Is This Really a Smart Move?
If you happen to live in America then there’s a Smart car coming to a dealer near you. But you just have to wonder about a company that can’t cope with the concept of using capital letters for the names of its products.
The smart fortwo is manufactured by the Mercedes Car Group. This technologically advanced vehicle has been designed to achieve 40-plus mpg under normal driving conditions. The vehicle is 2.64 metres long, 1.55 metres tall and 1.55 metres wide and comes equipped with many standard functional and safety features such as electronic stability program, anti-lock brakes and four air bags.
smart is currently sold in 36 countries, and over 800,000 smart fortwos have been sold since 1998.
The smart fortwo will be available in three trim levels. The entry-level pure coupe will start at $US11,590 with standard features such as a 5-speed transmission that allows drivers to switch between automatic and manual driving modes with the push of a button, central remote locking system, 2-spoke leather steering wheel, and a radio-ready console.
The passion coupe, starting at $US13,590 includes a panorama roof, alloy wheels, air conditioning with climate control, 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with gear shift paddles, power windows, electric and heated side mirrors, and an AM/FM radio with CD player, all standard.
Those seeking top-down excitement can choose the passion cabriolet, starting at $16,590 featuring a fully automatic soft top that can be easily adjusted with a push of a button, and in addition to the standard equipment of the passion coupe, a premium sound system with an in-dash mp3 compatible 6-CD changer. The value-priced cabrioletlet model is believed to debut as the lowest priced convertible offered in the United States.
All models are equipped with a 1-liter, 3-cylinder, 71-horsepower engine.
Now I can see that a car like the smart fortwo would be popular in Europe but how many do you think they’re going to sell in the US market were BIG is still considered beautiful?