Dave and Trudy wrote:
> "jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
> news:24WdncWH-8HnCTnZnZ2dnUVZ_sidnZ2d@speakeasy.net...
>> TeGGeR® wrote:
>>> "F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in
>>> news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06:
>>>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>>>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go
>>>> on sale here in early 2008.
>>>> By John O'Dell
>>>> Times Staff Writer
>>>>
>>>> June 29, 2006
>>>>
>>>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper,
>>>> but DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>>
>>> Yeah, yeah, yeah. Blah blah blah.
>>>
>>> Canada has these rolling telephone booths since...what? 2003?
>>>
>>> Daimler Chrysler loses money on each and every one, in spite of
>>> their high purchase price.
>>>
>>> There are forty inches (I checked) between the front bumper and the
>>> top of the steering wheel. You wanna bash into something while
>>> driving a "Smart"? Go check how many inches separate *your*
>>> steering wheel top from *your* front bumper.
>>
>> 40" doesn't necessarily mean a thing. check this out:
>> http://www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/Cra...operVsFordF150
>> i'd trust 40" from daimlerchrysler more than 80" from ford ANY day.
>>>
>>> You know why "Smarts" are officially "safe"? Because there are too
>>> many dollars between you and the other vehicles.
> Jim, I would have thought that someone of your experience and
> intelligence would better evaluate a source such as Bridger. Your
> link shows the result of two head on crashes, one of which (the F150)
> is actually a front end offset crash as opposed to the Mini which is
> a true front end impact...Next the table of data listed were compiled
> by two "scientists" one of which is from Cal Berkley which has a
> reputation of being anti-everything establishment/American/or even
> moderately conservative. These data are misleading and actually of
> little value as they list number of deaths per 1mil vehicles but they
> include not only the hitter but also the hitee. This means 10 Yugo
> drivers hit 10 F150 and all 10 Yugo drivers are killed, then BOTH the
> Yugo and the F150 are credited with 10 fatalities. Although
> technically correct, this is a way to skew these data to support (or
> in this case smear) a particular position or belief. In any such a
> study one must ask the question; "Do the researchers have a personal
> agenda that may color his perspective, analysis, and findings?".

-SNIP-

Certainly true but hardly exclusive to Cal Berkley - *your* personal agenda
is showing.

 

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
news:_U%og.161773$F_3.72693@newssvr29.news.prodigy .net...
>
> <zwsdotcom@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> If I lived in a city, I'd get one. They take up little space and are
>>> easy to
>>
>> I'd like one, but the price will not be right. It will be more
>> expensive than a regular compact car like a Focus or Chevy Cavalier.
>> The regular car does so much more.
>
> Depends on where you live. In most US cities and any small town, the
> Focus or Cavalier is a better overall deal. In some European cities, the
> congestion is horrid and the difference in size means parking 4 blocks
> from your apartment instead of 12 blocks. In most of Italy, gas was $5.80
> a gallon when I was there in March. An extra 5 or 10 mpg is a big
> difference. The Smart is also cheaper there than it will be here.

IIRC Smart cars are 3 cyl. diesel, hopefully
gaining more savings.


>
>

 

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
news:_U%og.161773$F_3.72693@newssvr29.news.prodigy .net...
>
> <zwsdotcom@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> If I lived in a city, I'd get one. They take up little space and are
>>> easy to
>>
>> I'd like one, but the price will not be right. It will be more
>> expensive than a regular compact car like a Focus or Chevy Cavalier.
>> The regular car does so much more.
>
> Depends on where you live. In most US cities and any small town, the
> Focus or Cavalier is a better overall deal. In some European cities, the
> congestion is horrid and the difference in size means parking 4 blocks
> from your apartment instead of 12 blocks. In most of Italy, gas was $5.80
> a gallon when I was there in March. An extra 5 or 10 mpg is a big
> difference. The Smart is also cheaper there than it will be here.

IIRC Smart cars are 3 cyl. diesel, hopefully
gaining more savings.


