosen automobile also weighs on the determination for the insurance premium amount. While the calculations of auto insurance quotes differ between companies and policies, a car-insurance.com chart cited that the vehicle accounts for thirteen percent of a driver’s rate. When buying a new car, we assume that a 2012 Porsche 911′s sporty agility will drive car insurance coverage reasonably higher than a fuel-efficient economy car. As automotive consumers, we can assume (often with some certainty) that certain vehicles are high risk for collision. In the case of auto insurance companies, more scientific data collection assists in the conclusion of vehicle rates.

Founded in 1959 as a non-profit organization meant to study vehicle and drivers, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has spawned to cover an array of automotive safety-related topics including new car crash testing. In the 1970s, the IIHS created the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) designed specifically to collect and examine information on human as well as financial loss in automobile accidents. One aspect researched by the IIHS and HLDI is the insurance losses based on a specific vehicle. Among six different types of insurance (Collision, liability, comprehensive, personal injury, medical and bodily injury), the IIHS records the comparable losses of almost every popular newer vehicle.

For the most recent vehicle data based on 2008 to 2010 model year products, data showed that the Scion tC topped the list as the highest overall insurance loss. As an import sports vehicle, the Scion tC caters to younger, riskier group of drivers therefore leading to worse than average insurance loss. In addition, being a Japanese-built vehicle, the collision insurance costs would be understandably high for North American drivers. Since introduction, the Scion tC has been a rated in the overall top-five of the vehicle insurance loss list.

Other vehicles found on the highest insurance loss list between the 2008 and 2010 model years involves a mix of everyday, Luxury and performance. Below the Scion tC coupe on the IIHS list is the long wheelbase variant of the Mercedes Benz S-Class sedan, Mitsubishi Lancer (not specifically the Evolution model) and the Chevrolet Cobalt. While the Cobalt’s appearance on the list could also be cited for sizeable production numbers, the compact Chevrolet joins six of the top-ten highest loss vehicles targeted for the youth market.

On the other side of the insurance data, some of the lowest loss vehicles Subaru Outback wagon, Honda CR-V and the Ford F-150. While the presence a two-door sport compact car at the top of the IIHS list of highest insurance losses is not a surprise, two popular sports cars make an amusing stand on the lowest insurance loss chart. The Chevrolet Corvette and the Mazda MX-5 Miata present lower than average insurance loss data. Topping the list on the lowest insurance loss chart is the Smart ForTwo. From the collection of automobile types assembled on the lowest insurance loss list, it could be assumed sport cars like the Corvette and MX-5 Miata are driven with more care.

When identifying individual vehicles, the insurance loss data displays some interesting observations among vehicle categories. While the insurance loss numbers constructed by the IIHS and the HLDI reveals that many mid-sized sedans are less risky than smaller vehicles, there are several exceptions. For example, the Smart ForTwo, MINI Cooper Clubman and Volkswagen New Beetle all overcome the small car stigma to have lower insurance loss numbers. Perhaps reinforcing the sense many American automobile buyers maintained over the last decade, sport utility and crossover vehicles were rated favourably for insurance loss. Every SUV and crossover vehicle built from 2008 to 2010 model year achieved either average or under the auto insurance industry’s average for loss.

Blind to gender, driving experience or even location in the United States, vehicle insurance loss information collected by the IIHS and HLDI will definitely influence your next auto quote for a late model automobile.

Information source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
Photo Source: Chris Nagy

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Smart ForTwo

Smart encourages drivers to “think differently,” a phrase that becomes all that more relevant when trying to find parking in a crowded city. Aside from being the most convenient parking machine on the road, the ForTwo generates a lot of buzz (at least in the US) from its stark design contrast in relation to the average American car.

There’s obviously something special about the ForTwo; countless individuals have taken the leap from bulky, environmentally inefficient vehicles toward the new wave of design and purpose expressed by the Smart. Could this be the vehicle that paves the way for American drivers to completely change their ways?

Toyota iQ

The Toyota iQ is set to make big waves in the super compact market as being one of the first vehicles to offer the size and efficiency of a super compact without sacrificing adequate storage space or modern styling. Toyota removed various unnecessary components of the standard dashboard to accommodate for a comfortable front seat experience, as well as space for two additional passengers in the rear. If you thought cars of this size were only made for two people, think again. The iQ is set for limited production in 2012 and will likely be rebranded under Scion for US consumers.

Mini Cooper Coupe

Mini Coopers have been around for quite some time now, but it wasn’t until recent years that we’ve seen any significant changes in product lines and styles from the Mini brand. Enter the Mini Cooper Coupe. A subtle variation of the standard Cooper, the Cooper Coupe is a 2 door roadster that is undeniably Mini, yet quite unique in its own right. This is the first 2-door vehicle that Mini has produced, commanding a small market segment of emotionally charged Mini drivers searching for the stylish qualities that a coupe can provide.

Fiat 500 Abarth

Fiat has a lot of ground to cover if they want to make an impact in the US auto market, but the recent announcement of the 500 Abarth will surely stir up some excitement for those individuals looking for a little performance with their compact. The 500 Abarth boasts a turbocharged engine with around 130 horsepower – not bad for a car that is about half the size of all the other vehicles on the road in the US today. The exterior fascia upgrades on the 500 Abarth also help seal the concept that small doesn’t have to mean lower performance or inferior styling.

Aston Martin Cygnet

Based on the Toyota iQ platform, the Aston Martin Cygnet is not quite what you would expect from one of the world’s leading luxury vehicle manufacturers. And at a starting price of £30,995 (~$49,595 US), it’s not entirely aimed at the traditional super compact buyers either. Fortunately, Aston Martin carries a brand fully capable of marketing rare and expensive vehicles to small market niches. Few individuals will have the opportunity to indulge in the upgraded styling and feature set of the Cygnet, making it the perfect super compact luxury car for the upscale city dweller.

Kyle Suss is an Internet marketing guru at Suss Buick GMC, Colorado’s largest supplier of Denver used cars.

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Though Smart debuted as a brand with a lot of promise in 1998, this promise has been broken by the unique vehicle’s growing pains. Dealing with short-lived attempts to expand the brand beyond the trademark Fortwo, Smart’s biggest hiccup is definitely the brand’s endeavour into the United States market. After an aborted effort when the ill-fated Daimler-Chrysler reigned, Smart finally gained official access to the United States in 2008 when Penske Automotive Group agreed to source the Smart Fortwo vehicles. However, perhaps due to the shaky entrance, enthusiasm for the Smart brand has been difficult to retain even as the popularity for smaller, urban-style vehicles is elevated. Sales of Smart car in the United States were down 34% making the present state of the brand like hazy. Showing struggles, it may surprise some that Mercedes-Benz USA is taking the Smart brand’s sales and distribution in the United States in-house.

