mental_floss magazine
SUBSCRIBE >
GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS >
DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS >
subscriber services >
by - October 18, 2007 - 1:07 AM
In case you’ve been asleep ‘til now, we’ve covered Nutella and Eurovision thus far in this feature. Today, I thought we’d explore another European fav, the Smart Car. With its sleek design, low-ish sticker price, and gas-friendly attitude, the pint-size vehicles are hugely popular in Europe, especially in cities like Milan that are rich with old-world twisty, curvy streets originally designed for horse and carriage. Europeans also dig ‘em because parking is much easier to find as you see in the photos below.
First called a Swatchmobile by Swiss Swatch inventor, Nicolas Hayek, when he designed it, the Smart Car is a compact, 2-seat, 1,800 lb-er that measures all of 8.8 feet in length. That’s almost 4 feet less than the Mini Cooper, for those who need perspective. If you’re wondering about the name, it’s actually an acronym: Smart stands for Swatch Mercedes ART.
Until now, Americans haven’t been very Smart-savvy. But that might change real soon as the car will be readily available here starting in 2008. In a Feel Art Again vein, Mangesh once suggested we should team up with Daimler Chrysler (one of the companies that will be importing them) and employ the catch-phrase: Drive Smart Again.
Along those lines, I put this question to our smart readers: do you think a nation in love with its SUVS and not-so-miniVans will embrace the Smart Car? Or do you think most people will be afraid to get in one? (What with all those other monsters on the road?.)
I can tell you that WIRED mag just voted it “Best of Test” in their annual product test issue. Also: after the car’s appearance in The Da Vinci Code, ZAP, a niche motor vehicle company that markets alternative-fuel cars, received tens of thousands of emails from prospective buyers. I can also tell you that the base sticker price is planned at around $12,000! So will the Smart Car conquer the land of the large? We want to know.
Comments (46)
Comment
- Follow mental_floss
The question is not “Or do you think most people will be afraid to get in one? “, it should be “do you think that most people in America would be able to get into one?”
and one correction, there is no more Daimler-Chrysler, the company sold Chrysler and its now called Daimler AG (name is being a subject to vote by the shareholders)
posted by Fign on 10-18-2007 at 5:11 am
I love my Smart Car! In Britian petrol (gas) is ridiculously expensive, these cars not only save a fortune but also are easy to use down the teeny windy streets. Parking is dead easy. I think it just may catch on in American city life.
posted by Ari on 10-18-2007 at 5:26 am
I would love to get one! The only issue is the fear of being squashed by all the SUVs and the giant construction trucks that dominate the highways here….
posted by ying on 10-18-2007 at 6:00 am
I want one!
posted by KJ on 10-18-2007 at 6:22 am
I agree with Fign… no sooner will smart cars be available than their maker will be slapped with a lawsuit for being “fattist”.
posted by C to the LJ on 10-18-2007 at 6:49 am
I like the idea but would be scared to ride next to anything larger than a VW.
posted by Craig on 10-18-2007 at 6:52 am
I’ve been waiting for them to come to the US. I bought a Scion xA and would love to go smaller!! I would think Americans would go smaller like Europe if gas were $6 a gallon. They did it in the 70’s, they’d do it again hopefully this time it would stick even after gas prices dropped because lack of demand.
posted by Ananda on 10-18-2007 at 8:15 am
I’m not incredibly familiar with the car… But if the safety features are top-notch, then maybe the small car surrounded by huge gas guzzlers won’t be that big of a deal.
posted by HeyBeckyJ on 10-18-2007 at 8:16 am
I think the Smart may catch on in very limited areas. New York and LA will probably be loaded with the things, but I’m not seeing a huge market for them here in Oklahoma.
posted by Anthony on 10-18-2007 at 8:27 am
I would bet this will be a big deal in San Francisco, where there’s no parking, and people are tend to be environmentally friendly. No one’s going to give up their minivan until you find a place to put a carseat though.
posted by Lebetho on 10-18-2007 at 8:30 am
I’d love to see these catch on. Maybe they have a chance in New York and L.A. However, here in The Land that Time Forgot (Mississippi), you’d get creamed by one of the thousands of Big Ol’ Stupid Trucks on the roads.
posted by Matt Staggs on 10-18-2007 at 8:31 am
Well, I don’t think they will take off in the U.S., outside of large flat cities. First of all, they are two-seaters, so most families will dismiss them because even two-car families want both cars to fit the entire family. I can understand why — what if the sedan breaks down and you’re stuck with just the Smart Car? You can only fit 2 at a time.
