Smart cars: finally available at the US market
July 18, 2007
Posted by CindyW in : Opinions & Thoughts , trackback
In a recent trip to Italy, my 5-year old daughter and I played a “Smart car” game when we got bored sitting in our rental car going from Genoa to the Dolomites. Smart cars, like colored bubbles, popped in and out the lanes everywhere we went. The game started out with “who can spot the most Smart cars in 30 minutes.” Either we got really good at the game or there were a lot of Smart cars on the road; my count quickly threatened to break 30, which was at the limit of a normal 5-year old’s numerical comprehension. Apparently any number after 30 would simply be “ a really big number” to a 5-year old.
Smart cars are not new. In fact they have been squeezing into tight parking spaces in Europe since 1998. I have read about them before, but never actually saw a sea of colorful Smart cars until this trip. The Fortwo version (2 seats only, as the name implies) is only 8 and ½ feet long and looks utterly adorable and stylish. This pocket-sized vehicle gets 50 miles to the gallon without employing any hybrid technologies. And it needs virtually a bike space to ease itself into. When I saw a Smart car driver maneuvered her car to a parking space the size of my palm, I imaged the envious look a Smart Car driver would receive in San Francisco – 10 parking spaces in San Francisco for a normal sized American car, but 5,000 parking spaces for a Smart car.
My sister-in-law who owns two Suburbans in her 5-person household commented on how she could fit 3 Smart cars in her SUV and that she “loved” them. But would she buy one if Smart cars were available in the US? “Well, I can’t live without my Suburban.” She insisted. Much like the rest of the supersized American market, she would like to put a Smart car in her pocket and bring home to look at but could not imagine driving it. Have we been so indoctrinated in our bigness that we lack the imagination to live any other way?
But wait a second, in the last decade a couple of small cars have managed to buck the SUV trend and gain huge popularity – the new Beetle and not to mention the Mini Cooper. Even though marketing Smart cars in the US requires tremendous patience and perseverance, you can now put down $99 to reserve for a new 2008 Fortwo. David Schembri, president of Smart USA recently said that the responses to Fortwo had been overwhelming. Michigan residents will get a chance to test drive the car this week when five Fortwo’s are brought to Ann Arbor South University as a part of cross country road show. Sticker price: $12,000 base price.
Let’s hope Smart cars will start dotting the landscape of American roads. Let’s hope it revitalizes the notion that small can be beautiful in spite of our stubborn supersizing inclination. For in-depth features, specs, and safety tests, visit www.smartusa.com
CindyW at Organicpicks
Copyright 2007 Organicpicks
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Comments»
Smart cars: finally available at the US market: Smart cars are not new. In fact they have been around Europe since 1998.
Yeah - they’ve been whizzing around the street of the UK for a while now. I like the sporty version! Now these are really SMART cars:
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http://tinyurl.com/2d6onm
A Little Fact about Hybrids’ Popularity…
Hybrid cars is the latest trend these days. You can see a lot of car makers are manufacturing and creating hybrid cars. Before, only Japanese car makers are the only makers of hybrid cars but now, domestic car makers like General Motors and the Ford …..
Unfortunately, Smart Cars won’t be as smart in the US. Their diesel engines are being replaced with gasoline-burning engines that get worse mileage. More importantly, people in the US will drive them well over 55 mph, where maximum fuel efficiency would be realized. We could use a little slower lifestyle in the States. It would save us a bundle in money and emissions.
This is an improvement. Three years ago when Smart was earlier looking at the US market they thought they had to market a Smart SUV, an oxymoron that would give its market conniptions.
I’ve always been a bit disappointed when investigating Smart cars, though, because the things they are smart about are not the same things I want in a car that claims to be smart.
I’m looking for smart ideas like electricity or compressed air power, not easily refreshed cosmetic elements. At the heart of the Smart car is smart marketing, moreso than smart car design.
However, compared to the vehicles that seem to appeal to much of the American market, these are pretty smart. Good luck, America.
not only are they smart…they are incredibly fun, practical and
safe transportation…drive one once and you will be hooked!
HA! Try finding a parking space in Paris. Or any other big town for that matter. The Smart Cars were designed for big city driving as I understand it, so speed is not really an issue. The size and mileage advantages are terrific in this environment.
I am very excited to see Smart car supportors on this blog. Go Smart!
Well, this is going to have a pocket market. This is possibly practical for the big and crowded city. Try driving this where I live and you are risking your health. This car seam like a death trap to me–I would never put my kids in it.
As for larger car some of us enjoy boating and need a tow vehicle. I suppose that makes some angry but that is certainly not fair. I have one economy car I love–my Camry. I bought the 4 cyl and I love the fact it is a well made 4cyl. My wife says I drive like a grandma. My jeep is a 6 cyl with 195 hp to tow a boat or my camper. Yes, it is an SUV but it gets 21mpg (unless I tow of course) as it is a straight 6. If someone is dogmatic about SUV’s I am sorry. The Smart car would be fun but impractical for all but the retired or single and it would be dangerous in a metropolis.
The reality is that Smart car is probably going to serve a niche market in the US, partially because of our heavy reliance on family sized cars (driving the whole family everywhere thus needing cars with at least 4 seats) and partially because of the density of SUVs in the US (think accidents). It is also reality that in a collision, Smart cars probably won’t do as well as a Suburban. It seems like a chicken and egg situation. Big cars bring about more big cars.
I personally do not drive a Smart car because it won’t accommodate 2 car seats that my toddlers use everyday. However if I were single or without kids, I would definitely consider buying a Smart car. I don’t give evil looks to people who drive SUVs, but I sure am very glad that there are alternatives to our bigger-is-better mentality.
For those who are interested, check out Smart car road show route and our friend Tim’s balanced review on the Smart car after test driving it: http://www.organicpicks.com/blog/2007/08/29/smart-car-street-smart-show-continues-to-roll/