Set to complete in July, current distributer Penske Automotive Group will be relieved of the Smart overall placement in the country. In a procedure which will see 21 dealers (including 4 owned by the Penske Automotive Group) lose their franchise, the Smart Fortwo will have a more ideal home within the Mercedes-Benz dealership network.

So what force is provoking Mercedes-Benz to takeover the Smart brand’s United States sales and marketing? Summing it up in one acronym, CAFE. In many previous years, luxury car makers like Mercedes-Benz elected to instead pay out considerable but manageable cash penalties rather than risk watering down the brand with a smaller, fuel efficient vehicle. IN 2006, Mercedes-Benz accepted a total $30.3 million penalty for their lineup of high fuel consuming vehicles. With new fleet fuel economy standards being phased in by CAFE for 2016, the new 34.1 mile per gallon mark requires a need for a more fuel-friendly alternative to the improved but still thirstier AMG engines. Presently featuring 41 miles per gallon in highway fuel economy, the Smart Fortwo is an ideal countermeasure to Mercedes-Benz’s larger sedans and utility vehicles.

Helping Mercedes-Benz, this deal is likely to marginalize the Smart for the foreseeable future. Though the Electric Fortwo is still slated for distribution alongside the gasoline-powered Smart vehicle, this deal terminates a planned four-door model. Through a deal which was to have a United States-only Smart car built on the same architecture as the new generation Nissan Versa, it was hoped this larger product would have adapted better to the space criteria North American drivers desire. With the divesting of Penske’s management of the United States Smart distribution channel, Nissan is left with another soured deal for platform sharing. In another recent incident, Chrysler’s bankruptcy in 2009 and merger with Fiat ended joint plans with Nissan to build the next-generation Titan pickup.

Under the guidance of Smart’s parent company, it is said at least 300 Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the United States will feature the Fortwo models to the remaining 58 Smart-exclusive dealerships.

Information Source: Automotive News, Penske Automotive Group
Photo Source: Chris Nagy

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A car that proposed a profound rethinking of urban transportation, the Smart brand launched for the European market in 1998. While a sleek, efficient vehicle design, Smart’s has been a problem-plagued automaker financially and has seen their future in peril more than once since full-scale car production. Absorbed into Daimler-Benz, the German auto company has allowed Smart, led by their Fortwo, pushed on to perfect their B-segment brand.

Even though the United States auto market has rebounded with crossover and large trucks leading the surge back a dreadful 2009, a growing automotive consumer base in North America are demanding smaller car offerings specifically in the five-door hatchback variety. Already building the smallest mass-marketed vehicle in the United States, Smart has announced their intentions to grow their business with a larger five-door Smart product by early 2012.

To be constructed on a Nissan platform, likely the same basis of the current Versa, this will be the first Smart car other than the Fortwo sold in the United States. A first for Americans, this will not be an initial outing for the producer of B-Segment compact cars. Having attempted before to branch out the Smart name beyond their conventional two-seater, European markets were already greeted with a four-door called the Forfour (shown at the top of this article). Produced in conjunction with Mitsubishi Motors between 2004 to 2006, the Forfour was intended for the United States if it was not for poor sales in Smart’s existing markets. In 2006, a mini SUV concept named the Formore was also positioned for the U.S. auto market but the whole vehicle was eventually canceled by Smart.

Supported this time by the wishes of Penske Automotive Group, Smart’s exclusive United States dealership channel, “We are faced with continuing customer demand for the Smart car with more seating capacity.” said Roger Penske, Chairman of the Penske Automotive Group adding that the five-door Smart car will fit well in the current automotive market. As an interesting side note, when Roger Penske attempted to buy the ill-fated Saturn brand from General Motors, a Nissan Versa-based vehicle was one product was roaming around the rumour mill.

An exclusive product for the United States (and perhaps North American) market, additional details on the five-door Smart car (engines, pricing, etc.) will come at a later date.

Information and photo source: Smart via Daimler-Benz

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Here we have another special edition smart fortwo minicar. Smart drivers (the car, not intelligence,) in my experience are insanely smug about their cars, much like the Toyota Prius, and love to make it their own with smart’s customization options. Offering special editions with exclusive colors and options similar to Scion’s Release Series lineup gives owners a chance to stand out, which is obviously of utmost importance to most of them.

The smart fortwo edition greystyle (all lower-case of course,) features a matte grey finish with matching 15–inch 6-spoke alloy wheels, a black “tridion cell” as they call it, and contrasting bright yellow highlights on the side mirror caps. The color scheme carries over inside with black nappa leather and grey fabric, yellow stitching and yellow accents abound.

The edition greystyle can be had in either coupe or cabriolet models, and you can choose from a 71 hp engine with micro hybrid drive or an 84 hp engine. With the micro hybrid drive, the smart features an automatic engine start/stop feature that shuts down down the engine when braking (and traveling under 5 mph,) then starts again when the brake is released. Smart promises that this will give around 20% fuel economy improvement.

Pricing starts at €16,135 (around $22,100 USD.) Yes, that’s pretty expensive given the base price of the smart fortwo ($11,990.) Check out more photos below:

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Ah, the moment so many greenies have been waiting for: The EV version of the Smart two-seater is starting series production. Soon, you’ll be able to buy a city car fitted with a highly efficient lithium-ion battery and a 30 kW electric motor is fitted at the rear axle. As with all electric motors, it’s got lots of torque and all of it is available form essentially zero RPM. In the case of the electric Smart, that means 120 Newton meters of torque that are immediately available.

The smart fortwo electric drive is aimed at ease of use. It can be plugged into any normal household socket and charged the way you’d get juice into your iPod. And it’s cheap too. In Germany, for example at current exchange rates, a full charge costs around two Euros, or about three bucks. Once charged, you can get 115 kilometers of range (about 65 miles), which, as Smart puts it is “more than enough for city traffic.”

As of now though, you can’t buy a smart fortwo electric drive (the little guys full name, apparently in all lower case for unexplained reasons), they are initially being leased to customers in Berlin. After Berlin, the roll out market, then it’s on to other cities in Europe and the USA, from 2012 it will be “available to anyone interested,” which I assume means you can by one outright. Smart had already tested an EV version of their already popular fortwo in 2007 in London, and the customer reaction was very positive from the get-go.

