Zap still pursuing Daimler over Smart deal, California Supreme Court next
Once upon a time Zap had a dream to import the Smart ForTwo to the U.S. market. Unfortunately for Zap, that plan didn't work out and Smart's parent Daimler ultimately did a deal with Roger Penske to be the U.S. distributor for Smart. Zap decided not to take this lying down and ultimately filed a lawsuit in 2005 against Daimler (then DaimlerChrysler) alleging the German company interfered with their business (need more background? click here). So far Zap has had no success in U.S. courts, with both a trial court and appeals court ruling they had no jurisdiction over Daimler in the case. Undaunted, Zap is now going to the California Supreme Court hoping to get them to reverse the previous rulings. Zap hopes for a ruling in about three months.
smart set to party like it's its birthday
x The car's little, but the birthday's big - smart turns ten this year. The annual gathering of owners and aficionados known as the smart Festival will take place in late June at Mercedes-Benz World, which is located at the UK's historic Brook lands circuit. Fans who make the pilgrimage to the fest will be able to socialize, take in smart-related exhibits, test drive the smart fortwo EV, and see the nutty, Unimog-engined smart forfun² micro-monster in action, an experience that may be worth the price of admission by itself. We'd imagine the parking situation at a smart car confab like this is pretty terrific, too. The official press release is pasted after the jump.
Nonni's Pizza smartens up
Nonni's Pizza of Revere, MA has a new delivery vehicle that's bound to save the business money at the pump while generating all kinds of buzz on the street. The restaurant is the proud new owner of one of the first U.S.-market smarts, and it has put its for two right to work in full Nonni's regalia, including nose graphics that give the microcar a big happy grin. Despite its tiny footprint, the Nonni's fortwo shouldn't have any difficulty feeding the masses; it can haul 20 pies in back and another 10 in the passenger seat. Looks like Zip’s got competition. Thanks for the tip, Ryan!
Smart owners waiting patiently for their cars
We've heard stories that people are starting to receive their Smart cars here in the U.S., but with some 42,000 total deposits made, those of you who were a little late to the game are probably still waiting. Even some who were quick on the draw with their order have not gotten their cars yet. John Schwartz from The New York Times is one such person. After reading through the comments to his post describing the delay, it seems that many people are frustrated that it's taking so long for their cars to arrive, which is understandable. We hope that most of the early adopters can wait for their machine without canceling their orders, but for those of you, who want to fast-track your way to the front of the line, consider looking around for a canceled order at dealerships close to you. It's a long shot, but at least one commenter at the Times got theirs this way.
Smart produces art book, thinking sideways about the environment
Smart has produced an art anthology book titled sideways. a smart art project. The intent of the book is to get people to think about transportation and the environment in novel new ways. Instead of looking at problem straight on, tilt your head sideways and look at it from a different angle. The book's 248 pages are filled with images from over 100 artists working in mediums such as photography, drawing, paint, sculpture and hairstyling. The book will kick off a new marketing campaign promoting the brand that has consistently offered the highest-mileage production vehicles for several years. The sideways book will debut in the U.S. on March 19. In Europe it can be had for €29.90
Smart diesel with Blutec and 70+ mpg rumor will have to die, for now
We got a tip from Autoblog reader Cary about the delightful possibility of a Smart ForTwo in the U.S. with Mercedes' Bluetec technology. Cary writes:Yesterday, I spotted a ForTwo on the 5 freeway south in Orange County, intrigued by the fact that they have already been released and this one was still wrapped in the typical camo vinyl, I decided to follow it. After following the car back to Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel, I got to speak to the driver. And what I heard was music to my ears. The ForTwo will come in Blu - Blutec that is, according to a MBUSA R&D employee I spoke to at MB Laguna Niguel yesterday. I'll quote him on this, "Expect between 55 and 65 mpg around town and 70+mpg on the highway." He said they were testing with low rolling resistance tires. Best part of all, it will exceed Tier II BIN 5 standards without the use of urea injection found in the upcoming Bluetec diesel SUVs by MB. He was also able to tell me the engine has been developed in-house.Well, we needed to get some clarification on this Smart Bluetec rumor, so we called Smart's communication director Ken Kettenbeil (we last spoke to him at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 talking about the availability of the ForTwo in America) for some more info and we got a big wet blanket. Kettenbeil said that there is nothing official to say on a Bluetec Smart ForTwo. He did say that Mercedes-Benz is looking at electric, micro-hybrid and diesel technology for Smart ForTwos in the U.S., but we'll just have to wait to see if these possibilities move beyond the looking stage. Thanks for the tip, Cary!