I know where I live in Austin, there are lots of places that would be inaccessible because of the high steep hills in the western part of the city. I used to live on Lake Travis and there’s no way a Smart Car is making it up Tumbleweed Hill; even regular-size cars with 2 cylinder engines barely make it.
Another question I’d have is stoplights. Many stoplights in the U.S. are triggered by vehicle weight, is a Smart Car heavy enough to trigger that? I used to ride a motorcycle and found myself running red lights (if it was late at night with no traffic) or changing positions in a lane to let a car in front of me, because my motorcycle wasn’t heavy enough to trigger the light.
Now, if I lived in Boston or Chicago, I’d be all over this thing.
posted by Constance Reader on 10-18-2007 at 8:32 am
I have a Smart car ordered as do thousands of other people. We just confirmed the color, styles, options.
Roger Penske is the USA distributor through Mercedes dealers (not all)
The Smart got a great write up in Wired Gadgets edition.
All the negatives pointed out also apply to motorcycles. So if you wouldn’t buy a motorcycle, you probably won’t buy a Smart.
posted by GoingLikeSixty on 10-18-2007 at 8:39 am
I had one when I was younger. We called it a go-cart. Perfect for small single people with no children, otherwise … a useless novelty.
posted by DW on 10-18-2007 at 9:11 am
I’d buy one, as a petite person I feel kind of silly driving most of the SUV’s nowadays.
posted by Katherine on 10-18-2007 at 9:26 am
I could see this being popular in very crowded cities like the Bay Area but not in smaller areas. Unfortunately I think people would still rather drive SUVs cause they like having a big car. Even if gas went up even higher people might still drive SUVs so they can carry many passengers. I would love to own a Smart Car but I would need a car with trunk space to hold luggage.
posted by Gina on 10-18-2007 at 9:27 am
I think the poster “goinglikesixty” has it right when s/he said: “So if you wouldn’t buy a motorcycle, you probably won’t buy a Smart.” I think it’s a very similar concept to a motorcycle. You can only fit 1-2 people on a motorcycle, same with a smart car. Not a lot of room for cargo, great for urban areas, not so great for long commutes.
I don’t think it’ll “catch on” and be the next SUV, but I do think it will have a strong niche market of urban dwellers. And I think it’s a great idea.
posted by jenny on 10-18-2007 at 9:33 am
If I could afford one, I’d buy a SMART car in a second! There seems to be a niche market here in chicago, the people who bought the New Beetle then the Mini are looking for their next cute little car. But, sadly, Chicago drivers seem to hate the planet. Most people commute a good distance to work, but still insist on buying the biggest SUV possible. There are probably more Hummers on the road than hybrids.
posted by Maggie on 10-18-2007 at 9:39 am
I’ve seen a bunch of them rolling around Portland in the last year or so…
I think they’re pretty spiffy, but I have to admit that freeway driving in my Echo (echo echo echo) is rather intimidating, and it’s twice the size of the eentsy little Smart car.
posted by natlynn on 10-18-2007 at 10:00 am
i bought a 2 door toyota yaris hatchback this year for the gas efficiency and the low price tag. i love it. it’s a little bigger than the smartcar and has a backseat. i get about 30-40 mpg. i use it to go to work and to run errands. the trunk is just big enough for groceries, or about three full kitchen trash bags. i got the manual transmission and manual everything else, and it was about the same price as a smartcar too. so for anyone who can’t wait for the smartcar and want a backseat, i highly recommend the toyota yaris. i have a one year old and i take him all over town in it! he likes it too because he gets a better view than in my husband’s jeep liberty. it is kinda like a motorcycle in that i am a lot more attentive to the other drivers on the road. i previously owned a new beetle and i think my yaris is a lot lighter, a lot more gas-efficient, and easier to park. i can fit into any parking space even if the giant suv on the side of me is way over the line. and when the whole family is going somewhere where we need to bring the stroller or other large item, we take the jeep. it saves us each month on the car payment and on the gas.
posted by lindsay m on 10-18-2007 at 10:06 am
I wonder how it feels to drive? A few years ago my mom got a mini cooper- it looked teensy from the outside, but felt like you were driving a normal car when you were driving it.