So, the 30 kW electric motor has more than enough grunt to motivate the little guy. Putting down 120 Newtonmetres of torque from no RPMs, the smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 – 60 km/h in 6.5 seconds, which is just as quick as its gas engined brethren. Unfortunately the maximum speed has been limited to 100 km/h, which Smart says is “a suitable speed for the city. ”

Maybe, but I bet you can circumvent that limiter. And I bet you could get a bunch of smart fortwo electric drives and start a one make racing series. That might be fun to watch. And it could be a good thing to have a Saturday support series for, say, the IRL. Roger Penske is the North America importer for Smarts, but I’m just speculating on a hypothesis.

The Smart press release:

Smart goes into series production with second generation electric drive

From mid November 2009 the new smart fortwo electric drive will roll off the production line at the smart factory in Hambach, France. Unlike its predecessor, the electrically driven smart fortwo of the second generation is fitted with an innovative and highly efficient lithium-ion battery. It is housed in a space-saving position between the axles, which means that space is not compromised in any way in the intelligent two-seater vehicle. A 30 kW electric motor is fitted at the rear. This provides for good acceleration and high agility with 120 Newton meters of torque that are immediately available. The smart fortwo electric drive can be charged at any normal household socket. In Germany, a full battery charge costs approximately two euros and is sufficient for a range of around 115 kilometres – more than enough for city traffic. smart has made electric drive a practical alternative for zero-emission mobility in urban areas. The new smart fortwo electric drive is initially being leased to customers in Berlin and other cities in Europe and the USA who will subject the environmentally friendly trendsetter to intensive real-world testing in tough everyday conditions. From 2012 it will be available to anyone interested.
Environmental friendliness and contemporary functionality have been defining features of the smart fortwo ever since it was launched more than ten years ago. Since then its innovative concept has combined sustainable, forward-looking technologies with individual urban mobility. With a length of just over two and a half meters the extremely compact vehicle can also park perpendicular to the flow of traffic. In addition, the space-saving and environmentally friendly two-seater currently has the lowest fleet consumption and brings its occupants to their destination comfortably and safely. Its design is fresh, youthful, modern and yet sophisticated and has made it an automotive lifestyle icon which shows that mobility, responsibility to the environment and joie de vivre are compatible with one another. The smart fortwo has established a class of its own.
smart fortwo electric drive offers innovative driving fun
The new smart fortwo electric drive from the popular brand that will roll off the production line from mid November 2009 is a logical continuation of a very ambitious goal: the production of a well-engineered, attractive city car that has no local exhaust gas emissions i.e. a zero emission vehicle. smart started emission-free driving in the tough everyday conditions of city traffic in 2007 in London. Since then 100 smart fortwo electric drives of the first generation have been in practical customer operation. The feedback from the UKcapital has been very positive and confirms the high degree of maturity of this vehicle concept.
In 2008 smart presented the second generation smart fortwo electric drive, a more advanced electric drive with an innovative lithium-ion battery. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries including higher performance, shorter charging times, a long life and high reliability. Marc Langenbrinck, responsible for brand management at smart, says: “The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on a successful and accepted vehicle concept with character and inherent environmentally friendly characteristics. Its innovative electric battery drive makes it the perfect car for the city: it is agile, economical and climate-friendly. Motoring with zero local emissions in an urban environment has become a reality. This equates to driving fun with a clear conscience.”
Electric drive taken into account in the very first concept
Electric drives have been part of the smart concept right from the start. The later integration of the components needed for electric drive was planned at a very early stage. For example, there is space for the battery in the underfloor between the axles where the tank is located in other smart models . The electric drive module does not limit the space available in the smart fortwo electric drive in any way; there is just as much interior and luggage compartment space as in a smart fortwo with a combustion engine.
Powerful drive
A 30 kW magneto-electric motor is installed at the rear of the new smart fortwo electric drive and reacts immediately and without delay. Powerful torque of 120 Newtonmetres is immediately available. This results in a surprising amount of power when pulling away. The smart fortwo electric drive accelerates from 0 – 60 km/h in 6.5 seconds – just as quickly as a petrol model which it initially leaves behind it. Its maximum speed has been deliberately limited to 100 km/h, a suitable speed for the city. Thanks to the power characteristic of the electric motor, the smart fortwo electric drive needs just one single fixed gear ratio. There is no need for any gear changing – a major advantage in dense city traffic. To reverse, the engine’s direction of rotation changes.
The second generation smart fortwo electric drive is powered by a lithium-ion battery from Tesla Motors Inc. with capacity of 14 kWh. It is simple to charge at any fused 220 Volt socket.
A fully charged battery is sufficient for up to 115 kilometres of driving fun (NEDC). This range is more than enough for city traffic as studies have shown that cars drive an average of 30 – 40 kilometres per day in towns and cities. For this, the vehicle only needs to be charged for three hours. Plugging the car in overnight will fully recharge the battery.
Electronics optimise the battery charge status and power consumption
Special electronics ensure that all is well with the battery. The electronics also monitor the charging process and control the capacity display.The vehicle’s power electronics supply the electrical system with electric current from the battery via a DC/DC converter. In addition, they also control the heating and air conditioning, for example, to minimise the strain on the battery. Clever drivers can air condition their smart fortwo electric drive in advance as long as their vehicle is being charged at home – the long-standing dream of stationary cooling becomes a reality! No other car offers this comfortable option.
The new second generation smart fortwo electric drive is based on the smart fortwo coupé/cabrio passion. As well as air conditioning with automatic temperature control all the equipment features of the popular passion equipment line are included. In addition to the battery indicator, an ammeter shows the consumption and the recuperated energy.
Very low costs
Based on German electricity prices it costs approximately two euros to drive the smart fortwo electric drive for 100 kilometres (even cheaper with off-peak electricity). This is less than the price of two litres of petrol. Electric power is much cheaper in lots of countries. The maintenance costs are considerably lower than those of a smart with a combustion engine as the battery, motor and other components of the electric drive are maintenance-free.
In addition to the low running costs, there are further cost advantages in lots of countries and cities. For example, drivers of a smart fortwo electric drive are entitled to national subsidies, tax advantages or exemption from local toll charges such as the city centre congestion charge in London.
smart fortwo electric drive in major cities in Europe and the USA
From the end of 2009 the smart fortwo electric drive will be delivered to selected leasing customers. Leases will be offered for a period of four years and 60,000 kilometres. The first vehicles are destined for the “e-mobility Berlin” project . Here, in cooperation with the energy provider RWE and with the support of the German government and the city of Berlin Daimleris creating the conditions for running battery-driven vehicles with no local emissions.This includes setting up a network of electricity charging stations that enable intelligent communication between electric vehicles and the power network so that the battery can be charged when electricity is cheapest.
Further vehicles of the new generation smart fortwo electric drive will take to the roads of Hamburg, Paris, Rome, Milan, Pisa, Madridand they will also be deployed in further projects in Europe. Some of the models will also go to cities in the USA.
There is already a very lively demand for the smart fortwo electric drive, and from 2012 it will be produced in large volumes as a normal part of the smart range and sold via the smart dealer network. This underlines the pioneering role of the car brand on the way to attractive individual mobility with zero local emissions in cities and urban population centres.

