Anyone drive a "Smart Car" here in North America?

Remember the craziness when the Miata first came out?

I expect they will soon be popular amongst the high school crowd, especially the girls. Today you cannot see them anywhere here in the States but give it 18 months and they will be everywhere.

So that's my prediction, beginning the school year 2007 check back on this thread and see if the Coyote was correct and he will be.

Possibly so, especially in California.

Oh, interesting-I wonder what the Swatch-branded smaller-than-a-Smart was, that used to park next to me when I lived in Michigan! It had manufacturer plates and was not a US-spec vehicle.

I didn't know you could get much smaller than the vehicle I recognize as the 'Smart'. You don't close the door... you sort of buckle it, and zip up;>)

No, not really. We have them up here in Calgary and I've been in one or two of them (just to sit). They are actually very spacious inside. The Mercedes dealership is about a block away from our dealership, so I wandered over there one day and asked the boys in their shop what they thought of the vehicle. They weren't impressed that they had to work on it, ( a bit of Mercedes tech snobbery, I suppose) and mentioned that they were having some problems with the EGR system coking up. Probably something to do with our diesel fuel here.

I've tried to convince my wife that we ought to get one, as we do most of our driving around in the city and the kids are gone. She just muttered something about not wanting to drive a shopping cart around the city! I think they are a great little car...but hey....I guess I'll have to just continue driving the K-cars.

Ian

Just spoke to an authorized dealer in Reno, Dave Edwards (775)

828-5121, they have 2 in stock and are expecting more any time.

THEY'RE HERE

I wonder if we are talking about two different models.

There exists more than one model. The little SUV looking thing is not too bad. The one above is like a pair of briefs.

No, but I can say with a resounding H-E-double hockey sticks NO! that I won't be driving one. I was SO looking forward to this car for the past year or so, they finally get some dealers in the US and the one in Seattle has theirs starting at $26,900!! And to top it off these "americanized" Smart cars only get 40MPG? Nope, I can get almost 2 small cars for that price (Honda Fit, Scion Xa and Toyota Yaris..all which get about the same MPG and have better packages).

No, I'm talking about the two/four: this one....

If you haven't actually sat in one, you will think they are very small and cramped. They aren't, they are quite large inside....just that you can't get anything else in them...other then the passengers.

Ian

Won't they arrest people for driving naked?

What if you have thick eyeglasses, do you need to buy the "stretch" model?

The Smart micro car imight be thought of as the modern day version of an Isetta.

The John S. entity posted thusly:

For roominess inside, yes. Even smaller was the Messerschmitt, but of course the roominess wasn't there. Looked a lot better than the Isetta though.

Yes, the KR-200 and TG-500 were really good looking cars. Still the Isetta and it's look-a-like the Heinkel at least gave the sensation of roominess although your feet were really little more than front bumpers.

Anyone in NY can see them at the New York International Auto Show April

14-23.

I have been driving a ZAP Americanized smart fourtwo for the past ten days from Santa Rosa CA in the Bay Area to New York City.

Mileage (running at max 85-90 mph most of the day with a passenger and a full load of luggage) is running around 39 mpg. Withoug the pax at normal freeway speeds I get about 50 mpg. All the stats are posted on a blog at zapworld.com.

I love the ride, you can see my blog at

That link isn't working.

Does anyone know who makes the three cylinder motor used in the Smart micro car? I remember that the small Geo and Suzuki cars used a Suzuki inline 3 cylinder powerplant and I think that VW made one at one time.