Autoblog

Spy Shots: Smart ForTwo+2 in the works?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Budget, Hybrid, Hatchback, Smart, Electric

Smart, the German-born automaker that revived the stagnant microcar market in the first place, has seen itself fall behind in the city car wars with Toyota's oh-so-clever iQ taking the top spot with its extra space for passengers and packages via its brilliant layout. What's more, new machines are on the way from BMW (the long-rumored Isetta revival) and the Audi (the A1, which will be debuted at the next Geneva Motor Show).

As such, we're not surprised to see Smart engineers out and about testing what appears to be the next generation of the diminutive Fortwo. Judging from the fender flares, we might make and educated guess that the new model will be slightly wider than the current car, which makes sense as the same platform is rumored to gain an extended-wheelbase variant called the Fortwo+2.

Unlike the previous Forfour, the Fortwo+2 would share the expected rear-engine, rear-wheel drive architecture with the base car and would come equipped with what would surely be a mini set of rear doors. According to Auto Express, we should see the next Fortwo in dealerships late next year with the +2 showing up in 2012. Electric and hybrid versions are reportedly in the works - and here's hoping they finally fix that horribly awkward transmission.

[Source: Auto Express]

Spy Shots: Smart ForTwo+2 in the works? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Frankfurt 2009: Smart + Tesla + Brabus = High Voltage

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Coupe, Smart, Electric

Brabus High Voltage - Click above for high-res image gallery

In addition to the Tailor Made concepts that Brabus trotted out for the Frankfurt Motor Show, the German tuning firm also showed off a new version of its electric Smart Fortwo called the Unlimited High Voltage. This new model is an updated version of the company's electric Smart ED concept and it features a lithium ion battery pack supplied by Tesla Motors, Daimler's electric vehicle partner.

The High Voltage's rear-mounted electric motor was also developed by Tesla and offers up 82 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, which Brabus says is sufficient to push the little electric runabout to 60 mph in under 10 seconds. Additional interesting touches include aerodynamic wheels with clear plexiglass covers and wider side skirts to improve airflow. Inside, white leather seats with yellow stitching join a console-mounted monitor that displays the remaining state of charge.

The HV's single most intriguing bit of tech, though, would have to be the sound generator. This little unit will reportedly allow the diminutive electric machine to sound like a honkin' V8-powered racecar... should the owner feel so inclined. Check out the high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Brabus Smart High Voltage

Frankfurt 2009: Smart + Tesla + Brabus = High Voltage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Smart's $99/month 'Cash for Clunkers' deal has a big, dirty secret

Chris Shunk — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Marketing/Advertising, Smart

Cash for Clunkers won't be official for a few weeks, but some automakers are already looking to cash in on the once in a lifetime opportunity to take up to $4,500 off the price of a new car or truck. Smart is offering its quirky little Fortwo runabout for just $99 per month with the trade-in of a 'Clunkers' eligible vehicle.

Even though we were not terribly impressed with the car in our recent review, $99 per month with no money down sounds decidedly tasty, and a payment term of only 36 months sound even better, but closer inspection shows that the promotion is way too good to be true. Here is the stupifying fine print on the promotion:

$99 monthly payment based on customer trade-in of an eligible vehicle qualifying for the CARS $4,500 voucher level and a 36-month balloon loan with $0 cash due at signing and a final balloon payment of $6,667 at the end of the loan term and a $ 13,335 MSRP which includes the destination charge and excludes tax, title and dealer fees.

A $6,667 lump sum is one hell of a payment - more than most of us could reasonably fork over at once - and certainly more money than most people who are seriously considering a $99 lease could afford. The total payment, which doesn't include taxes, title, or destination, comes in at $14,731 on a vehicle with a $13,335 MSRP.

[Source: Smart USA via All Cars All The Time]

Smart's $99/month 'Cash for Clunkers' deal has a big, dirty secret originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet undone by tricky transmission

Sebastian Blanco — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: In the Autoblog Garage, Budget, Hatchback, Smart, Reviews

2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet - Click above for high-res image gallery

The Smart ForTwo isn't for shy people. Even though Smart USA has sold about 30,000 of these tiny two-seaters in the U.S., the little rollerskate attracts a lot of attention. On the road or in America's parking lots, the ForTwo is a conversation piece, and people don't hesitate to come up and talk to you. Some will tell you about the Smart they saw in Europe. Others will ask if it has the guts to make it onto the highway. Most will assume it gets great gas mileage (it doesn't). But one thing's for certain, during our week with the ForTwo, there was a 100-percent conversation rate wherever we went. Anthropophobes, be warned.