BMW to challenge Smart with Isetta brand?
People are already comparing the new Smart with old microcars like the Iso (and BMW) Isetta, so it makes sense that BMW would consider producing a challenger using the old, but not forgotten, marque. Reports indicate that this is a distinct possibility. In an ironic twist, BMW may consider producing the microcar to offset their large luxury-performance cars to comply with upcoming European CO2 regulations. Back when the Isetta was initially launched, the profits from that model are what allowed BMW to branch into the large car market in the first place. How the times have changed!
Although the Smart is a thoroughly modern version of the microcar concept, the Isetta would draw a more retro profile. Hey, it's worked for BMW before - their Mini brand sets a fine pattern but is a tough act to follow. BMW has a great deal of experience making small and reliable motors for their line of motorcycles, so creating a suitable powerplant might not be a problem. Diesel engines would be a near lock for the European market, but no hybrid is planned for the States. Instead, a small turbocharged gasoline engine would likely be on the menu. If these reports prove accurate, retro and modern will go head-to-head once again in the microcar market, leading to more choices for the consumer.
Sharing Winding Road's eBay find of the day
In a stunning example of e-sharing, we've decided to share Winding Road's eBay find of the day with our readers. Listen up: it's not stealing, it's meta... that's what's so cool about the Internet. Speaking of stealing *cough, ahem* sharing, our aforementioned find is a Chinese Smart ForTwo clone. Remember, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so all of you legitimate Smart purchasers should be very proud of your chosen auto.
Unfortunately for the Revolution EV, it appears that the quality of the copy is a bit less than stellar. You know... when making a copy of a copy it never turns out quite as good as the original, right? We're not so sure that the safety cell of the Smart was copied over intact. In fact, we're pretty sure that it was not. At least you're not likely to get into too much trouble at just 25 miles per hour. If you do make the 60 miles until your next recharge, just wait about ten hours or so for your recharge. The cost? Just under ten grand. A bargain!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
SmartPlanet
SmartPlanet.com drives the smart ed. We're jealous
Thanks to tipster Adam, we've read the first review of the smart ed, and now we wish even more that we could buy one for ourselves. If you've never heard of ed, as we like to call it, smart's U.K. operations has made available an electric version of the diminutive microcar to companies willing to power it using electricity generated only from renewable means. So far, the general public is unable to purchase ed, no matter where they live. This is a real shame, because it sounds like ed's a perfect little electric city runabout. Being able to reach 60 miles per hour and travel for 72 miles in between charging in a near-silent and completely non-polluting - not to mention safe - car really does sound smart.
Ed uses a sodium-nickel chloride battery along with a Zytek electric motor and is able to hit 30 miles per hour from a dead stop in 6.5 seconds. Not bad for a city car! Also, that 60 mile per hour top speed is electronically limited, so there could be enough power for highway travel, depending on how long the stretch of roadway is. In short, the smart ed is a real car, one that just happens to be powered by electrons. We want.
