alright! smart cars coming to USA!!!

[NICKG]

http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Symbol=USCX&Feed=AP&Date=20060627&ID=5828465


they are gonna bring in the smart cars! I love those things, I have seen them all over at Benz' hq and love the cars! I can't wait! Hopefully this will prompt the other Euro's to bring in their B segment cars like the Polo/lupo/fox or the 1 series. Finally we will begin to have the same cars here as they have elsewhere..we have truly missed out on some great cars.

[Jims5543]

We were just talking about that. I just sold my Toyota truck and would love to get a little run around car for city driving.

[LeRoux Strydom]

Great, maybe a few americans can buy all the unsold stocks sitting in other countries....

The Smart cars have not exactly been a resounding success in other markets, unfortunately. Maybe they will have better luck in the US, but I doubt it. If it could not make a success as a city car in Europe, why in the US?

[Nathans_Dad]

Geez, a two seater car with a 3 cylinder engine for $12-20k. That's the same price range as a Honda civic with a 4 cylinder engine and room for 4.

Somehow I think they might have a few problems...

I'm sure some will sell due to the novelty at first though.

[legion]

Originally posted by NICKG
Hopefully this will prompt the other Euro's to bring in their B segment cars like the Polo/lupo/fox or the 1 series. Finally we will begin to have the same cars here as they have elsewhere..we have truly missed out on some great cars.

I doubt it, most of those cars do not meet crash requirements in this country. From what I've heard, even the regular Smart does not, though the roadster can be modified to meet U.S. regs.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by LeRoux Strydom
Great, maybe a few americans can buy all the unsold stocks sitting in other countries....

The Smart cars have not exactly been a resounding success in other markets, unfortunately. Maybe they will have better luck in the US, but I doubt it. If it could not make a success as a city car in Europe, why in the US?

Because no one is offering anything like this in the US.

Trust me if these take off all the others will be scrambling to offer a small city car.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Maybe because Europe actually has these neat things called "public transportation infrastructure" and "fuel-savings incentives", whereas here at home we have "H2s" and "extended towing capacity".

[1967 R50/2]

Originally posted by Nathans_Dad
Geez, a two seater car with a 3 cylinder engine for $12-20k. That's the same price range as a Honda civic with a 4 cylinder engine and room for 4.

Somehow I think they might have a few problems...

I'm sure some will sell due to the novelty at first though.

Ditto. The price/value equation is really out of whack. Which is probably why they have never come close to their sales goals in Europe, which is the most friendly market possible for a city car of this type.

[1967 R50/2]

Originally posted by Jim Cesiro
We were just talking about that. I just sold my Toyota truck and would love to get a little run around car for city driving.

Why not get a MINI again? I remember a couple of threads back saying how much you liked it....just go Cooper rather than Cooper S JCW.

[gaijindabe]

Dumb SUV hits Smart Car. Car now less than smart.

[jeffgrant]

A friend of mine bought one for his wife, because she thought "it was cute" *shudder*

He quickly renamed it to "NotSo"

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by 1967 R50/2
Why not get a MINI again? I remember a couple of threads back saying how much you liked it....just go Cooper rather than Cooper S JCW.

I might have suggested I wanted a Smart for 2 but in all honesty I am working very slowly towards another MINI CooperS probably not a JCW. If I behaved with my JCW I could get close to 30MPG city. If I was bad I would get 25.

Right now I am driving my Dodge truck and getting 12. So anything is better.

**edit** If there was an affordable electric car with about a 120 mile range I would snap one of those up in a heartbeat for around town motoring.

[Jims5543]

Originally posted by 1967 R50/2
Ditto. The price/value equation is really out of whack. Which is probably why they have never come close to their sales goals in Europe, which is the most friendly market possible for a city car of this type.

I did a bit of research after seeing this thread and saw that you can get a Toyota Yaris for just a tad over 10K. While not a tiny as a Smart, it will probably rival it in gas milage and yet save you about 5K to but gas with.

[dtw]

A friend of mine has been importing these for a few months now. He can't keep them on the lot, though he is able to get only a very small allocation. Those who have come in, have done so with open checkbooks, saying 'cost no object, I want one NOW' with a straight face. I don't get it...

[Nathans_Dad]

I think it's like an eco-badge, great for the anti-Hummer crowd.

It shows how hip, enviro-friendly and metrosexual you are

[StevoRocket]

The origional Mini took off for precisely those reasons. Just wait till the A list folk buy them.
In Europe the old timers buy even smaller cars to get around town - some with really tiny engines. (like Ligier http://www.ligier-automobiles.com/site/uk/index.htm ).

[StevoRocket]

[on-ramp]

Smart cars work only if a large # of people buy them. then they are effective at controlling traffic, optimizing parking spaces (esp. in the city) and so forth and so on.

until that happens, they are just a novelty item, and dangerous with a SUV collision.

I don't think they will catch on in this country. Big fat Americans love their space and they love their big cars!!

[StevoRocket]

[Rick Lee]

Sadly, Americans want big cars to protect them in the event of a crash because driving here is so horrible compared to Europe. There they actually drive the way you're taught in driving school - left lane is for passing only, etc. It's much safer there in a small car than here.