Pretty soon you too will have the opportunity to join your European counterparts and own a Smart fourtwo. Not smart as in brilliant necessarily.. But close.
"The smart fortwo is all about urban independence and freeing people from the constraints of city driving, so this road show offers consumers a unique way to discover the brand and get up close and personal with this amazing car," said Dave Schembri, president of smart USA. "The best way to understand the benefits of a smart fortwo is to experience it – and this vehicle will change the way drivers look at the driving experience."
Warren Brown of the Washington Post not too long ago took a cross country drive in the little Smart car and proclaims that the fourtwo "...is one of the best, safest, most easily parked, most fuel-efficient city cars available."
The fourtwo above was actually spotted taking a spin around DUMBO driven by the guys over at Jalopnik. They refuted some preconceived notions about this new vehicle soon to be up for sale in the U.S. market.
It's safe.
You can drive it on the highway.
It has lots of room. It's not actually that Green.
It's not gay.
(Uhhh. Okay?)
"..the Smart is a more complete, practical car than most people assume it to be - but that's also its biggest problem. Most people who stop to ask what it is think it's electric or at least a hybrid. It isn't. Neither is it cheap. The Fortwo Passion Cabriolet pictured here costs $18,500. It'll still get caught in traffic jams. Look at the Smart as a practical car that's easier to use in an urban environment than anything else, and you'll be happy. Look at it as fundamentally altering the way Americans think about transportation though, and you'll be disappointed."
Would I buy one? Heck no. Would I drive one? Heck yes. The Smart does appear to be the perfect city car. But with cheaper, larger alternatives - Honda Fit, Nissan Versa - and hotter hatches - BMW Mini, Scion - and a steep price tag, what would be the point? I think the car sharing companies such as ZipCar (of which I am a member), would make a killing with these cute little commuters at least for a while since it will be a novelty for quite some time. However we'll have to wait and see if the little car will sway American land yatch lovers.
Personally I think most of us are way to image conscious and vein to own such a thing. The hipsters will dig it. The rap stars won't. It's a polarizing little car that SmartUSA hopes is worth it's weight in gold.
2008 Smart Fortwo
Base price: $12,000 (est.)
Price, as tested: $14,000
Powertrain: 1.0-liter, DOHC three-cylinder engine; five-speed sequential transmission with electro-hydraulic clutch; rear-wheel drive.
Horsepower: 70 at 5,800 rpm
Torque: 68 pound-feet at 4,800 rpm
Curb weight: 1,650 pounds 0-60 mph: 15.5 seconds
Wheelbase: 73.5 inches Overall length: 106.1 inches
EPA fuel economy: 31 miles per gallon city, 43 mpg highway
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