NEW MODEL TOAD

[larryh]

just seen and talked to the owner on a Mercedes  Benz Passion, has a 3 cyl diesel 5 speed tranny he brought it over from Germany he gets 86 MPG hiway and 56 city> I think it would make a excellent toad for me anyway. It is supposed to now be approved for import but can find no information on their web site can anybody help??

LarryH

[Jeremy]

I think the car you are talking about is a Smart Car. They are built by Mercedes, but badged / sold by Smart of Switzerland (yes, the watch company). Mercedes won't tell you anything abouth them, but you will find details at www.smart.com. They are pretty popular in Europe, being seen as trendy, easy to park etc. Personally I think they look scary - can you imagine being in an accident in one? There was a lot of fuss when they first came out as both the Smart and the MB A-class were not capable of passing the standard 'Moose' swerve test (they would roll over). The current A-class is a bigger car altogether, but the Smart is the same but with wider tyres and different suspension, and is speed limited now.

Whenever I see one (and there are a lot about here) it occurs to me that they should come in pairs (one for each foot).

Jeremy

[Chaz]

I seen two of them at RVIA. They stored them inside the coach!
Cute go-carts. I think they would be great!
If your worried about getting in a wreck with one, drive your bus. If you want some good fuel mileage drive it.
  Chaz

[RJ]

These are available in Canada as we speak.

My daughter lives in Kelowna, BC, and there's a pizza company in town that has four Smart cars - uses them as delivery vehicles - great advertising gimmick all painted up with the company's graphics.

Dunno if the automatic will allow flat towing. . .

Too tall to fit in an MCI bin.  Might fit a Buffalo or a 417 Setra, tho.

"Too Cute", my granddaughter says!

[JerryH]

I saw one of these "Smart Cars" at a local gas station.  The guy said he gets 60 MPG highway and 40 MPG local around town.  According to their website, don't expect them here in the US until 2008 -- with (I believe) Penske being the importer/distributor(?).

Although 86 MPG would be great, their site suggests 60 MPG  highway with a gas model and 70 MPG with the diesel version.  I checked out their Canadian link at http://www.thesmart.ca/index.cfm?id=4723

The configuration that I thought would be ideal for me would set me back $18k Canadian, but I've yet to get a return phone call from the Ontario dealer I emailed.

So why the heck can Canada get these things first?  Is it the Oil Companies who are slowing the process, in hopes of not allowing the US market of having a fuel saving vehicle

Would I buy one?  Yes, for sure.  The one I saw in person was pretty cool.

Jerry H.

[tekebird]

yeah safe my a@*.........I don't care how the energy is disipated......a 6000# SUV will crush that thing let alone a bus or semi.......

.no crumble zones
thing is only as wwide as two adults shoulder to shoulder

Scary......economical but scary.

[captain ron]

yeah safe my a@*.........I don't care how the energy is disipated......a 6000# SUV will crush that thing let alone a bus or semi.......

.no crumble zones
thing is only as wwide as two adults shoulder to shoulder

Scary......economical but scary.

Are you scared of motorcycles? 

[buswarrior]

Somewhere out on the internet is a video of a Smart car being crashed into a wall from highway speed.

The announcer fellow goes over, and one door is kind of stuck, the other door opens with the handle.

The passenger compartment in that test sure did maintain its shape!

Mercedes is not known for fooling around.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

[tekebird]

some yes........some no.

Mine can get out of it's own way right quick 462#+ me at 250# and 125 HP......a blip of the throttle will get you out of alot of trouble....plus I can be heard....I am sure the smarty car is a quiet little thing  and has a wopping 50HP.....couldn't find what it weighs

probably very nice in Europe where they maintain thier roads nicely for the most part..........likely not very nice with the short wheelbase on our great american roads........I know I hate riding in my buddy's Jeep YJ pre coil springs....harsh ride and aweful on any road with frequent joints.

Note they desribe it as a metropolitain car.......Read London, Munich, Barcelona, Rome

[tekebird]

just watched several crash test videos........all Mercedes videos........one of a full size MB vs the smart......unknown speed... head on off set 50%....

Smart held up well considering.......from the multiple views, the passengers would have lost at least his feet. if not knees down

I am not saying it won't pass US crash testing...Likely will....but look at what else passes.

Having been a paid firefighter for several years I have seen my fare share of "safe" cars have thir occupants killed or mamed.



Interesting sidebar............

an Airliner crashes.........kills all on board.........investigation determines cause..........Determination on what should be  done to correct the prob includes federal, Manufacturer and Operator input...........sometimes nothing is done because it would cost too much.....


Just was thinking about a post about ice and snow driving.......Smart car is prob great fun as a skid recovery training platform

.

[tekebird]

further snooping.

toyota Prius has a Higher MPG rating that the smart car. 

The Cage disgn of the Smart car Transfer higher impact forces to the passengers than does a conventional construction car.

The Company is well in the Red.

Expensive for what it is at 13k too.

would rather spend 21 for a diesel VW Jetta (35 city 45 HW) with a back seat and a trunk.......and some resale value

[JerryH]

Teke:

I have a business associate who has the Toyota Prius ... she claims it doesn't get what they suggest it gets.  Yeah, the smartcar is essentially a 4-wheeled motor cycle -- to some point.
It'd be nice though for more companies to get traction in the states with vehicles that get GREAT fuel mileage.  My sister lives in France, I guess at nearly $4.00 per gallon ... there's more motivation on the Europeans part to come up with alternative transportation.
A conundrum?  A busnut seeking a fuel-saving vehicle.

Jerry H.

[Jeremy]

I think to be fair Smart Cars aren't primarily sold on the basis of fuel economy, although that no doubt is an arguement buyers use to rationalise their purchase. They are seen as being very trendy here, with all sorts of companies specialising in customising them, doing convertible versions etc. There is even AMG version. I would say that 90% of the Smarts you see are driven by trendy girls or young women, or as has been said are being used as promotional / delivery vehicles by hairdressers, pizza restaurants etc.

On the 'safety' issue I have no doubt they are as safe and well designed as such a car can be, but you cannot change the laws of physics, and with everything else on the road being substantially larger and heavier than you are always going to be very vunerable. It's true lots of people happily expose themselves to greater risks by riding motorcycles - but then lots of those people die, which makes it a pretty poor arguement in my opinion. I think using a Smart Car as a Toad - for pottering around campgrounds and short occasional trips and so on - is fine, but I certainly wouldn't consider one as a daily driver in busy traffic.

Jeremy

[kyle4501]

So why the heck can Canada get these things first? Is it the Oil Companies who are slowing the process, in hopes of not allowing the US market of having a fuel saving vehicle

Why is it that big business gets the first blame when the epa & safety requirements are more restrictive?

[John Z]

I have ridden motorcycles for over 40 years. I feel that if you remove the cell phone talking, burger eating, kid baby sitting, newspaper reading etc etc drivers from the road, that you would make riding a bike as safe as driving my coach.

Air bags, safety bumpers, seat belts etc don't make cars safe,,, good drivers do!