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It seems that Mercedes is insistent on making its diminutive Smart ForTwo city car better and better, and their latest announcement shows that the latest upgrades are ones that will make gearheads out there happy: More power and torque. But also being one of the darlings of the green set, the ForTwo also still maintains its impressive low emissions standards.

I’ve always looked at the Smart ForTwo and had inappropriate thought. “I wonder how much power you could squeeze out of that engine?” “If they had a one make racing series for these little guys, what would a pack of 40 or so of them look like heading into a corner?” Things like that.

Now, a lot of people, say, the engineers that work on Toyota’s Prius, don’t strike me as the sorts that would consider a one make racing series, or getting more grunt out of they hybrid drivetrain. Not so, it would seem, the engineers at Mercedes-Benz’s Smart division.

No, they decided that what the car needed, in this case, the cdi diesel variant, was more power and torque.

For model year 2010 the Smart ForTwo cdi has been given a significant power boost, the three-cylinder diesel engine will produce 21 percent more power and deliver approximately 18 percent more maximum torque. That’s not bad, not bad at all. No, the car didn’t have that much power and grunt to begin with, but still bumping things up by a fifth is pretty good no matter how you look at it. At the same time, the MB engineers did this while keeping the CO2 emissions at the previous levels of 88 g/km, which are the lowest for any diesel-powered car. Also in the eco department, from 2010 onwards all variants of the Smart ForTwo (including the tricked out BRABUS versions) will comply with the strict emission limits of the EU5 standard.

Now, for those of you number crunchers out there, the HP and pound-feet increases bring the car UP TO 54 hp and 130 Newton meters of torque which ain’t all that much, but a horsepower gain is a horsepower gain. MB says the car ” … now sprints from 0 – 100 km/h in just 16.8 seconds.” And all I can say is that’s a pretty liberal interpretation of the words “sprint” and “just”.

Whatever they choose to call it, the Stuttgart engineers got the gains through modified pistons and adjusted injection and charge pressure parameters. They lengthen the ratios of the third and fourth gears and lowered the shifting points in the automatic program. Oh, and they helped the ForTwo meet the incoming EU5 standards with a closed diesel particulate filter.

Here’s their press release:

smart fortwo cdi: 21 percent more power for the CO2 champion
Stuttgart, Jul 23, 2009
Stuttgart – For model year 2010 the smart fortwo cdi has been given a clear power boost, yet it remains just as economical and environmentally friendly as before. In future the state-of-the-art three-cylinder diesel engine will produce 21 percent more power and deliver approximately 18 percent more maximum torque. Although this extra power makes the popular two-seater car noticeably livelier, it does not affect its exemplary fuel consumption. As before, it consumes just 3.4 litres of diesel per 100 kilometres (NEDC). Furthermore, with CO2 emissions of 88 g/km it continues to assert its leading position as the CO2 champion. In addition, from model year 2010 all versions of the smart fortwo including the BRABUS variants will comply with the strict emission limits of the EU5 standard.
The smart fortwo enjoys the worldwide reputation of a car that is perfect for the times we live in. Thanks to its unique concept it takes up minimum road and parking space, boasts low fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions and combines mobility, ecology and joie de vivre in a unique way. For the new model year smart is uncompromisingly continuing its philosophy and making the smart fortwo even more environmentally friendly and attractive.
The most important change: the smart fortwo cdi with a length of 2.69 metres is redefining economy and driving fun. Its reengineered diesel engine now has an output of 40 kW/54 hp – seven kW or 21 percent more than its predecessor. Moreover, the new three-cylinder engine delivers maximum torque of 130 Newton metres (an increase of 18 percent). This makes the car that is brimming with lifestyle appeal even more agile and fun to drive. Thanks to the power boost it now sprints from 0 – 100 km/h in just 16.8 seconds. However, the increased liveliness does not affect the outstanding fuel consumption and emission figures of the trendy two-seater car. The combined fuel consumption still stands at 3.4 litres per 100 kilometres and the extremely low CO2 emissions of just 88 g/km mean that the smart fortwo cdi is still the CO2 world champion among all production cars with combustion engines.
The 21 percent power increase is primarily realised through modified pistons in conjunction with adjusted injection and charge pressure parameters. Furthermore, thanks to the increased torque it was also possible to lengthen the gear ratios of the third and fourth gears by ten and eleven percent respectively, and to lower the shifting points in the automatic programme. This reduces the rpm level in speed ranges used particularly frequently – with benefits in terms of fuel consumption and noise level. The smart fortwo cdi is equipped with a closed diesel particulate filter and emissions are below the limit values laid down in the EU5 standard.
Thanks to optimised engine and transmission management the petrol models of the popular two-seater car also comply with the demanding EU5 exhaust gas standard. Not only does this help the environment – in many countries it entails clear tax advantages.
New contrast components in shiny pearl black, which further upgrade the interior of the smart fortwo, and a new folding armrest available as an option, provide for increased comfort.
Further optional equipment includes the smart hands-free system with a colour display and extensive multimedia functions. It features the sassy design typical of the brand, a Bluetooth® interface, voice control and optional iPod® connection and is perfectly integrated in the vehicle electronics and the audio system. It is simple and safe to operate via a wireless controller on the centre console.
All updated smart fortwo variants can be ordered now. The prices for the petrol models are unchanged. In future the 40 kW/54 hp smart fortwo cdi will cost €11 790 as a coupé in the pure equipment line (German price incl. VAT).

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BOOM! That sound you heard was Tesla getting vindication and Mercedes announcing what could be the most important automotive partnership in a very long time. Today, Daimler, parent company of Mercedes, announced that they have acquired a stake in Tesla motors, darling of the EV car set, and that they will also be exchanging technologies.

Is this the deal that will put electric vehicles on the map for real?

Daimler took an equity stake of “nearly 10 percent” in Tesla Motors, and they are already planning to use some of Tesla’s technology when the German company launches the electric Smart ForTwo later this year. Company officials said that the deal would provide Daimler with batteries and the know-how needed to bring an electric car to market “at the highest possible speed,” What does Tesla get out of all this? A big pile of cash and, possibly, the parts and engineering expertise it needs to build the Model S sedan.

“Tesla brings expertise in the battery electric front. Daimler brings expertise in everything else. This will be a very productive relationship where both Tesla and Daimler benefit,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a press conference from Daimler’s headquarters in Stuttgart.