What is I’m sure unlike the smart car, we called the mini the clown car because it could fit our family of four. I find it interesting that the smart car is supposed to catch on in big cities but is so cheap- the only people I know who drive into NYC to work because they live in suburbs are insanely rich because parking costs so much. Even the mildly wealthy commute via train or bus. Would a zillionaire want to buy a $12,000 car???
posted by Kelly on 10-18-2007 at 10:10 am
I’ve test driven the new Smart. Much like my MINI it has a large amount of space for 2 passengers. Obviously a family of 3 or more won’t fit but considering that most vehicles are driven with only the driver, it seems very reasonable. I also ride a motorcycle, but weather protection is sorely lacking.
If you don’t want one don’t buy one.
posted by phil on 10-18-2007 at 10:23 am
I bought a scooter this summer for basically the same reasons why a person would buy a smart car. I love my scooter and the efficiency it offers, and would love a smart car to drive during the winter.
Smaller vehicles are the way to go. If I ever need to transport something large, I rent a Uhaul for $20 and call it good.
posted by Rutkowskilives on 10-18-2007 at 10:47 am
I can see a possible market for them as a second car; however, I know that $12K is cheap, but I still thought they’d be cheaper. As a single mother of one, if they were more affordable (and my current car was paid off), I could see myself buying one for my weekday commute. But I’d still need something bigger for the weekend as I don’t think that you could even fit my son’s stroller in there, nevermind groceries.
posted by caitlen315 on 10-18-2007 at 11:06 am
We live in a big urban centre in a part of Canada known for its love of big trucks and suvs. We have had a diesel smart car for over a month and we love it!
Over a hundred kms for $36.
Yes we also have a minivan because we have four kids but whenever we can we use the smart car for errands and my husband uses it daily to commute.
And yes you could easily fit an umbrella stroller and a diaper bag in and groceries too.
Last weeked we picked up about 10 bags of groceries, two from the bakery and another couple of bags worth of things from the farmers market.
almost 20 bags of groceries came out of the back. Yes it was a wee bit tight but not much.
It is very roomy in the front and it is very easy to forget that you are in a small car, I prefer it that way to the minivan.
posted by gawdess on 10-18-2007 at 11:26 am
This is the ONLY mainstream car I would consider purchasing, and perfect for a single guy in traffic-snarled/parking challenged Seattle…
posted by andy niable on 10-18-2007 at 11:32 am
great responses! to all those who already own them, do you ever feel intimidated by the larger cars on the roads? esp on highways?
i would love to buy one but fear being thrown into the lane divider on the freeway when a hummer groans by.
posted by David on 10-18-2007 at 11:39 am
I think it’ll take a while for pople to get used to it, but I wou’dn’t be surprised if it caught on quicly after that.
Besides, it’s so cute!
posted by heather on 10-18-2007 at 11:56 am
Actually if you check out their website, you’ll find that they’re offering 4-seater and/or convertible versions as well. Also, they’ll be a little heavier than their EU counterparts (and therefore less fuel efficient but still beating the pants off of almost all non-hybrid/electric vehicles) because they’re being updated to meet US safety standards.
We have an SUV as our only car because it’s more practical for hauling cargo like rottweilers and we barely drive as it is, but we’ve seen one tooling around Spokane and are pretty interested in getting one for non-cargo trips like the movies or (non-Costco) groceries.
posted by Michelle on 10-18-2007 at 11:57 am
I would love to get one, nobody at my work knows how to park!
posted by leah on 10-18-2007 at 12:22 pm
I am an American with a BMI that is larger than it ought to be, I live in Europe, and I have been comfortably fitting into and driving a Smart for going on 6 years now. One of my main reasons for not wanting to move back to the US is about to go away if there are finally going to be Smart cars available there!
Folks, I love my Smart. When you sit in one, it feels no smaller than a Honda Civic (just don’t look over your shoulder). It rides higher than many other compact cars on the roads either of Europe or the US (MUCH higher than the Mini Cooper), which truly helps to overcome that “fear of the SUV” on the road. You can actually see some distance down the road, and ride along without feeling like you’re only 2 inches off the pavement (because you aren’t).