>
>

 

"Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
news:_U%og.161773$F_3.72693@newssvr29.news.prodigy .net...
>
> <zwsdotcom@gmail.com> wrote in message
>>> If I lived in a city, I'd get one. They take up little space and are
>>> easy to
>>
>> I'd like one, but the price will not be right. It will be more
>> expensive than a regular compact car like a Focus or Chevy Cavalier.
>> The regular car does so much more.
>
> Depends on where you live. In most US cities and any small town, the
> Focus or Cavalier is a better overall deal. In some European cities, the
> congestion is horrid and the difference in size means parking 4 blocks
> from your apartment instead of 12 blocks. In most of Italy, gas was $5.80
> a gallon when I was there in March. An extra 5 or 10 mpg is a big
> difference. The Smart is also cheaper there than it will be here.

IIRC Smart cars are 3 cyl. diesel, hopefully
gaining more savings.


>
>

 

"F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on
> sale here in early 2008.
> By John O'Dell
> Times Staff Writer
>
> June 29, 2006
>
> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>
[snip]
> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But
> first Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can
> hold its own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could
> carry the 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>

What I drove to work today is probably less safe than a Smart. I look both
ways before going through a green light.

> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>
> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>

I could fit four of these in my two-car garage! I could keep a mini-van or
sedan, get two Smarts and I'd be upgraded a three-car garage!

[snip]
> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign
> and stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and
> that U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.

[snip]
> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range
> as the Smart.
>
> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>

But the Yaris and Fit are noticeably cheaper. I don't see many people
giving up the flexibility of something larger (Yaris, Fit, Cobalt LS, Focus)
to get 40mpg, unless gas prices go way up.

If it was the same price as a Yaris, I'd consider it. I'd have to believe
it was reliable, though.

If half-price, half-size parking spots were available downtown for the Smart
or other mini-cars, that might help induce some people to purchase it.

> *
>
> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>
> Big and small
>
> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>
> Hummer H2 Smart
> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> Height 6' 7" 5'
> Seating 6 2
> Cylinders 8 3
> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> Horsepower 325 60
> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> *Estimated by industry sources.

You forgot:

Typical Actual Passenger Load 1 1

:-)



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

"F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on
> sale here in early 2008.
> By John O'Dell
> Times Staff Writer
>
> June 29, 2006
>
> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>
[snip]
> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But
> first Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can
> hold its own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could
> carry the 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>

What I drove to work today is probably less safe than a Smart. I look both
ways before going through a green light.

> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>
> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>

I could fit four of these in my two-car garage! I could keep a mini-van or
sedan, get two Smarts and I'd be upgraded a three-car garage!

[snip]
> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign
> and stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and
> that U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.

[snip]
> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range
> as the Smart.
>
> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>

But the Yaris and Fit are noticeably cheaper. I don't see many people
giving up the flexibility of something larger (Yaris, Fit, Cobalt LS, Focus)
to get 40mpg, unless gas prices go way up.

If it was the same price as a Yaris, I'd consider it. I'd have to believe
it was reliable, though.

If half-price, half-size parking spots were available downtown for the Smart
or other mini-cars, that might help induce some people to purchase it.

> *
>
> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>
> Big and small
>
> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>
> Hummer H2 Smart
> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> Height 6' 7" 5'
> Seating 6 2
> Cylinders 8 3
> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> Horsepower 325 60
> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> *Estimated by industry sources.

You forgot:

Typical Actual Passenger Load 1 1

:-)



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

"F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on
> sale here in early 2008.
> By John O'Dell
> Times Staff Writer
>
> June 29, 2006
>
> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>
[snip]
> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But
> first Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can
> hold its own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could
> carry the 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>

What I drove to work today is probably less safe than a Smart. I look both
ways before going through a green light.

> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>
> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>

I could fit four of these in my two-car garage! I could keep a mini-van or
sedan, get two Smarts and I'd be upgraded a three-car garage!

[snip]
> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign
> and stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and
> that U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.

[snip]
> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range
> as the Smart.
>
> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>

But the Yaris and Fit are noticeably cheaper. I don't see many people
giving up the flexibility of something larger (Yaris, Fit, Cobalt LS, Focus)
to get 40mpg, unless gas prices go way up.

If it was the same price as a Yaris, I'd consider it. I'd have to believe
it was reliable, though.

If half-price, half-size parking spots were available downtown for the Smart
or other mini-cars, that might help induce some people to purchase it.

> *
>
> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>
> Big and small
>
> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>
> Hummer H2 Smart
> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> Height 6' 7" 5'
> Seating 6 2
> Cylinders 8 3
> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> Horsepower 325 60
> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> *Estimated by industry sources.