Is leather the "ultimate recycled material?" PETA thinks not
Last month, Peta sent a letter to David Schembri, president of Smart USA, informing him that his company is contradicting itself if it considers its Smart Passion models to be environmentally friendly. The problem is not the fuel mileage or emissions, but the fact that the vehicle includes leather seats. According to PETA, leather is harmful to the environment, but more importantly to them, it requires killing cows. According to PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk, "Smart can't have it both ways: touting its cars as eco-friendly and then plastering them with toxic and Earth-degrading leather."
Detroit News bloggers have chimed in regarding this issue, with Eric Morath quoting Rodney Hammond, vice president and general manager at Seton Co, as saying, "When you think about it, leather is the ultimate recycled material. You don't grow cows for the skin, you do it for the beef or the dairy. We take what would otherwise be waste and turn it into a beautiful, luxurious product." Hammond's company is an automotive supplier that makes leather interiors. Manny Lopez considers leather "green and practical," while Scott Burgess suggests switching to hemp and reminds us that some automakers have begun using bio-fabrics. In any case, leather interiors are not likely to go anywhere soon, but perhaps the industry could take a deeper look at the chromium-free tanning process that Lincoln was touting on their MKR concept.
VIDEO: Fifth Gear reviews electric Smart car, turns it into series hybrid with off-the-shelf generator
· This week, Fifth Gear did a side-by-side review of the Mercedes Smart electric drive and regular Smart car that runs on petrol (watch it below the fold). Fifth Gear found out that zero-to-thirty is a lot faster in the petrol but the handling, thanks the heavy batteries lowering the center of gravity, is tops in the electric. Just 100 Smart EDs (electric drive) are coming to the UK as a trial, and the launch will be based on demand, according to Fifth Gear. I think Fifth Gear's distance/cost comparison is kinda biased to the electric but the show does something very interesting at the end of the review. They put a portable gas generator in the back of the EV, charging the car and instantly turning it into a series hybrid. Why don't we see that more often?
Geneva 2008: smart fortwo limited two and smart navigation guide
With some new shiny paint and only 2,000 vehicles destined to be made, the new smart limited two was unveiled today at the Geneva Motor Show. The limited two will be available with special features like "cognac brown" leater interior and matte silver hilghlights in the dashboard. Outside, the limited two gets a special "light blue metallic" finish that was created just for this version of the smart. Other new variants of the smart fortwo include a 52 kW/71 bhp petrol engine with the micro hybrid (start/stop) drive and a smart fortwo cdi that uses state-of-the-art common rail direct injection for CO2 emissions of just 88 grams per km and 71 mpg (U.S.). Mercedes has also announced a fortwo-specific navigation device called the "portable smart navigation system II." Full details after the jump.
Brabus continues to "ungreen" the Smart with the Ultimate 112
Smart has already gotten a little flack considering that their microcar, the ForTwo, doesn't exactly set any records when it comes to fuel mileage. Thus far, the only version in the U.S. is powered by gasoline, not diesel, and doesn't even include any of the "microhybrid" features. Still, it is one of the more eco-friendly cars sold here, so we'll take what we can get. Brabus, though, thinks that they can add some "red" to the "green" image of the ForTwo by upping the power ante and selling it alongside their latest Brabus SLR. The SLR, of course, is not in the least bit green, and adding a "tender" to the supercar for shorter trips doesn't really help. Whatever the case, Brabus does manage to squeeze 112 horsepower from the Smart's 3 cylinder turbocharged engine, enough to accelerate from 0-60 in about 9.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 106 miles per hour. The claim that their new creation is "the ultimate city sports car and thus the ultimate tender to the SLR." For the man in your life who truly has everything... except this, of course.
·
Wired's Autopia gets a Smart, blogs a bunch
David Becker over at Wired's Autopia blog must be very excited about the recent purchase and pick-up of his Smart. His enthusiasm is palpable through the number of posts that the subject has garnered on Autopia, at last count it was six in the last two days. So far, he seems to really like the hill-assist, which keeps the car from rolling backwards when situated on an incline. He notes that there is plenty of room for the driver and passenger, but much less for stowage, so he made up a little formula to help people decide if the Smart will work for them. Lastly, he feels that his Smart "is the opposite of a penis extension/envy sports car." His words, not ours.