Follow the jump to see what it's like to spend wheel time with a Smart ForTwo Cabriolet.

Gallery: Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo

Continue reading Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet undone by tricky transmission

Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo Cabriolet undone by tricky transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Smart offering 2008 ForTwo owners a transmission upgrade?

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 21 May 2009 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Maintenance, Green, Recalls, Hatchback, Smart

Smart ForTwo - Click above for a high-res image gallery

If you poll owners (and reviewers) of the Smart ForTwo you'll find one consistent gripe: the transmission. The automated manual gearbox herks, jerks and is about as dynamically pleasing as petting your dog with a broom.

Apparently, Smart is listening, and in addition to tweaking the software on the 2009 ForTwo, the automaker is offering 24,622 owners of 2008 models the same transmission fix. Letters are being delivered to let owners know about the free software upgrade, and while the fix supposedly makes a difference, the few people we've talked to who've driven the 2009 model assure us that while the shifting is better, it's still very far from perfect.

Gallery: smart fortwo

[Source: USAToday via KickingTires]

Smart offering 2008 ForTwo owners a transmission upgrade? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 May 2009 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Mercedes tries to burst Shuanghuan's tiny Bubble, gives up

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Budget, China, Europe, Government/Legal, Hatchback, BMW, Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes decided to sue Shuanghuan Automotive for copyright infringement for its Bubble microcar (called the Noble in China), claiming it was a copy of the smart fortwo. BMW then decided to bring its own case against Shuanghuan, citing the Shuanghuan CEO as a blatant facsimile of the BMW X5 (that's the CEO on the wall in the above picture). Mercedes got the Bubble banned from display at a couple of auto shows, BMW won its copyright infringement lawsuit in Munich, and Mercedes sued the Bubble's importer, Martin Motors of Italy, to block sales of the car.

It was all looking good... until BMW lost its case in courts in Munich and in China. The Italian court ruled that "consumers could not get confused" when similar vehicles are offered "with a significant price difference." With BMW cold knocked out in the Copyright Cage Match, Mercedes has been left alone in the octagon with Shuanghuan bearing down on it. It also hasn't helped that Italian commentators have already said they don't think the two cars will be confused.

Now Mercedes is looking for an exit. Martin Motors countersued Mercedes for €100,000,000 - around $134.2 million USD - citing potential lost Bubble sales (that's a lotta Bubbles), and Mercedes doesn't want to lose its case and have to fork over colossal damages. Both sides expect the case to be resolved in a couple of weeks, and Bubbles are expected to go on sale this summer.

[Source: Motor Authority]

Mercedes tries to burst Shuanghuan's tiny Bubble, gives up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BMW loses Clonewars Italian court battle

Michael Harley — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:59:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, China, Europe, Government/Legal, Crossover, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Smart

Take a close look at the image. A court in Italy has just ruled that the crossover pictured above, the five-seat CEO built by Shuanghuan Automobile of Shijiazhuang, China, is not a clone of the BMW X5. Um... yeah. The legal battles began when Shuanghuan introduced their "Noble" last year, a near-clone of the Smart fortwo. Mercedes-Benz wasn't impressed, and threatened a lawsuit. Shortly thereafter, BMW started losing sleep over the Chinese CEO, an obvious facsimile of their previous-generation X5 (E53). The Bavarian automaker took Shuanghuan to court in Munich this past summer and won their case, and when Martin Motors (the distributor of Shuanghuan Automobiles in Italy and central Europe) started selling the CEO in early 2007, BMW again took legal action, this time in the Italian judicial system.

Last week, the Germans met their defeat when the Italian courts rejected their claims. To date, Martin Motors has sold about 200 copies of the CEO and expects to sell about 1200 this year in their European markets. "We are convinced the CEO wasn't a clone of the X5. We are happy to see our view supported by a court ruling," said an obviously pleased spokesperson from Martin Motors. We have to wonder how quickly the Italians would change their tune if Shuanghuan began to knock-off the Lamborghini Gallardo LP560-4.

