Smart car doesn't look too clever

Thisislondon.co.uk ^ | 2/16/05 | add925

[add925]

IT'S Smart but it's certainly not clever, and it has cost Daimler-Chrysler more than e2bn (£1.4bn) since its launch. Now the question is: how much longer will the carmaker continue to underwrite the underperforming Smart car?

Heralded as the future of urban personal transport when it was launched in 1998, the car was environmentally friendly, ergonomically appealing and space efficient.

But DaimlerChrysler's unique minicar has been revealed in the German media as a costly failure with 2004 losses of about e600m, making the overall dent in its creator's pocket up to e2bn.

[add925]

[TheRatHunter]

Hmm...could it have anything to do with being HIDEOUS??

[inkling]

I heard someone talking about this car a couple of days ago, but I don't know much about it. It's ugly and would be an embarrassment to drive -- what are its selling points? High MPG? Anything else?

[mike182d]

isn't the pic on the right, with the clowns, a Volkswagon Bug?

[antiRepublicrat]

The writer forgets one thing -- these cars are awesome! I have a friend who has a Lotus sports car for fun and a smart for basic transportation, and he actually enjoys driving the smart. I'd buy the car pictured above-left if it arrived here.

[VRWCisme]

It would be easy to park. You could fit that thing into any space!

[Maceman]

I guess its ok if you have no family, no kids, no friends, no dates and never have to carry a load bigger than what you could fit on a bicycle.

I think it probably wasn't such a good idea for them to paint the words "I am a dweeb" on the door -- oh, wait. Now that I look a second time, it appears they didn't do that. But when I first looked, that's definitely the message I got about anyone who would be caught dead driving this vehicle.

[add925]

isn't the pic on the right, with the clowns, a Volkswagon Bug?

Both are clown cars.

[Grampa Dave]

Time to post one of our/yours favorite graphic arts.

[television is just wrong]

LOL, looks like the little tikes car my son had a while ago.

[Gorzaloon]

It would be easy to park. You could fit that thing into any space!

Well, yes, but under the wheels of a Hummer might be one of the spaces. We saw some really goofy little things in France that were about this size, and wondered about survivability.

[Aquinasfan]

It's ugly and would be an embarrassment to drive -- what are its selling points?

I thought that those were selling points in europe. You learn something every day.

[TXBSAFH]

Put a bag rack on it and it might make a good golf cart.

[add925]

Just back from Europe last week....you should hear the negative comments they have....

Its pretty much a joke there as well except for the urban left.

[mpreston]

Actually the smart roadster doesn't look too bad. Don't lead with the fortwo, lead with the roadster.

http://www.thesmart.co.uk/index.html

The problem they might have is that the roadster is 80 bhp. Then again so is my 1957 MGA and I still would drive it every day if it wasn't a 57'.

[MANO]

think of all the money and space you will save never having a date

[add925]

[Servant of the 9]

I thought this was the 'Spare Tire' for the Maybach.

So9

[antiRepublicrat]

what are its selling points? High MPG? Anything else?

• Very high mpg with a small, smooth, turbocharged engine, suprisingly decent performance for such high mpg
• Very safe, even compared to cars twice its size
• Despite the appearance, quite roomy inside
• Very stable driving, given the wheels are at the extreme outer corners
• Driver's position is elevated giving a good up-high view
• Automatic/Manual sequential six-speed transmission
• You can park anywhere -- even perpendicular-park in a short parallel-parking slot. You know how parking garages have those tiny cubby-holes where nobody can park? You can park there.
• It's recyclable, good for the environment
• Colored body panels are easily switchable, don't dent easily, and when scratched don't show white underneath since the panel is that same color all the way through

It really is the ultimate commuter car.

[VRWCisme]

Yes, I am always bemused by the tiny little cars when I'm in Europe, as well. I wouldn't drive one and the safety issues (not to mention appearance and lack of space for passengers) would bother me. But the one benefit would be parking, which I guess was one of the reasons people in crowded European cities with narrow streets and scarce parking were first attracted to the little things.