20,000 pre-orders for the Smart fortwo
DaimlerChrysler's U.S. distributor for the tiny Smart fortwo has taken more than 20,000 reservations for the upcoming minicar, with customers paying $99 upfront for the privilege of being one of the first in the country to own one. With base models expected to start below $12,000 and rising up to roughly $17,000 for a convertible version, the cost effective model took less than four months to tally up its pre-release orders.
Set to go on sale in January, the new Smart will likely be sold through a network of dealers under Roger Penske's United Auto Group, with a bulk of the cars selling through Mercedes-Benz stores.
The tiny two-seater is, in fact, built by Mercedes and features a 0.7L three-cylinder motor. The car has yet to undergo U.S. crash testing, but it's expected to do much better than the previous model, which scored just three stars our of five in Europe's NCAP tests. There's still no word on whether the recent micro-hybrid Smart will come to the U.S.
[Source: The Detroit News]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Jaymez 8:33PM (7/11/2007)
I've seen a couple of these things on the streets, already. In fact, one of my customers has one.
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Rambo 12:25AM (7/12/2007)
Great car for city folk? $15K is too much to pay for this car. I'd rather by a 2.0L compact car that I could actually take on the freeway. It wil get 30mpg and carry some friends and cargo.
The saftey classifications for small cars are warped. They award the ratings relative to the vehicle size. However, a smaller car with a similar rating to a larger one is still not as safe.
smart 11:47PM (1/09/2008)
Thanks for creating this great article on the smart, I would like to personally invite you to the new smart site just launched.
The new smart website is focused on the 451 smart fortwo ( 2008 smart car ) and its web address is: http://www.451s.com
451s.com was created to help bring together worldwide smart owners and smart enthusiasts. While this site is focused on the 451 smart fortwo sold in America and Canada it is open to all smart's and the worldwide smart community.
http://www.451s.com
Arch 8:37PM (7/11/2007)
Couple of small corrections: smart is its own company and builds the fortwo. Mercedes is smart's parent company, if you will. And the engine that's coming to the States displaces 61 cubic inches, or right at about 1 liter. This new engine can be sampled in the fortwos over here at present, as part of the nationwide street smart road show...
http://www.smartusa.com/
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JC3 8:42PM (7/11/2007)
20,000 meter maids.
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Paul Y 9:48PM (7/11/2007)
I saw a couple of these in Toronto in May, and they are so much more odd in person. I still want one, it's exactly as much vehicle as almost anyone actually needs, yet totally goofy in a German sort of way.
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EnviroBob 10:12PM (7/11/2007)
"it's exactly as much vehicle as almost anyone actually needs"
Yeah, as long as you have no kids and friends with bigger cars to ride in when you all go out.
quandmeme 9:55PM (7/11/2007)
Since the DaimlerChrysler split, I have been wondering with each post on Smarts if they were still coming to the US. Make sense that they can still do it if they are coming through the Benz half anyway. I have a highway commute (and a lead foot) but I really want to love these, so I am definitely keeping my eye out for these.
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Gerard 10:17PM (7/11/2007)
I saw one on the I-405 in Irvine here in sunny California. I would like to see more of them in the cities. Paul Y is right about the Smart being more car than the average person needs. The price may be a little steep for such a tiny car. I like it no less, even though I prefer to have a bike.
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Reader 11:54PM (7/11/2007)
yeah there is always at least one parked here on Rock Creek campus (portland, OR). Has a vinyl rap like a cow for some "texas steak house".
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Felix 9:28AM (7/12/2007)
Good job Rambo, only the second comment and already mentioned how unsafe the little car is! A motorcyle isn't safe either, yet I'd rather be sitting in a Smart after getting hit by an SUV rather than skidding across the pavment on my side.
My sister lives in Chicago and she is looking forward to this car. Most of her driving is city driving with just herself and light errands, maybe one friend.
I also see this as a great second car. We own an SUV and a MINI and it works great... although the MINI actually gets the most use, where the SUV sits and waits for transporting friends or runs to Home Depot.
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Evotec 12:34AM (7/12/2007)
you guys are screwed.
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Barney 12:38AM (7/12/2007)
I believe that in Canada, only the diesel is available. There are many in my neck of the woods and none have gas engines.
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Don 1:01AM (7/12/2007)
"The tiny two-seater is, in fact, built by Mercedes and features a 0.7L three-cylinder motor"
Uh, I thought the US-spec cars would have 1.0L engines?
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Das Boese 3:09AM (7/12/2007)
Enjoy your useless lifestyle product.
The problem with the smart is, it answers questions that nobody really asked. It doesn't do anything that a regular subcompact can't do (better) for a lesser price.
Hell, even a sidecar rig has more practical value and you can get one including full all-weather gear for less than half of what a smart costs... would be more fun to drive too.
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Calguy 3:39AM (7/12/2007)
The Smart ISN'T the perfect car and those who want it understand that, but it's only as absurd as a giant pickup truck used to carry two 88lb seniors. The reasons so many people want it may be boggling to some, but for those who do, there is n-o-t-h-i-n-g else like it. We own a nice big comfortable, fast, stealth Saab 9-5 wagon which gets 32mpg freeway, but it's still a bitch to park in San Francisco. The Smart will fit in 6 not-really-parking spaces on my street.. and you bet I'm willing to pay a little to enjoy that kind of luxury.
Another thing about the Smart (as well as MINI) is that the brand treats 'small' only as a size, not as a mindset. Thus, you can still get AC, Leather, heated seats.. some stuff that many people downsizing aren't interested in giving up. The Yaris, for instance is a great looking relatively small vehicle.. but roll up windows, no sunroof, leather, heated seats just scream chintzy to me.
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jorge 4:37AM (7/12/2007)
yeah, i agree. The american sterotype is small cars = cheat, boring and not luxery cars. Even canadian is smart (no pun intended) enough to understand that a car's size has nothing to do with being cheap and not useful. The smart cars is quite fun to drive, enough cargo room for two medium size luggage or i think about 2 beer keg, 6-12 pack beer (note that it can fit more but will block back window and still have all the luxury and finish standard as a Mercedes. In europe some small cars is a luxury product. I test driven one when it was demoing where i live and it is quite good.
Richard Warren 5:17AM (7/12/2007)
Back to the original story. 20,000 pre orders, and they said it wouldn't sell. Uh-Huh
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Philip 5:26AM (7/12/2007)
The Smart Car coming to the states in January is a new and slightly larger version of the original, The cars we already see here are expensive Gray market cars, the Original version.
I think the Smart car will do fine and especially at a price starting around $11.000.
Its not for everyone but I've never seen a can that is.
People need choices, this car should have been here years ago.
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vic 2:04PM (7/12/2007)
Smart has been in canada for a few years - and during the winter months, still on the roads - here is a 3 cylinder deasil and for the city its fine, and can go to 130kms. Compared to a fit for example - the smart would travel much furter. A convertable is also sold here.
Maybe a wee bit pricy - but lots of fun & causes a lot of interest
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