[Source: Automotive News, subs. req'd]

BMW loses Clonewars Italian court battle originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SEMA 2008: SMART goes John Deere green

Chris Tutor — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: SEMA Show, Etc., Smart

Click above for high-res gallery of the Black Deere smart from SEMA

Tom Mutchler at Consumer Reports says his first drive in a SMART reminded him of his John Deere x300 lawn tractor. Slow and noisy, but they both fit in his garage. Apparently, Black Deere LLC had the same impression of the little car and showed up at SEMA with one in John Deere's green and yellow livery. Other than being painted to match farm machinery, the SMART ForTwo Passion Cabriolet sports four air horns and an air-compressor powered truck horn. You might not see this thing coming at you, but by God you'll hear it. Unfortunately, we can't find out much about the car's customizer, Black Deere. SEMA's information lists an inactive URL and Google turns up only the story from SEMA.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Black Deere Smart

Photos copyright (C)2008 Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

[Source: Consumer Reports]

SEMA 2008: SMART goes John Deere green originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 09 Nov 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

NYC garages grant smart fortwo cheaper parking rates

Chris Tutor — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:02:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Green, Smart

In Europe, it's common to see several smart cars sharing a single parallel parking space, with their diminutive front bumpers against the curb and the rear facing traffic. Try that in New York city, and you'll likely get towed. Instead, smart fortwo owners can take advantage of Meyers Parking's half price offer: 50% off daily and monthly parking rates in the city.

In a press release (available after the jump), Mike Carolan of Meyers parking said, "We are excited to offer smart owners a discount, as it seems only appropriate that smart owners pay half price since they only take up half the space."

We agree you shouldn't be charged for a full space when you only have half a car. With the cost of parking in the Big Apple, this deal alone could move a few more of the colorful little two-seaters.

[Sources: Gadgetell via Fashion Funky]

Thanks for the tip, Yash!

Continue reading NYC garages grant smart fortwo cheaper parking rates

NYC garages grant smart fortwo cheaper parking rates originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 09 Sep 2008 08:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Thinking Small: Koenigseder wide-body Smart ForTwo

Noah Joseph — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:02:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Smart

Click for a hi-res gallery of the Koenigseder Smart ForTwo

"Wide-body" is a relative term. An SUV or a supercar decked out with a wide-body kit? Pimpin'. But a smart ForTwo? Well, it's wider, sure.

Koenigseder is known for modifying big SUVs, but with this kit it's gone decidedly smaller. The Austrian tuning house's package for the diminutive Smart car widens the body by over an inch, which we're not sure is so Smart for a vehicle designed to park sideways in tight spots. The kit also includes 17" rims, which look positively monstrous on such a tiny car, plus Eibach springs, an aero kit, some subtle floral decals and even environmentally-friendly floor mats. Check the action out in the gallery by clicking the thumbnails below.

Gallery: Koenigseder Smart ForTwo

[Source: Koenigseder via Inside Line]

Thinking Small: Koenigseder wide-body Smart ForTwo originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Jun 2008 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo

Damon Lavrinc — Wed, 14 May 2008 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Safety, Hatchback, Smart

Click above for a high-res gallery of the smart fortwo crash tests.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has finally released its official data on the smart fortwo, and it appears that the lil' urban runabout held its own during the IIHS' tests. The fortwo racked up a rating of "good" on both the frontal and side-impact tests, while rear impacts were scored as "acceptable." IIHS President, Adrian Lund, made it clear that normally bigger and heavier vehicles are the safer choice, "but among the smallest cars, the engineers of the Smart did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a very small package."

Make the jump to read all the details of the IIHS' findings.

Gallery: smart fortwo IIHS Crash Test

[Source: IIHS]

Continue reading IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo

IIHS releases official results on the smart fortwo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

VIDEO: smart fortwo crash test leaks out of IIHS

Jonathon Ramsey — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Safety, Videos, Hatchback, Smart

The IIHS has put the 2008 smart fortwo through its frontal offset crash test, and the video is on YouTube even though the IIHS hasn't released its results yet. For everyone who points out the benefits of the smart's miniscule size, there are a number of others who say they wouldn't want to go up against a normal American car in a smart. Even the NHTSA had some concerns when it tested the fortwo's crashworthiness. Based on the video after the jump, however, it looks like the smart acquits itself quite well with no deformation of the A-pillar and not even a crack in the windshield. We'll have to wait for the IIHS to give its final, official word, however. Sure, we wouldn't want to be driving a smart fortwo in an accident... but that's only because we don't want to be in an accident. Follow the jump to watch the video for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEO: smart fortwo crash test leaks out of IIHS

VIDEO: smart fortwo crash test leaks out of IIHS originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

It had to happen: The smart fortwo for eight

Michael Harley — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:57:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Europe, Smart, Lifestyle