New Smart ForTwo Cabrio owner files a delivery reportBack in January, ABG reader Randy dropped us a note to let us know that he and his wife had received a letter from a Smart dealer that the car they had reserved would soon be ready for delivery. Well the Oklahoma City couple picked up their new car this week and Randy sent us another message:We just took delivery today. And we are very impressed. I live in Oklahoma City and the Smart dealer is located in Tulsa, which is about 100 miles. The drive back home was perfect. The car had no problem with keeping up with traffic, which on the turnpike speeds average 75-80mph. 80mph was not an issue to keep up. When we originally test drove the car during the tour, the cars seemed a little bouncy and jerky. Our cabrio is very solid and smooth. Top up on the highway, there is very little wind noise. Top down is stupendous. And the premium sound system ROCKS!!! All in all we couldn't be happier with our purchase. And for the days driving, after taking it on a tour to friends to show off, we averaged 44 mpg. WOOHOO! One other thing to point out, the attention the car gets is insane. I felt like I was in a parade on the highway. I have never had so many people waving and smiling and pointing. Some even snapped pictures. Sounds like Randy is pretty pleased so far. If you've got your own story, the comments are open.
Thanks to tipster Adam, we've read the first review of the smart ed, and now we wish even more that we could buy one for ourselves. If you've never heard of ed, as we like to call it, smart's U.K. operations has made available an electric version of the diminutive microcar to companies willing to power it using electricity generated only from renewable means. So far, the general public is unable to purchase ed, no matter where they live. This is a real shame, because it sounds like ed's a perfect little electric city runabout. Being able to reach 60 miles per hour and travel for 72 miles in between charging in a near-silent and completely non-polluting - not to mention safe - car really does sound smart.
Ed uses a sodium-nickel chloride battery along with a Zytek electric motor and is able to hit 30 miles per hour from a dead stop in 6.5 seconds. Not bad for a city car! Also, that 60 mile per hour top speed is electronically limited, so there could be enough power for highway travel, depending on how long the stretch of roadway is. In short, the smart ed is a real car, one that just happens to be powered by electrons. We want.
Is leather the "ultimate recycled material?" PETA thinks not
Last month, Peta sent a letter to David Schembri, president of Smart USA, informing him that his company is contradicting itself if it considers its Smart Passion models to be environmentally friendly. The problem is not the fuel mileage or emissions, but the fact that the vehicle includes leather seats. According to PETA, leather is harmful to the environment, but more importantly to them, it requires killing cows. According to PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk, "Smart can't have it both ways: touting its cars as eco-friendly and then plastering them with toxic and Earth-degrading leather."
Detroit News bloggers have chimed in regarding this issue, with Eric Morath quoting Rodney Hammond, vice president and general manager at Seton Co, as saying, "When you think about it, leather is the ultimate recycled material. You don't grow cows for the skin, you do it for the beef or the dairy. We take what would otherwise be waste and turn it into a beautiful, luxurious product." Hammond's company is an automotive supplier that makes leather interiors. Manny Lopez considers leather "green and practical," while Scott Burgess suggests switching to hemp and reminds us that some automakers have begun using bio-fabrics. In any case, leather interiors are not likely to go anywhere soon, but perhaps the industry could take a deeper look at the chromium-free tanning process that Lincoln was touting on their MKR concept.
VIDEO: Fifth Gear reviews electric Smart car, turns it into series hybrid with off-the-shelf generator
· This week, Fifth Gear did a side-by-side review of the Mercedes Smart electric drive and regular Smart car that runs on petrol (watch it below the fold). Fifth Gear found out that zero-to-thirty is a lot faster in the petrol but the handling, thanks the heavy batteries lowering the center of gravity, is tops in the electric. Just 100 Smart EDs (electric drive) are coming to the UK as a trial, and the launch will be based on demand, according to Fifth Gear. I think Fifth Gear's distance/cost comparison is kinda biased to the electric but the show does something very interesting at the end of the review. They put a portable gas generator in the back of the EV, charging the car and instantly turning it into a series hybrid. Why don't we see that more often?