Details of the deal were few and far between, but Daimler officials said its investment is “a double-digit million sum for a nearly 10 percent stake in Tesla Motors.” Not only does Daimler get a 10% stake, but the vice president of E-Drive and Future Mobility at Daimler, Herbert Kohler, takes a seat on Tesla’s board of directors. They will also provide components and engineering assistance to Tesla, presumably to aid in the development of the Model S sedan Tesla unveiled in March.

“We are about to combine the best of old and new school. We are both deeply convinced that electric powertrains will play a major role in sustainability mobility,” said Thomas Weber, director of group research at Daimler.

This looks like it’s going to be very, very interesting.

Here’s the press release:

Strategic partnership: Daimler acquires stake in Tesla
STUTTGART, Germany, and SAN CARLOS, Calif.,May 19, 2009
German automaker acquires nearly 10 percent of one of the leading electric vehicle companies
*
Automakers agreed to cooperate in battery systems, electric drive systems and vehicle projects

Daimler AG has acquired an equity stake of nearly 10 percent of Tesla Motors Inc. This investment deepens the relationship between the inventor of the automobile and the newest member of the global auto industry. Tesla is the only production automaker selling a highway capable electric vehicle in North America and Europe.
The two companies have already been working closely to integrate Tesla’s lithium-ion battery packs and charging electronics into the first 1,000 units of Daimler’s electric smart car. In order to benefit from each other’s know-how, the investment enables the partners to collaborate even more closely on the development of battery systems, electric drive systems and in individual vehicle projects.
“Our strategic partnership is an important step to accelerate the commercialization of electric drives globally,” said Dr. Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Daimler AG, responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development. “As a young and dynamic company, Tesla stands for visionary power and pioneering spirit. Together with Daimler’s 120 years of experience in the automotive sector this collaboration is a unique combination of two company’s strengths. This marks another important milestone in Daimler’s strategy for sustainable mobility.”
“Daimler has set the benchmark for engineering excellence and vehicle quality for more than a century. It is an honor and a powerful endorsement of our technology that Daimler would choose to invest in and partner with Tesla,” said Tesla CEO and Product Architect Elon Musk. “Daimler is also on the leading edge in the field of sustainable mobility. Among others the lithium-ion pouch-cell battery developed by Daimler and especially designed for automotive applications is of interest to us. We are looking forward to a strategic cooperation in a number of areas including leveraging Daimler’s engineering, production and supply chain expertise. This will accelerate bringing our Tesla Model S to production and ensure that it is a superlative vehicle on all levels.”
Together on the road to electro-mobility
As part of the collaboration, Prof. Herbert Kohler, Vice President E-Drive and Future Mobility at Daimler AG, will take a seat on Tesla’s board of directors.
This long-term partnership with Tesla complements Daimler’s multi-facetted strategy to advance the electrification of the automobile. Daimler is also moving forward the industrialization of lithium-ion technology. In March, the company founded the Deutsche Accumotive GmbH, a joint venture with Evonik Industries AG. As a result, Daimler is the first vehicle manufacturer worldwide that develops, produces and markets batteries for automotive applications. This is based on a Daimler stockholding in Li-Tec, the German specialist for lithium-ion battery cells.
100 smart electric cars have already been undergoing large-scale trials in London since 2007. These electric vehicles are being tested in day-to-day assignments by fleet operators and private customers.
Later this year the smart assembly plant in Hambach, France, will start production of up to 1,000 units of the second-generation smart fortwo with electric drive, which will initially be used for mobility projects such as e-mobility Berlin or e-mobility Italy. This year Daimler is also starting small-series production of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class with a fuel cell drive system. In 2010 the company will introduce its first battery-powered Mercedes-Benz. As of 2012, Daimler plans to equip all smart and Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles with own produced lithium-ion batteries.
In 2004, Tesla began development of its first electric vehicle, the Roadster, which remains the only highway capable EV for sale in North America or Europe. The Tesla Roadster is the first production battery electric vehicle to travel more than 200 miles per charge and the first US- and EU-certified lithium-ion battery electric vehicle. This green supercar accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds yet gets the equivalent of 256 miles per gallon. The Roadster, which travels an estimated 244 miles per charge with zero tailpipe emissions, is the first production vehicle to break the historical compromise between automobile performance and efficiency.
The Tesla Model S builds upon the success of the Tesla Roadster by leveraging its technology into the world’s first fully electric sedan. Based in Silicon Valley, Tesla unveiled the Model S in March and plans to produce it in California starting in late 2011.

About Daimler
Stuttgart, Germany-based Daimler AG, with its businesses Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Daimler Financial Services, Mercedes-Benz Vans and Daimler Buses, is a globally leading producer of premium passenger cars and is the global market leader for heavy- and medium-duty trucks and buses. The Daimler Financial Services division has a broad offering of financial services, including vehicle financing, leasing, insurance and fleet management. Daimler sells its products in nearly every country and has production facilities on five continents. Founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, continued to make automotive history following their invention of the automobile in 1886. As an automotive pioneer, Daimler and its employees willingly accept an obligation to act responsibly towards society and the environment and to shape the future of safe and sustainable mobility with groundbreaking technologies and high-quality products. The current brand portfolio includes the world’s most valuable automobile brand, Mercedes-Benz, as well as smart, AMG, Maybach, Freightliner, Western Star, Mitsubishi Fuso, Setra, Orion and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt, New York and Stuttgart (stock exchange abbreviation DAI). In 2008, the Group sold 2.1 million vehicles and employed a workforce of over 270,000 people; revenue totaled €95.9 billion and EBIT amounted to €2.7 billion. Daimler is an automotive Group with a commitment to excellence, and aims to achieve sustainable growth and industry-leading profitability.

About Tesla Motors
San Carlos, Calif.-based Tesla Motors Inc. makes electric vehicles with exceptional design, performance and efficiency, while conforming to all North American and European safety, environmental and durability standards. The Roadster has a 0-to-60 mph acceleration of 3.9 seconds yet is more energy efficient than a Toyota Prius. Tesla expects to begin producing the all-electric, zero-emission Model S sedan in late 2011.

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Guess who just turned ten years old?

That’s right Smart – and hey, lookit that, it’s about the size of a ten year old too! I kid I kid – but seriously, these things are tiny.

Yet somehow, they’re still built like a Mercedes. They’re heavier than you’d think, and they’re remarkably safe for their size.

When I think back to when the Smart first came out, I recall that at first, they weren’t even going to be a Mercedes, they were actually conceived and nearly brought to market by Swatch, the people that make the watches. Turns out that never happened due to a number of factors, but Merc believed in the concept enough to continue it to fruition, and now the things are running around urban centers all over the world by the thousands.