Take a smart fortwo, cut it in half just behind the doors, and spend 300 man-hours over the next month adding nearly nine more feet to the vehicle's length. The result is the world's first smart fortwo "limo" that is about as long as a Mercedes-Benz S-Class! The images show a prototype model from Carbonyte, a UK limo specialty company, that was designed as a promotional vehicle (we see more than just a little resemblance to a popular energy-drink company). As expected with a custom fabrication, the customer can choose his or her own design, seating capacity, and intended use (if you have the need, Carbonyte is looking into creating a electric fortwo hearse). We know what you are thinking. Adding all this mass to a smart must slow the fortwo to a crawl. Right? Well, Carbonyte claims the original 600cc engine can still propel the contraption to a blistering 80 mph. Maybe so, but not with us in it.

Carbonyte's press release is posted below the fold.

Gallery: Smart Fortwo Limo

Continue reading It had to happen: The smart fortwo for eight

It had to happen: The smart fortwo for eight originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 14:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

U.S. smart fortwo sales so strong, Penske wants 15,000 more

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Plants/Manufacturing, Mercedes-Benz, Smart

Click above for a high-res gallery of the smart fortwo.

Roger Penske, the CEO of the company's namesake and the sole importer of the smart brand into the U.S., says that with demand at its current level, dealers could offload 40,000 fortwos to customers this year. The only problem: the U.S. market is only getting 25,000.

Penske is currently talking with Mercedes-Benz, smart's parent company, to see if it can ship more fortwos Stateside in the coming months, but that looks unlikely considering that the smart factory is running at full bore for the year.

Smart expects to sell 3,000 fortwos in the first quarter of this year through the 67 dealers (mainly Mercedes-Benz dealerships that have bought a franchise) currently in the U.S. That number is expected to increase to 74 by the end of the year. Although pre-order cancellation numbers haven't been officially released, some dealers are anticipating that around 25-percent of potential buyers that put down the required $99 deposit might opt out of the diminutive coupe. Thankfully, smart dealers in the U.S. have agreed not to mark up the cars at the risk of losing their franchise, according to the president of smart USA, David Schembri.

Gallery: smart fortwo

[Source: Autoweek]

U.S. smart fortwo sales so strong, Penske wants 15,000 more originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Mar 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

GM execs watching smart sales, considering sub-sub-compact offering

Damon Lavrinc — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Hybrid, Green, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Chevrolet Beat Concept.

Aside from possibly offering a hybrid version of the Camaro, Chevrolet is looking to do everything it can to meet new fuel economy regulations. Despite Bob Lutz' assertion that diesels are not the answer to increase fuel mileage, Ed Peper, Chevy's general manager, pointed out that GM's European diesel technology could find its way here to the States. The 2.9-liter turbodiesel V6 soon to be equipped in Euro-bound Cadillac CTSs is one possibility, as is the utilization of Opel's 1.3-, 1.7- and 1.9-liter oil burners.

Chevrolet execs are also looking to see how the public responds to the smart fortwo. If the reception is good, there's a possibility that Chevy might introduce a vehicle that would slot in below the Aveo both in size and price. A version of the Beat would be an obvious choice, even though GM only plans to sell it outside of the U.S. and Canada.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Gallery: New York Auto Show: 2007 Chevy Beat Concept

GM execs watching smart sales, considering sub-sub-compact offering originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Feb 2008 08:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

fortwo billed as birth control for teenagers?

Jonathon Ramsey — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:28:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Smart

Click above to see how "teen-friendly" the smart fortwo is.

We all know what teenagers do in the back seats of cars, don't we? Since the smart fortwo only comes with two seats, it's something that any parent will never have to worry about. And Dave Schembri, SmartUSA president, wanted to put everyone's fears to rest when he said, "After all, what better car to have for your teenager than one without a backseat."

But Schembri was actually talking about the far more dangerous backseat activity for teens: distracting the drivers in the front seats. (I don't know what else you might have been thinking). Since more than one accident has been caused by a rowdy -- or just plain distracting -- group of kids on the rear bench, it's another thing fortwo drivers won't have to worry about on the commute.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Gallery: smart fortwo

fortwo billed as birth control for teenagers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Brabus mods coming to U.S. smart in the next few years?

