[Tim Vance]

I've heard a lot of people say how great these Smart Cars are (we've had them up here for a couple of years now) so I found this pretty interesting:

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/80712005/

 

[LMntGuy1982]

See what happens when you let a Blue Man drive a mercedes? I still wonder why they're called Smart cars. Don't really see anything smart about them.

 

[spdrcr5]

See what happens when you let a Blue Man drive a mercedes? I still wonder why they're called Smart cars. Don't really see anything smart about them.

if memory serves, the name comes from the watch company of the same name. I thought they had gone into business with Mercedes to make a car similar to the watch in fashion sense. They wanted the car to have the ability to change body panels the way the Smart watches could change the bezel and bands.

 

[_jea_]

Of course, Larry was referring to Swatch!

Here are few quick facts about Smart from Wiki:

The idea behind the car was to create a vehicle easy to park and short enough to allow "nose-in" parking. Its length of 250 centimeters would equal the width of a regular parking slot, allowing two or three Smarts to park in the same space as one normal car. (in most European cities it makes a lot of sense, trust me if you have not been)

The project, started by Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch, was nicknamed the "Swatchmobile". The name Smart is an acronym for Swatch Mercedes ART.[1] Intended to use innovative features (such as a hybrid engine) and be affordable for young people, the Smart had similar design objective to the Citroën 2CV of the 1940s. (for sure it's not affordable for young people :-x at least not in Europe)

Swatch CEO Nicolas Hayek sought an established car maker to produce his Swatch car. After General Motors reviewed and rejected the project as potentially unprofitable, Hayek found a partner in Volkswagen. Due to VW's own financial weakness at the time, plans never reached a final stage so Swatch teamed up with Daimler-Benz. The purpose-built factory complex Smartville in Hambach, France, was established in 1994 as a joint-venture of Daimler-Benz and Swatch.

 

[spdrcr5]

thanks jea! I thought I knew the history and saying smart watch didn't sound right. lol I didn't have the time to check on the history. At least i got it all right, just messed up swatch/smart. lol

 

[_jea_]

No problem! I have been a fan of Swatch since the mid eighties and when the Smart car came out I thought it was cute. Of course for European standards/sizes looks OK. Sure if you compare it here with a F-350 or so... I would be worried to drive it.

 

[Tim Vance]

I see these 'things' zipping down the highway almost everyday...
For some reason, people are using them as commuter cars, and driving them on the highways as if they were 'real' cars...lol
I've followed one, sitting in the passing lane (and won't get over) that looked like a boat bobbing along in the water...it was all over the lane, kept speeding up and slowing down....the wind was obviously effecting him...lol

 

[Snuffleupagus]

The cage looked like it stayed intact.

 

[paulj]

There was a story on "Wait Wait don't tell me" about a problem in Amsterdam with Smart cars being tossed into the canals - just because it can be done. I think it was a true story, though with 'Wait Wait' it is easy to mix up the true with the made up.

 

[_jea_]

There was a story on "Wait Wait don't tell me" about a problem in Amsterdam with Smart cars being tossed into the canals - just because it can be done. I think it was a true story, though with 'Wait Wait' it is easy to mix up the true with the made up.

Looks like this time it's true.

http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/707-amsterdam-smart-car-canals

 

[MikeQBF]

Ah... that means I can't ever drive a Smart - it'll go a block and then die.

I liked the Swatch designs "back then", but 15 minutes after putting one on my wrist it would quit running, and never start again. I exchanged it three times, with the same result. On taking back the fourth, the clerk scowled at me, "Oh, you're one of THOSE..." (whatever that meant) and handed my money back.

 

[PVR]

Ah... that means I can't ever drive a Smart - it'll go a block and then die...

I have known a number of people who can't wear watches for this reason. Now, Mike, if you also stop clocks, well, that's another problem!

 

[Hondamade4dogs]

If they called it the dumb car, no one would buy it. If you don't live in New York City down town you probably don't need one:lol:

 

[hotrodder]

If they called it the dumb car, no one would buy it. If you don't live in New York City down town you probably don't need one:lol:

------------:lol::lol::lol:----------:lol::lol::lol:---------------

 

[Junebug]

Do they assess what the injury would be to the driver based on the test? I'm curious since the front end of the Smart is pretty much gone, but it's hard for me to tell whether the stuff would have been pushed back into the driver's legs or whether the frame protected the driver.

 

[MikeQBF]

Actually, it doesn't matter - it would be unsurvivable by the severity of the G-forces alone. Even if the passenger cage remained mostly intact with only some intrusion, the crumple zones are incredibly small and the amount of energy absorbed is negligible - near zero. The occupants would be mush.

 

[macmini05]

Actually, it doesn't matter - it would be unsurvivable by the severity of the G-forces alone. Even if the passenger cage remained mostly intact with only some intrusion, the crumple zones are incredibly small and the amount of energy absorbed is negligible - near zero. The occupants would be mush.

Agreed.....

This is a piece of C_AP. What are people thinking? For the cost alone I would rather have the Honda Fit, or Kia Soul.........

 

[paulj]

Here are the official European crash test results for the Smart

http://www.euroncap.com/tests/smart_fortwo_2007/303.aspx