Even here, in America, I’m starting to see more and more of them – although I have yet to see one on a freeway. Hey, there’s a story: Long road trip in a Smart.

Anyway, full press release after the jump celebrating Smart’s first decade.

The smart is celebrating its birthday: Ten years of the smart fortwo – an idea takes hold
Ten years ago one of the world’s most unusual production vehicles was launched on the market. It was new and excitingly different to conventional cars – the smart city coupé, now called the smart fortwo. This extremely compact vehicle had just two seats and measured slightly more than two and a half metres in length. It was also able to fit into parking spaces perpendicular to the flow of traffic and it established its own class. Nevertheless, it took two people and their luggage to their destination very comfortably and with maximum safety. It also had impressively low fuel consumption and minimum carbon dioxide emissions. Even then it anticipated many of today’s pressing questions concerning individual mobility and answered them in a unique way. After ten years of production one thing is certain: the idea has caught on. Thanks to technical innovations and a design that combines functionality with joie de vivre, the smart fortwo has become a cult car.
After ten years on the market the smart fortwo can be proud of its achievements. Since the first model was introduced in 1998 in excess of one million have been produced. Whereas the smart fortwo was initially only offered for sale in Germany and eight further European countries, today it is available in 37 countries worldwide, since January 2008 also in the USA. From mid 2009 the smart fortwo will also go on sale in China as the car is practically tailor-made for the growing number of lifestyle-oriented small car customers in a country with numerous megacities. In China, too, fashion-conscious young people want an agile, trendy vehicle for their flexible urban lifestyles in order to set themselves apart from others.
Dr. Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars says “In China we are seeing growing interest from customers in our high-quality and low consumption smart fortwo. I am sure that many cosmopolitan customers in China’s cities will soon come to love its unique concept. For in addition to its outstanding safety equipment and the typical design, the fortwo naturally also boasts top quality and reliability.”
The second generation continues the success story
The second generation of the smart fortwo has been on the market since the spring of 2007. It clearly continues the tradition of its predecessor and the fascinating smart story. The car continues to focus on the core brand values of innovation, functionality and joie de vivre – a kind of declaration of automotive independence for many smart drivers.
Anders Sundt Jensen, responsible for the smart brand says “The new fortwo is even more comfortable, agile, safe and environmentally friendly than its successful predecessor was. The new fortwo does not only appeal to smart fans as a lifestyle-oriented vehicle, but also on account of its unparalleled economy.”
A trend-setting appearance with new ideas
The smart fortwo embodies a completely new, intelligent concept for automotive individuality and this is also reflected in its appearance with a fresh, young, modern yet sophisticated design language. And although there were no automotive role models that the designers could have referred to, the two-seater set visual trends and created its own class thanks to a whole host of unusual ideas. In the past ten years the smart has become an automotive icon and it combines extremely varied demands on function, aesthetics and safety technology to create something completely new.
The result is a bold design that confidently makes structural elements such as the tridion safety cell a significant part of the car’s styling. There could hardly be a more eloquent expression of that most basic principle of design, that form must follow function.
A further feature is the mix of materials consistently realised in a production vehicle for the first time with a hard core (tridion) and a flexible and functional shell consisting of thermoplastic bodypanels. In this way smart sets new trends and its shape alone gives it a likeable appearance whilst still being taken seriously.
Safety – a hard shell for the passengers
The smart fortwo is seen as a real trendsetter in terms of safety equipment in small cars. The tridion safety cell protects its occupants like the hard shell around a nut. In this way it also meets the extremely strict standards of Mercedes-Benz Cars. Moreover, it complies with American crash requirements and attained top ratings in US-SINCAP and EuroNCAP (four stars).
The basic equipment of the smart fortwo includes full-size airbags for driver and passenger, belt tensioners and belt-force limiters. Head/thorax side airbags are available as an option. esp(R) also comes as standard. This is not even available for an additional charge in many other small cars. The esp(R) includes hill-start assist and the anti-lock braking system abs. A hydraulic brake assist function is also part of the standard specification.
User-friendly gear shifting as a standard feature
The smart fortwo is fitted with an automated manual five-speed transmission (softip) as a standard feature. This means that there is no clutch pedal. To shift up a gear, the shift lever on the centre console merely requires a brief tap forwards, while pulling it back shifts down a gear. The passion version features the softouch automatic gear programme as standard, which enables the driver to switch from manual gear shifting (softip) to an automatic gear programme (softouch) by pressing a button on the gear knob. Steering wheel gearshift is available as an optional extra.
The diesel version of the smart is the current CO2 champion
State-of-the-art compact three-cylinder petrol engines with a capacity of 999 cc are installed at the rear of the smart fortwo. In Western Europe customers can currently choose from two naturally aspirated engine versions with mhd (micro hybrid drive) technology delivering 45 or 52 kW (61/71 hp) respectively, and a turbo engine rated at 62 kW (84 hp). A three-cylinder turbo engine is also at the heart of the 72 kW (98 hp) smart fortwo BRABUS.
In addition, a diesel variant is available – the smart fortwo cdi – which is the world champion in low CO2 emissions. The 33 kW/45 hp two-seater car consumes just 3.3 litres of fuel (NEDC) per 100 kilometres on average, which means that it can travel approximately 1000 kilometres without refuelling.
This was confirmed by the Italian car magazine “Quattroruote” with a 1,000km drive from Rome to Salzburg. At just 88 grams per kilometre it has the lowest CO2 emissions worldwide!
In addition, to further reduce petrol engine CO2 emissions, the smart fortwo mhd (micro hybrid drive) with an intelligent start/stop system and a 52 kW/71 hp engine has been available to customers in Europe since the autumn of 2007. This version automatically shuts down the engine as soon as the car’s speed falls below 8 km/h and the brake pedal is pressed. The engine starts again as soon as the driver releases the brake pedal. The standard consumption is reduced by approximately 0.4 litres – from 4.7 litres to around 4.3 litres per 100 kilometres. Average CO2 emissions are reduced from 112 grams to 103 grams per kilometre.
From October 2008 both the 52 kW/71 hp smart fortwo and the petrol version with a 45 kW/61 hp engine will be fitted with the user-friendly start/stop system as standard.
At the end of 2007 smart started a pilot project in London with the smart fortwo electric drive. Together with selected fleet customers start is testing 100 vehicles with electric drive there to gain real-world experience. Vehicles with electric drive are particularly quiet, highly efficient and produce no local emissions. As a zero-emission car the smart fortwo electric drive enjoys tax advantages and is exempt from local restrictions such as the congestion charge that applies in the British capital. This makes it a particularly interesting and environmentally friendly alternative in urban population centres. Series production of an electrically driven smart of the current generation with lithium-ion battery technology is planned for 2010. Lithium-ion technology has decisive advantages over other types of batteries, including extremely compact dimensions, much higher performance, a long life and high reliability.
Award-winning climate friendliness and economy
Protection of the environment is an integral part of all the fields of activity of
the smart brand. This does not only apply to the production facility in Hambach, France – it also applies to the smart fortwo itself, from the development and production of the vehicle to its operational period and later recycling. The internationally renowned Öko-Trend environmental institute has acknowledged the smart fortwo’s top position in matters relating to environmental friendliness and awarded it the coveted environmental certificate for cars. Moreover, the smart fortwo has been awarded the ÖkoGlobe by one of Germany’s largest insurance companies.
What’s more, several renowned trade journals have certified the innovative two-seater’s unparalleled economy and environmental friendliness. They came to the unanimous conclusion independently of one another: no car is cheaper to drive.
Production – European model plant in Hambach
The smart fortwo is produced in a purpose-built plant in the French town of Hambach – a clear commitment to Europe as a production location. The smart plant, also called “smartville”, started production in 1997. System partners located on site supply partly prefabricated modules straight to the assembly line. In some cases they fit their prefabricated modules in the smart themselves. This has enabled transport and logistics costs to be reduced to a minimum. Flexibility, just-in-time and minimum delivery times at all levels are among the exemplary aspects of the process. This enables the smart fortwo to be assembled in only about three hours.
Success story – ten years of the smart fortwo
As early as the early 1970s developers at Mercedes-Benz started working on the “car of the future” and considering new revolutionary approaches that eventually led to the concept of an ultra-compact car two and a half metres long. Several years passed until the pioneering safety concept was developed that allowed the high level of safety typical of Mercedes to be realised in an extremely short car.
In 1989 Nicolas G. Hayek, the inventor of the Swatch watch, announced plans to launch a small city car on the market. To realise this idea Nicolas Hayek turned
to Mercedes-Benz as an experienced partner. Together, both partners founded Micro Compact Car AG with headquarters in Biel, Switzerland.
Finally, in 1997 the smart city coupé celebrated its world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show. Production and sales started in 1998. In the same year, smart became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG
(now Daimler AG).
Further models and series
In the following years the smart brand launched the sports cars smart roadster and smart roadster-coupé (2003) and the four-seater smart forfour (2004) on the market. Following the decision to stop production of the smart roadster at the end of 2005 and of the smart forfour mid 2006, smart fully concentrated on the smart fortwo.
The innovative car brand has demonstrated its creative energy time and again with special vehicle models. These include the smart crossblade in 2002 that had neither doors, a roof nor a windscreen, and the smart crosstown show car in 2005 which was equipped with forward-looking hybrid drive.
Ten years after the first pilot production vehicles rolled off the production line, in 2007 the new smart fortwo was launched on the market. This model builds on the strengths of the visionary classic and further develops its virtues.
Already a classic
It is undisputed that the smart fortwo’s unique character has already made it an automotive classic, despite its young years. In 2002 the smart fortwo was the only vehicle to be included in the permanent collection of the world-famous Museum of Modern Art in New York whilst still in series production as a “contemporary design classic of the last decade of the last century”.

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After years of rumors, speculations, and promised dates long past, Mercedes-Benz have finally begun to sell their popular Smart ForTwo here in the United States. And with a waiting list stretching longer than a year, drivers are not hesitating for their turn behind the wheel of this funky two-seater.

Even with the “right-now” popularity of this car coupled with the rising gas prices, I wanted to see if this little two-seater would be a good alternative to some of the bigger sub-compact cars in its price range.

It’s hard to miss the ForTwo. The first thing you will notice is how unbelievably tiny this vehicle really is. With a wheelbase of only 73.5 inches and an overall length of just nine feet, it makes a Mini Cooper look like a bread van! It’s the smallest vehicle sold in America, with the next biggest vehicle (the Toyota Yaris Liftback) being almost three feet longer. It is a little disconcerting when you notice people staring at you as you drive by, but you’ll get use to it.

Unfortunately, the ForTwo is not exactly the best thing to view. It’s not the most hideous thing on four wheels, but with its short body, high roofline and nonexistent overhangs, it won’t be mistaken for a Pinanfarina design. The flat-nosed front end is clean though, if a little too reminiscent to a puffer fish, with large front fender flares and large headlamps which surround an open-mouthed grill. The rear is SUV-like, with a high-riding bumper, taillights and a fold-down tailgate.

Even between the optional 15-inch multi-spoke wheels, the ForTwo is not your typical vehicle. There’s a big door to open to access the interior, and its height is accented by a tall beltline and aforementioned roof height. A tall door can spell disaster for styling points, but designers did a nice job of breaking it up with a crease in the middle of the door which leads from front fender to rear door edge (which looks to be about six inches compared to the rest of the Smart) as well as a cool little functional air duct behind the driver’s door.

To push this car’s styling over the edge is to order the Passion Convertible version like my test car. Press a button inside, and the canvas roof slides all the way back for unimpeded sunlight, and this roof can be opened like a sunroof as well. With the convertible, people will certainly be able to pick your picture out of a police lineup, so tread carefully.

Once you’ve open that large door and stepped into the interior, you are met with a mixture of functionality, funkiness and fair materials. Plop down into the optional leather seats (cloth is standard across the line) and look around.

In front of you in Passion is a nice three-spoke leather steering wheel. Behind that sits a large, white-faced speedometer. (A tachometer and clock are optional, and are placed on at the center of the dash by the windshield). Protruding from the steering column are two stalks to control headlights and wipers. Simple and functional.

The center stack is laid out in a simple and easy to use manner. At the top are your air conditioning controls and two vents. Right below that is your enormous radio head unit, with a large display and buttons to control what comes out the five-speaker Smart audio system. Keep going down and you will find your redundant controls for the door locks and optional heated seats.

There is plenty of room all around for tall occupants. You and your companion will be able to ride comfortably without bumping into one another with 45 cubic feet of interior room. Outward visibility is overall excellent, with help from the tall roof and plenty of glass. Just be careful when changing lanes as the canvas top in the convertible can block your view.

The leather seats are firm, but very comfortable, and the steering wheel feels great in your hands. Storage space is tight because of a small glove compartment and narrow door pockets, but two openings on each side of the steering wheel help. The rear will hold two people’s luggage nicely if they leave their Samsonite at home.

So, what is so “funky” about the ForTwo’s interior? For starters, the ignition is down between the seats, a la Saab. Then there are the seats, dash pads, door panels and the tips of the steering column stalks that come in a variety of different colors and patterns, most of which come from the 1980s, which can be fun or atrocious, depending on your tastes. The previously mentioned tach and clock location in the center of the dash makes it look fast from the outside. Don’t forget about the long emergency brake handle coming from the back either.