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:29:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Budget, Smart, Brabus

With all the hype surrounding the imminent sale of smart fortwos beginning next month here in the U.S., we overlooked a line on the smart's website that may hint at some hotted-up versions of the diminutive coupe. Although the model will initially be introduced with 1.0-liter three-pot, "Other engine types and sizes (including BRABUS) may become available in the next few years though no specific timeline has been outlined." What size engines they're referring to is up in the air, but if smart begins selling factory-authorized Brabus accessories - particularly the tuner's engine packages - it might open up a whole other demographic to the smart's growing fan base.

[Source: smart USA]

Gallery: BRABUS ULTIMATE 112

Brabus mods coming to U.S. smart in the next few years? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 06 Dec 2007 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dr. Z says demand for smart in U.S. exceeds supply

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:27:00 EST

Filed under: Budget, Plants/Manufacturing, Smart

click above image for more pics of the US-spec smart fortwo

Daimler exec extraordinaire, Dieter Zetsche, sat down with reporters for a breakfast meeting earlier today and discussed the future of the smart brand here in the States. As we're well aware, over 30,000 consumers have put down deposits for the smart before it comes to market next month, and according to Dr. Z, demand will exceed the number of smarts destined for U.S. shores. At the same time, however, he didn't want to give exact figures on how many smarts Daimler expects to sell in 2008.

The talks also centered on the future of smart in the States, including the possibility of diesel-powered fortwos and the testing of a fleet of all-electric smarts in an unnamed urban city, similar to a program in London.

Daimler has 65 dealerships lined up to sell smarts in the U.S., with another nine due to go live before the end of next year. Thirty-three of the stores will be "co-located" within existing Mercedes-Benz franchises, which is similar to how BMW originally launched the MINI brand across the globe.

[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

Gallery: smart fortwo

Dr. Z says demand for smart in U.S. exceeds supply originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daimler blocks debut of Chinese smart clone

Dan Roth — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Government/Legal, Smart

Daimler's not taking the close resemblance of a Chinese minicar to a smart fortwo lightly. The German automaker has gotten a court order forbidding Martin Motors, the European distributor for China's Shuanghuan Automobile, from displaying the Shuanghuan Noble at the upcoming Bologna Auto Show. This is the second time Daimler has blocked the Noble from being displayed, having taken similar action at the Frankfurt show.

Martin Motors is calling the Noble the Bubble in Europe, since there's already another Noble. Martin contends that the Bubble is not a copy of the fortwo, citing the four seats and front engine configuration among the differentiating details. Martin Motors has also demanded in Italian courts that Daimler prove its exclusive rights to the design of the smart. If a resolution can be reached, the Bubble will go on sale for about $10,000 euros across Europe. The resemblance is striking, but copying the look isn't the same as cribbing the underlying engineering. We haven't had the opportunity to crawl over, under, or through the Bubble, so we can't comment on whether it's better or worse than the smart, but from the looks of things in the video we've posted after the jump, the Bubble is hardly a premium vehicle. Shuanghuan also sells the CEO, a midsize SUV that borrows an awful lot from the BMW X5's looks. The appearance similarities between Shuanghuan's vehicles and those of well respected competitors may not help the Chinese automaker avoid having its European sales bubble burst.

Check the jump to see a video of the Noble/Bubble in action.

More shots from Autoblog China.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Continue reading Daimler blocks debut of Chinese smart clone

Daimler blocks debut of Chinese smart clone originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Dec 2007 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Lorinser goes big with the smart fortwo

Damon Lavrinc — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:28:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Tuners, Budget, Smart

Lorinser has been tuning anything with a Benz badge for a while, so when it came to injecting the new smart fortwo with a bit more aftermarket flava, they were all too happy to oblige.

Beginning with the exterior "enhancements," Lorinser opted for the firm's usual dose of gaudy sportification, with a new front clip including a larger air dam, a new rear bumper for the four (?!) chrome exhaust tips and wheel arch flares that house wider tires and wheels all around. The chrome treatment is carried inside, along with some brushed aluminum accents and new dash surrounds for the stereo and sat nav.

Lorinser's treatment isn't just skin-deep thankfully, as they've given buyers who've chosen any one of the three available powerplants upgraded performance. The 60 HP model gets a bump in output to 70 HP, while the 71 HP model gets an increase to 76 HP and the top-o'-the-line 82 HP model now tops out at 102 HP, able to reach 62 in 10 seconds and on to a scorning top speed of 112 MPH. Hot stuff, but you'd think they could do something about that horrendous antenna while they were at it.

[Source: World Car Fans]

Lorinser goes big with the smart fortwo originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 10:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments