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The Smart Car is well worth the wait
Daimler Mercedes-Benz has received more than 30,000 reservations for its Smart Car.
The Smart car is used widely throughout Europe, and was recently introduced into the American market.
It gets 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.
The 8 gallon capacity gas tank goes a long way.
The 1,800 pound car has a steel safety cage and four standard air bags to protect passengers.
It has received the highest rating of good in front-end and side-impact testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Bumper to bumper, it’s 104 inches long. A Cadillac Escalade, by comparison, measures nearly 223 inches long.
With a waiting list more than 30,000 reservations the Smart Car landed on forbesautos.com’s “Most Coveted” list.
Considering the safety and economy features, even with the wait there is no reason to hold off checking out the Smart Car.
2009 Smart Car Changes.
Less than a year has passed since the Smart ForTwo became available in the United States.
Approximately 14,000 smarts have been delivered to date.
The 2009 smart ForTwo is scheduled to arrive November 2008.
A small number of changes have been reported.
These will include two new exterior colors
- Rally Red will be replacing the 2008 models yellow
- Metallic Gray will replace the current “Red Metallic” option.
Smart will be offering a more intense red interior color option to match the exterior “Rally Red”.
Door storage areas will be netting that gives a more flexible and larger storage area.
A “Loose Gas Cap” indicator light has been added to the instrument panel.
You can now choose between the panoramic roof or a solid roof at no extra charge.
Prices for the 2009 Smart Cars have not yet been confirmed but expect a 2 to 3 percent increase.
Keep your eyes open for the 2009 Smart ForTwo.
Start Stop Systems on the Smart ForTwo
Stop-start systems will be made standard on the Smart ForTwo range from September, with a diesel variant due next February. An electric version is planned for 2010.
Start/stop systems switch off the internal combustion engine if the vehicle is stationary—for example in traffic jams or at red traffic lights.
Since the start of production in 2007, Bosch has suppled half a million starter-based start/stop systems to BMW and MINI.
Additional vehicle manufacturers (including SMART) have decided to use this technology, according to Bosch, and are planning roll-outs within the next few months.
Depending on the vehicle concerned, start/stop systems save up to 5% in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and produce correspondingly less CO2. In the urban part of the NEDC, the reduction in consumption and emissions is as much as 8%.
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| A specially adapted starter is the central component of the Bosch Smart Electronic Start-Stop System. |
Get current pricing on Smart Cars.
A great car for what it was intended to do
A great car for what it was intended to do
Pros: Comfy seats, Safety features, easy parking in urban areas, handling
Cons: no remote start or cruise control available, 91 octane gas requirement
Ride is very tight on the bumps but corners remarkably well.
Roominess inside is suprisingly well thought out.
Not much room for cargo but plenty for a Six foot One Inch, 215 pound man.
The NASCAR cage design explains why it did so well in the crash testing
You can easily fit into the parking spaces that all the other cars will have had to have passed up on.
It is nice to have the option to drive it in manual mode when you want to.
Radio/CD player is decent but no bluetooth option on it for the cell phone.
Recommended options
Definately order one with the Heated leather seat/ lighting, etc. option. It is well worth the extra money.
Also order the fog lights and alarm from the factory since It is hards to find on the order form.
The huge glass sunroof and wide windows give you a fantastic view when driving and the excellent headlight design makes for easier night driving.
Overall, this car will exceed your expectations.
How Many Smart Car Models Are There?
Intelligent Americans wanting fuel efficiency and environmental compatibility can immediately get a price quote on the Smart vehicle of their dreams. Qualified dealers are waiting to vie for your business and will provide you with free up-front and competitive smart car prices. These network partners will give you a fast cost quote on that new Smart Fortwo or other hard-to-find car.
All 2008 smart fortwos come packed with standard safety features that are more likely to be found in luxury vehicles.
The base pure model comes standard with these features
- 5-speed automated manual transmission with manual or automatic mode
- central remote locking system
- 2-spoke leather steering wheel
- radio-ready console
The Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe includes
- Panorama roof
- Alloy wheels
- Air conditioning with climate control
- 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles
- Power windows
- Electric and heated side mirrors
- AM/FM radio with CD player
The Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet
Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet has all the features of the passion coupe.
The main difference lies in the soft top with a heated rear glass window.
It also has an upgraded radio and sound system that includes an mp3 compatible, in-dash, 6-disk CD changer.