You forgot:

Typical Actual Passenger Load 1 1

:-)



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

"F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on
> sale here in early 2008.
> By John O'Dell
> Times Staff Writer
>
> June 29, 2006
>
> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>
[snip]
> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But
> first Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can
> hold its own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could
> carry the 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>

What I drove to work today is probably less safe than a Smart. I look both
ways before going through a green light.

> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>
> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>

I could fit four of these in my two-car garage! I could keep a mini-van or
sedan, get two Smarts and I'd be upgraded a three-car garage!

[snip]
> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign
> and stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and
> that U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.

[snip]
> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range
> as the Smart.
>
> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>

But the Yaris and Fit are noticeably cheaper. I don't see many people
giving up the flexibility of something larger (Yaris, Fit, Cobalt LS, Focus)
to get 40mpg, unless gas prices go way up.

If it was the same price as a Yaris, I'd consider it. I'd have to believe
it was reliable, though.

If half-price, half-size parking spots were available downtown for the Smart
or other mini-cars, that might help induce some people to purchase it.

> *
>
> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>
> Big and small
>
> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>
> Hummer H2 Smart
> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> Height 6' 7" 5'
> Seating 6 2
> Cylinders 8 3
> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> Horsepower 325 60
> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> *Estimated by industry sources.

You forgot:

Typical Actual Passenger Load 1 1

:-)



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

 

> "F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> > DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> > The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
> > here in early 2008.
> > By John O'Dell
> > Times Staff Writer
> >
> > June 29, 2006
> >
> > The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> > DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
> >
> > The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
> > since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
> > early in 2008.
> >
> > With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> > gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
> > Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
> > own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
> > 1,600-pound Smart in back.
> >
> > Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> > U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> > crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
> >
> > At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> > called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant in
> > France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said. The
> > passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to work
> > like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from the
> > shock of a collision.
> >
> > "We are very confident about the safety features and structural integrity"
> > of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
> >
> > The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
> > stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
> > U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
> >
> > The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
> > dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
> > U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
> > dealerships in the U.S.
> >
> > Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
> > to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
> > continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
> > would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
> > transportation in leisure communities.
> >
> > One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several small
> > cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that have room
> > for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as the Smart.
> >
> > Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
> > Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
> > company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
> > its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
> >
> > The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
> > marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts there.
> >
> > And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing a
> > version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars are
> > converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private firm
> > with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
> >
> > So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
> > dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
> >
> > "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
> > DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
> > Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
> > Smarts around.
> >
> > *
> >
> > (INFOBOX BELOW)
> >
> > Big and small
> >
> > A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
> >
> > Hummer H2 Smart
> > Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> > Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> > Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> > Height 6' 7" 5'
> > Seating 6 2
> > Cylinders 8 3
> > Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> > Horsepower 325 60
> > Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> > Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> >
> >
> > *Estimated by industry sources.

Jonny wrote:
> Odd, TV news said 75 highway/ 45 city.
> Vehicle is good for 1 or 2 persons. They need a longer version for more
> people and to carry a sizable amount of groceries etc. Pricey compared to
> other high mpg cars currently on the market, but seems to fare more mpgs.
> Maybe the maker is counting on this as a factor to sway the buyer.
> Weight, engine displacement, and appropriate horsepower provided for such a
> vehicle makes sense to get such mpg. Size (wind resistance) and weight are
> the biggest obstacles to mpg, next the controllable lead foot and population
> associated "parking lot" city driving commutes.
> --
> Jonny

They were talking about the Smart currently being sold in Europe. The
ones being sold in the US currently by Zap! (www.zapworld.com) only get
40MPG and cost minimum $25,000 through independent dealerships.
Additionally, DC is making a major mistake because they won't have any
available for sale in the US until 2008. In the meantime, Toyota
Yaris, Nissan Versa, Scion xA and the Honda Fit are flying out the
dealerships (including the Yaris I just bought). A year or so ago I
was super interested in the Smart car but eventually gave up that idea
when I saw the price/mileage change.