Do I want to drive one on I-90 across Montana in a high wind? Nope, but that’s not what these cars are made for. They’re made for the short trips across town that most people wind up driving their SUVs for (tell me that the average owner of an SUV actually uses it for off-road driving, and I’ll gladly sell you the Oeresund bridge).
Not only is the mileage great (I get something like 56 mpg – for me, that’s a month’s worth of to-work-and-back commuting on one tankful of gas), but the vehicle itself is made of something like 98% recyclable materials – they don’t crush old ones, they dismantle them.
And before I end this love song, I have to say that the original, 2-person Smart is just so darn CUTE that it makes me smile every time I look at it (not quite so true of the 4 person or “sports” versions). I can’t wait to see them on the streets of US cities. I might even come home if I could have one there.
posted by Auntie M on 10-18-2007 at 12:40 pm
RE Smart Cars:
The purchase cost is cheap, but in my area of Northern Ontario Canada, the maintenance of these cars is fantabulously expensive.
The local dealer has a monopoly for some 500 km around. And he is used the the selling and maintaining of expensive luxury cars……
When you buy a SMART, you also buy a maintenance contract which REQUIRES you to do certain checkups and maintenance at certain times. And they are very picky about timing, and kms/mileage.
And the costs are EXPENSIVE: Try over $100 for an oil change, on something that uses about 2 liters! Try over $300 for a brake and filter check-up. Try over $200 for the mandatory annual check. Etc…..
That is… of course… if you don’t want to lose your warranty.
And DO IT YOURSELF-ERS: Beware!
None of your normal tools will work on this cars. All the screws, nuts, bolts, adjustment parts, ect…. are custom non-standard. Neither your imperial or metric tool kits will work. There is nothing you can do yourself, maintenance wise.
So before you rush out to buy one…. Find out what the maintenance costs and repair costs in your area are like.
Ask what an oil change, brake and filter inspection, brake job, annual inspection, muffler and exhaust repair, and winterization (Over $150!) cost.
Then, armed with the facts: Decide do you want one or not?
Beware that costs in one part of the land, are not the same as in another. So if you are thinking of moving, find out what costs will be where you are going, before you bring this cute little beast around.
I am not saying there is anything bad with the car, or that all their dealers are singularly profit motivated, but potential upkeep costs should be something ALL prespective new or used car owners look into before they buy.
Also: If you do not plan to keep it foerever, find out what resale prices are like in your area…
posted by Pierre on 10-18-2007 at 3:27 pm
Will the Smart “conquer” the US? Not likely, but it will have an impact. Would I buy one? In a heartbeat. I’ve been inside of one before, and at 6′2″ and a somewhat portly 235lbs, it was more than comfortable for me (so please dispense with the wise-guy suggestions that fat Americans won’t like them.)
I have been hoping for years for something that will get me to work and back and run errands around town while being easy on gas, easy to park, and will get around in snow and rain. The only thing that could improve the Smart for my use would be to put in an electric motor and batteries with a 40-mile range. I just purchased a kit to convert my bicycle to electric power, but there are times in South Dakota where a bike just won’t cut it. The Smart would though.
posted by Dave on 10-18-2007 at 3:41 pm
I have, in fact seen the “Smart for Four”, which is bigger but has four seats. Also, it may be just a rumour, but I heard that the Smarts had to be made bigger to be sold in the US.
Sigh. I love them, but I’d be worried about being backed into by a truck whose driver can’t see behind them.
posted by Pointy-Hatted Geek on 10-18-2007 at 8:14 pm
As a smart owner and citizen of one of the most petite and narrowed street capitals of an european country (Lisbon, Portugal, nationaly named as the 7hills city), I strongly advise the use of the Smart Car for those who live and work mainly in the city and have an alternative car for those other trips that include hiways.
Its a superb car for parking and heavy traffic because of its size (and the automatic gears but that is only a plus in europe where we use mostly the manual) but not so good when beeing surpassed by a heavy truck in high speed in a motorway. Its a very light weighted car and you will feel that wind colliding with your left side as it passes you.
Also its not for racers since its made to only go to 87mph max.
all in all, its a great choice for a city life but you should have a “normal” alternative for those cross country trips you are so famous of here in Europe.