Geneva 2008: smart fortwo limited two and smart navigation guide
With some new shiny paint and only 2,000 vehicles destined to be made, the new smart limited two was unveiled today at the Geneva Motor Show. The limited two will be available with special features like "cognac brown" leater interior and matte silver hilghlights in the dashboard. Outside, the limited two gets a special "light blue metallic" finish that was created just for this version of the smart. Other new variants of the smart fortwo include a 52 kW/71 bhp petrol engine with the micro hybrid (start/stop) drive and a smart fortwo cdi that uses state-of-the-art common rail direct injection for CO2 emissions of just 88 grams per km and 71 mpg (U.S.). Mercedes has also announced a fortwo-specific navigation device called the "portable smart navigation system II." Full details after the jump.
Brabus continues to "ungreen" the Smart with the Ultimate 112
Smart has already gotten a little flack considering that their microcar, the ForTwo, doesn't exactly set any records when it comes to fuel mileage. Thus far, the only version in the U.S. is powered by gasoline, not diesel, and doesn't even include any of the "microhybrid" features. Still, it is one of the more eco-friendly cars sold here, so we'll take what we can get. Brabus, though, thinks that they can add some "red" to the "green" image of the ForTwo by upping the power ante and selling it alongside their latest Brabus SLR. The SLR, of course, is not in the least bit green, and adding a "tender" to the supercar for shorter trips doesn't really help. Whatever the case, Brabus does manage to squeeze 112 horsepower from the Smart's 3 cylinder turbocharged engine, enough to accelerate from 0-60 in about 9.5 seconds and up to a top speed of 106 miles per hour. The claim that their new creation is "the ultimate city sports car and thus the ultimate tender to the SLR." For the man in your life who truly has everything... except this, of course.
·
Wired's Autopia gets a Smart, blogs a bunch
David Becker over at Wired's Autopia blog must be very excited about the recent purchase and pick-up of his Smart. His enthusiasm is palpable through the number of posts that the subject has garnered on Autopia, at last count it was six in the last two days. So far, he seems to really like the hill-assist, which keeps the car from rolling backwards when situated on an incline. He notes that there is plenty of room for the driver and passenger, but much less for stowage, so he made up a little formula to help people decide if the Smart will work for them. Lastly, he feels that his Smart "is the opposite of a penis extension/envy sports car." His words, not ours.
New Smart ForTwo Cabrio owner files a delivery reportBack in January, ABG reader Randy dropped us a note to let us know that he and his wife had received a letter from a Smart dealer that the car they had reserved would soon be ready for delivery. Well the Oklahoma City couple picked up their new car this week and Randy sent us another message:We just took delivery today. And we are very impressed. I live in Oklahoma City and the Smart dealer is located in Tulsa, which is about 100 miles. The drive back home was perfect. The car had no problem with keeping up with traffic, which on the turnpike speeds average 75-80mph. 80mph was not an issue to keep up. When we originally test drove the car during the tour, the cars seemed a little bouncy and jerky. Our cabrio is very solid and smooth. Top up on the highway, there is very little wind noise. Top down is stupendous. And the premium sound system ROCKS!!! All in all we couldn't be happier with our purchase. And for the days driving, after taking it on a tour to friends to show off, we averaged 44 mpg. WOOHOO! One other thing to point out, the attention the car gets is insane. I felt like I was in a parade on the highway. I have never had so many people waving and smiling and pointing. Some even snapped pictures. Sounds like Randy is pretty pleased so far. If you've got your own story, the comments are open.
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