There are a few niggling things I wish were different. One, the cupholders are down on the floor underneath the radio and are a stretch to reach. Speaking of the shifter, which is far too close to your right leg, needs to be taller. Keep the leather ball on top though.

But there’s one thing I was really disappointed in, and that was the choice of material used to make the majority of the interior. Now, I can deal with the funky coloring and what not, but there is not one piece of soft vinyl anywhere. Every surface, from the dash pad to the doors, is formed of this rock-hard plastic. I’d hate to bang into anything inside for fear of breaking a bone.

Ready to take this little guy for a ride? Give that key in the center a turn. Hear that racket? That’s the 1.0 liter, three-cylinder engine idling like a diesel underneath the rear storage area. Grab that little leather ball and slip the five-speed transmission into gear. Poke the throttle and the car shoots forward with surprising pep.

Okay, we’re getting ready to shift! Vrooooooom…..lunge forward……..gear change……….lunge back into seat……….vrooooooom.

What the heck is going on here? A disaster of a transmission choice is what’s going on.

Smart decided that the best choice for a tranny is a five-speed, single-clutch automated manual. What that means is this transmission is a manual one without the third pedal or a traditional do-it-yourself H-pattern. Because of this, you get to deal with an incredibly slow and deliberate shift while the car engages the clutch, changes gear, and then disengages the clutch. It’s horrendous, annoying and a poor decision.

Luckily for you, I have figured out a way around the sluggishness of the shift and the abrupt body movements. As you accelerate and can tell when the car shifts, momentarily release pressure on the pedal. Reapply the throttle and you’ll be accelerating without that dreadful pause. Trust me when I say you need to learn this little technique, or carry a couple airsick bags for you and your passenger.

Other than a crappy transmission, driving the ForTwo is not as bad as you would think. The little 70 horsepower engine really is peppy, with brisk acceleration. It’s not speed demon, but it will rock out to 91 mph on the highway while achieving 44 miles per gallon. Stopping this tiny car is acceptable, with strong brakes backed by a spongy pedal.

This car is no Ferrari, but handling is sound. The ForTwo has somewhat heavy steering, but is quick to follow steering inputs. Even though it has a six foot long wheelbase, the Smart exhibits no body roll and has agile handling, even if it understeers like a golf cart. Ride is good too for its short stature, with good tuning to soak up most bumps. Big potholes and expansion joints will thump into the interior and give the convertible an equal rattling around its windshield.

If you’re interested in one, prices start out at $11,590 for the stripped-out Pure coupe. Another $2,000 will get you into a Passion coupe, which will get you air-conditioning, a CD radio, power everything, and those multi-spoke alloys. Toss another $3,000 onto the pile and that will grant you access to the Passion convertible. Careful though, as adding options like leather, metallic paint, and the alarm will push your price up towards almost $19,000.

Is the Smart ForTwo the right one for you? If you want to beat the Joneses and the rest of your neighbors to the “It Car”, then this is perfect for you. If you’re looking for something that’s fuel-efficient and small to squirt around the urban traffic, there are better cars out there for the money.

Let dealers compete for your business and have the upper hand in negotiations before going into the dealership. Find the Lowest Price on Your New Car at CarWoo Today!

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And the guys from Koenigseder answer a resounding “Jah!”

And they said there are no dumb questions … anyway, you knew this was bound to happen. Sooner or later, somebody, somewhere would take a Smart Car, and start to trick it out.

In this case, Koenigseder, from Austria, in case your wondering, flared fenders, lowered the ride height via Eibach springs and added 17-inch wheels (what are the size of the stock wheels on these? I swear they look like 12s). Not content with re-doing the outside, they decided to, uh, improve the interior as well with, among other things, floral decals.

We got more pictures after the jump, but even funnier is the translated press release from the Koenigseder site. Take it away Dieter:

smart 451 prasentation

adequate to the warmer temperatures konigseder used the smart fortwo cabrio to set an example in times of disputed emission values and co2 taxes.

that tuning does not necessarily have to go hand in hand with large engines should also be expressed by the floral shaped stickers that decorate the white paint.

as contrast to the color of innocence the body has been broadened by 3cm per side for a more aggressive appearance and for a better handling eibach sport springs have been installed.

such large wheel arches need to be filled and therefore schmidt space wheels in 7,5 and 9,5×17 with white centers found a new home there.

the environmental friendly concept has been also been a priority in the interior which is the reason why the floor has been planked with king carpets made out of renewable raw material.

for curious glimpses from other road users, königseder front and rear spoilers convert the smart once and for all in a desired tuning object.

Datum: 17.03.2008

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Wow.

This is rather interesting.

From what I gather, the itty-bitty Smart Fortwo, which seats a grand total of…hmmm…two people, can actually fit 13. That’s, uh, a lot more than I expected.

This event was held to celebrate Smart’s 10th anniversary, and anyone could participate. The winners of the contest were a bunch of contortionists, and they managed to fit 13 of them inside the little car. If you haven’t seen a Smart Fortwo before, here are some measurements:

The car is 2.7 by 1.6 meters, which in English translates to 8.8 feet long, or about 8 feet 10 inches by 5.2 feet wide, which is about 5 feet 2 inches. That means, for me at least, I can stretch my arms and be wider than the car, and I’m just about two and a half feet shy of being as tall as the car is long. I can also take three steps and have walked farther than the car’s length.

It’s actually rather hard to explain how small it is until you see it in person, and I have, so how these people managed to fit 13 of themselves inside is beyond me.

Another pic after the jump:

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ee-YOW!!

What you see here is, essentially, a real-world crash test of the much loved (by some) Mercedes Benz Smart ForTwo city car.

This comes by way of CarScoop by way of Jalopnik, and it happened somewhere in North America (there’s some discussion going on as to whether it’s the USA or Canada). Seems that this particular Smart ForTwo got rear-ended by a friggin’ GMC box truck (gross weight of around 10 to 12 thousand pounds) and THEN it got creamed in an offset frontal impact by a FULL SIZED GMC van (and those weigh in at, what, 5500 or 6000 pounds?).

Yes, It might be small, but it’s a small Mercedes Benz, and those guys know how to build them tough.

I know form personal experience. I used to own an 84 300 turbo diesel. We called it The Bismarck because, “it’ll take a lucky shot from the Royal Navy to stop this thing.” Seems like that can be applied here as well. Yes, I know. Physics, size, crush-space, mass, momentum, etc.. But small and light doesn’t mean “unsafe”; it just means that safety is more of an engineering challenge.

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