Hope to have helped.
posted by FromPortugalWithaSmart on 10-19-2007 at 4:51 am
I’ve owned my smart car for just under 3 years. I’ve put on over 60,000 milles and found that it is very good on the highway. I never hesitate to go on the interstates and so far have been to Chicago, New York, Tampa,Atlanta and Norfolk to name a few. It keeps up with traffic and doesn’t get blown around by the trucks.
Open your minds people! This is a futuristic car that you can purchase right now. The whole experience is ”fun”!
posted by smart142 on 10-19-2007 at 7:15 am
I have been in the UK for the last two years, and Smart Cars are my favorite. I will be t he first in line to get one, and I don’t feel like they will be a problem on the roads. Maybe they will create more driving awareness?
posted by Lys on 10-19-2007 at 10:02 am
no. no it won’t. not in LA it won’t. I wish I could drive that but the chances of being run over are very high.
posted by ac on 10-19-2007 at 4:52 pm
Constance:
Stoplights are in fact NOT triggered primarily by weight, but by metal deterctor-like devices. Ever notice those big metal rings near itnersections- yep, thats them!
posted by ac on 10-19-2007 at 4:54 pm
The Mercedes Benz smart fortwo is one of the finest and safest cars ever built. I have already bought two of them and would never drive anything else. I drove mine from one end of the United States to the other and back again for $100.00 in fuel. What a fantastic highway car even at speeds over 100 MPH.
posted by Dave on 10-19-2007 at 9:15 pm
I have a smart car and it is great. It is the most fun vehicle that I have ever owned. I use it to commute on the highway and around town. I much prefer it over my Honda Civic. When I sit inside it I don’t feel like it is small. it’s very roomy inside. It rides very high (much higher than my Civic). The hatch area is very roomy, I use it for grocery shopping all the time. I even take it to Costco. it easily fits 2 30 lb bags of dogfood and a case of pop (with room to spare).
There was comment about it not being able to go up the hills in Austin, well that is just crazy. Plenty of Canadians have driven their smarts through the Rocky mountains, no problem!
posted by Grayce on 10-20-2007 at 4:15 pm
I’ve had a diesel smart for over 2 1/2 years in Canada and i love it. First off I have to take issue with the owner from Ontario. You can do your own maintenance, I do, it uses standard metric wrenches and a set of torx drivers will come in handy.
smart hasn’t released much, if any information on servicing of the older models but there is a lot of support on-line. As I understand it, a service manual must be available for any car sold in the US, so expect to see one for the new 451 models (2008’s), for those that like to DIY. Many, many people do their own oil and filter changes, brake pads etc, I do, and no, it hasn’t voided my warrantee.
I’m over 6 feet and have more than enough room in the car, in fact I have never pushed the drivers seat all the way back. Sitting higher than many other small cars makes a big difference. When you are driving you don’t feel you are in a small car until you see your reflection in a building, that can be a bit of a shock.
The smart isn’t for everyone and I’m sure they aren’t expecting to coax all the SUV or minivan drivers to buy one. But, there are over 30,000 people in the US that have put down a deposit to reserve a 2008 fortwo, so there is obviously a demand. The smart is merely another option to those that don’t need a big car or who want to reduce their carbon footprint.
posted by Lee on 10-23-2007 at 2:04 pm
I like the idea of the smart car, but I’ll also say that as long as everyone else is driving huge SUVs and trucks, I wouldn’t ride in one. Can you imagine getting him in one of those?
posted by Laura on 11-14-2007 at 5:34 pm
I would love to be able to check one out in person. I live in New England my big concern would probbaly be how it performs in snowy conditions.
I’m so looking forward to a day when I can afford to trade in my current car for something greener that can handle snow.
posted by jen on 11-16-2007 at 9:01 am
I saw these right when they first came out while I was visiting europe and thought they were the coolest things ever.
I live in WI and just saw one here at a taco bell and was so excited to see they were availible…then I saw it was a canadian licence plate.
posted by Diane on 11-16-2007 at 9:57 am
The smart car hits the street of America this winter. World travelers out there will probably recognize the mini-vehicle from the streets of Europe, where they can be found navigating narrow alleyways and parking in small spaces.
posted by smart car on 4-28-2008 at 11:34 pm