 

> "F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> > DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> > The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
> > here in early 2008.
> > By John O'Dell
> > Times Staff Writer
> >
> > June 29, 2006
> >
> > The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> > DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
> >
> > The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
> > since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
> > early in 2008.
> >
> > With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> > gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
> > Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
> > own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
> > 1,600-pound Smart in back.
> >
> > Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> > U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> > crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
> >
> > At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> > called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant in
> > France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said. The
> > passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to work
> > like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from the
> > shock of a collision.
> >
> > "We are very confident about the safety features and structural integrity"
> > of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
> >
> > The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
> > stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
> > U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
> >
> > The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
> > dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
> > U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
> > dealerships in the U.S.
> >
> > Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
> > to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
> > continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
> > would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
> > transportation in leisure communities.
> >
> > One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several small
> > cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that have room
> > for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as the Smart.
> >
> > Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
> > Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
> > company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
> > its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
> >
> > The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
> > marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts there.
> >
> > And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing a
> > version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars are
> > converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private firm
> > with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
> >
> > So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
> > dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
> >
> > "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
> > DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
> > Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
> > Smarts around.
> >
> > *
> >
> > (INFOBOX BELOW)
> >
> > Big and small
> >
> > A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
> >
> > Hummer H2 Smart
> > Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> > Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> > Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> > Height 6' 7" 5'
> > Seating 6 2
> > Cylinders 8 3
> > Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> > Horsepower 325 60
> > Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> > Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> >
> >
> > *Estimated by industry sources.

Jonny wrote:
> Odd, TV news said 75 highway/ 45 city.
> Vehicle is good for 1 or 2 persons. They need a longer version for more
> people and to carry a sizable amount of groceries etc. Pricey compared to
> other high mpg cars currently on the market, but seems to fare more mpgs.
> Maybe the maker is counting on this as a factor to sway the buyer.
> Weight, engine displacement, and appropriate horsepower provided for such a
> vehicle makes sense to get such mpg. Size (wind resistance) and weight are
> the biggest obstacles to mpg, next the controllable lead foot and population
> associated "parking lot" city driving commutes.
> --
> Jonny

They were talking about the Smart currently being sold in Europe. The
ones being sold in the US currently by Zap! (www.zapworld.com) only get
40MPG and cost minimum $25,000 through independent dealerships.
Additionally, DC is making a major mistake because they won't have any
available for sale in the US until 2008. In the meantime, Toyota
Yaris, Nissan Versa, Scion xA and the Honda Fit are flying out the
dealerships (including the Yaris I just bought). A year or so ago I
was super interested in the Smart car but eventually gave up that idea
when I saw the price/mileage change.

 

> "F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> > DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> > The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
> > here in early 2008.
> > By John O'Dell
> > Times Staff Writer
> >
> > June 29, 2006
> >
> > The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> > DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
> >
> > The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
> > since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
> > early in 2008.
> >
> > With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> > gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
> > Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
> > own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
> > 1,600-pound Smart in back.
> >
> > Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> > U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> > crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
> >
> > At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> > called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant in
> > France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said. The
> > passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to work
> > like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from the
> > shock of a collision.
> >
> > "We are very confident about the safety features and structural integrity"
> > of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
> >
> > The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
> > stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
> > U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
> >
> > The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
> > dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
> > U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
> > dealerships in the U.S.
> >
> > Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
> > to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
> > continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
> > would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
> > transportation in leisure communities.
> >
> > One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several small
> > cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that have room
> > for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as the Smart.
> >
> > Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
> > Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
> > company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
> > its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
> >
> > The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
> > marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts there.
> >
> > And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing a
> > version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars are
> > converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private firm
> > with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
> >
> > So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
> > dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
> >
> > "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
> > DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
> > Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
> > Smarts around.
> >
> > *
> >
> > (INFOBOX BELOW)
> >
> > Big and small
> >
> > A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
> >
> > Hummer H2 Smart
> > Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> > Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> > Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> > Height 6' 7" 5'
> > Seating 6 2
> > Cylinders 8 3
> > Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> > Horsepower 325 60
> > Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> > Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> >
> >
> > *Estimated by industry sources.

Jonny wrote:
> Odd, TV news said 75 highway/ 45 city.
> Vehicle is good for 1 or 2 persons. They need a longer version for more
> people and to carry a sizable amount of groceries etc. Pricey compared to
> other high mpg cars currently on the market, but seems to fare more mpgs.
> Maybe the maker is counting on this as a factor to sway the buyer.
> Weight, engine displacement, and appropriate horsepower provided for such a
> vehicle makes sense to get such mpg. Size (wind resistance) and weight are
> the biggest obstacles to mpg, next the controllable lead foot and population
> associated "parking lot" city driving commutes.
> --
> Jonny

They were talking about the Smart currently being sold in Europe. The
ones being sold in the US currently by Zap! (www.zapworld.com) only get
40MPG and cost minimum $25,000 through independent dealerships.
Additionally, DC is making a major mistake because they won't have any
available for sale in the US until 2008. In the meantime, Toyota
Yaris, Nissan Versa, Scion xA and the Honda Fit are flying out the
dealerships (including the Yaris I just bought). A year or so ago I
was super interested in the Smart car but eventually gave up that idea
when I saw the price/mileage change.

 

> "F. H." <connectu2@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:cJZog.20153$Yk.14009@trnddc06...
> > DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
> > The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
> > here in early 2008.
> > By John O'Dell
> > Times Staff Writer
> >
> > June 29, 2006
> >
> > The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
> > DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
> >
> > The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
> > since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
> > early in 2008.
> >
> > With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
> > gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
> > Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
> > own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
> > 1,600-pound Smart in back.
> >
> > Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
> > U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
> > crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
> >
> > At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
> > called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant in
> > France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said. The
> > passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to work
> > like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from the
> > shock of a collision.
> >
> > "We are very confident about the safety features and structural integrity"
> > of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
> >
> > The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
> > stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
> > U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
> >
> > The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
> > dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
> > U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
> > dealerships in the U.S.
> >
> > Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
> > to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
> > continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
> > would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
> > transportation in leisure communities.
> >
> > One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several small
> > cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that have room
> > for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as the Smart.
> >
> > Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
> >
> > DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
> > Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
> > company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
> > its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
> >
> > The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
> > marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts there.
> >
> > And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing a
> > version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars are
> > converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private firm
> > with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
> >
> > So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
> > dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
> >
> > "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
> > DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
> > Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
> > Smarts around.
> >
> > *
> >
> > (INFOBOX BELOW)
> >
> > Big and small
> >
> > A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
> >
> > Hummer H2 Smart
> > Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
> > Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
> > Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
> > Height 6' 7" 5'
> > Seating 6 2
> > Cylinders 8 3
> > Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
> > Horsepower 325 60
> > Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
> > Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
> >
> >
> > *Estimated by industry sources.

Jonny wrote:
> Odd, TV news said 75 highway/ 45 city.
> Vehicle is good for 1 or 2 persons. They need a longer version for more
> people and to carry a sizable amount of groceries etc. Pricey compared to
> other high mpg cars currently on the market, but seems to fare more mpgs.
> Maybe the maker is counting on this as a factor to sway the buyer.
> Weight, engine displacement, and appropriate horsepower provided for such a
> vehicle makes sense to get such mpg. Size (wind resistance) and weight are
> the biggest obstacles to mpg, next the controllable lead foot and population
> associated "parking lot" city driving commutes.
> --
> Jonny

They were talking about the Smart currently being sold in Europe. The
ones being sold in the US currently by Zap! (www.zapworld.com) only get
40MPG and cost minimum $25,000 through independent dealerships.
Additionally, DC is making a major mistake because they won't have any
available for sale in the US until 2008. In the meantime, Toyota
Yaris, Nissan Versa, Scion xA and the Honda Fit are flying out the
dealerships (including the Yaris I just bought). A year or so ago I
was super interested in the Smart car but eventually gave up that idea
when I saw the price/mileage change.

 

If I were thinking of a Smart car (which I'm not) I'd just as soon have an
ancient BMW Isetta and have NO front protection. There is one benefit to a
Smart car, though, since you wouldn't have to buy a casket to put your body
into after a crash.
If all cars were Smart size, it might make sense, but not with so many
Excursions, Denalis, Hummers etc on the road, not to mention big rigs.

 

If I were thinking of a Smart car (which I'm not) I'd just as soon have an
ancient BMW Isetta and have NO front protection. There is one benefit to a
Smart car, though, since you wouldn't have to buy a casket to put your body
into after a crash.
If all cars were Smart size, it might make sense, but not with so many
Excursions, Denalis, Hummers etc on the road, not to mention big rigs.

 

If I were thinking of a Smart car (which I'm not) I'd just as soon have an
ancient BMW Isetta and have NO front protection. There is one benefit to a
Smart car, though, since you wouldn't have to buy a casket to put your body
into after a crash.
If all cars were Smart size, it might make sense, but not with so many
Excursions, Denalis, Hummers etc on the road, not to mention big rigs.