Finally saw my first Smart car in person (on U.S. soil)

New shop is finished, went to Home Depot with the GC to settle up the Home Depot account for the build, and saw my first Smart car in the U.S. There are alot of these running around Paris and major European cities. I had a jones to import a Mercedes-Benz A-Class awhile back as those abound as-well but just got too busy with work. Anyway.....

 

These are neat-looking little cars. This one is a convertible with Florida license plate "SMAART" and was covered with FPL stickers, so I'm thinking it was a promotional vehicle of sorts though it was just parked in the lot with the top down and a fresh Dunkin Donuts bag on the seat.

 

I recall a woman spent some $50k+ a few years ago to grey-market import the first one of these, then some company was trying to bring them in as the M-B Gelandewagen's were for a few years. Does anyone know if there are regular Smart dealers now or if this was one of those flukes? Not planning on buying one, but they are interesting and I do enjoy seeing variation on the road.

 

http://www.smartusa.com/

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/

http://thesmartcars.com/

 

cheers,

 

~Double

Was this silver/white? If so I saw it on the 75 yesterday afternoon as well

We've had them up in canada for a few yrs now, and alot of places use them as promo vehicles (much like when the new beetle first came out)...they are very common delivery vehicles pizza/food/small courier etc, b/c they get amazing mileage and they are easy to squeeze in places so the driver can run in. (in at least one city, they have divided certain parking spots downtown esp for smart cars, and charge half the amout at those meters b/c you can fit 2 cars in one space.

 

they aren;t rampant like they are in europe (I was in italy last month and could not get over the sheer amount of them) I guess b/c we don;t really have the problem of traffic congestion, they are more a 'cool thing' statement car or a service car. They are getting more common... but I'm still not sure how they perform in all the snow up here.

 

-as far as I've read, the penske autogroup has the smart franchise for the U.S. and they are on their way.

New shop is finished, went to Home Depot with the GC to settle up the Home Depot account for the build, and saw my first Smart car in the U.S. There are alot of these running around Paris and major European cities. I had a jones to import a Mercedes-Benz A-Class awhile back as those abound as-well but just got too busy with work. Anyway.....

 

These are neat-looking little cars. This one is a convertible with Florida license plate "SMAART" and was covered with FPL stickers, so I'm thinking it was a promotional vehicle of sorts though it was just parked in the lot with the top down and a fresh Dunkin Donuts bag on the seat.

 

I recall a woman spent some $50k+ a few years ago to grey-market import the first one of these, then some company was trying to bring them in as the M-B Gelandewagen's were for a few years. Does anyone know if there are regular Smart dealers now or if this was one of those flukes? Not planning on buying one, but they are interesting and I do enjoy seeing variation on the road.

 

http://www.smartusa.com/

http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/

http://thesmartcars.com/

 

cheers,

 

~Double

 

Allan , myself and Jason (topcarbon) were on our little drive yesterday and we all stopped at the MB dealer cause Allan got a call that there was a SLR 722 on display for sale and as we wereleaving to go to lunch there was a sales guy driving one around from one side of the automall to the other. I must say I've seen them sitting but moving down the road they look like a golf cart. I'd be afraid to drive one around town here. You'll get killed.

Doesn't Roy have one, I remember seeing a pic of one with the Elves.

Allan , myself and Jason (topcarbon) were on our little drive yesterday and we all stopped at the MB dealer cause Allan got a call that there was a SLR 722 on display for sale and as we wereleaving to go to lunch there was a sales guy driving one around from one side of the automall to the other. I must say I've seen them sitting but moving down the road they look like a golf cart. I'd be afraid to drive one around town here. You'll get killed.

 

 

That car was so small. I just wouldnt feel safe in that thing either.

The current generation of smart cars are imported and federalized by a company called ZAP... http://www.zapworld.com/ZAPWorld.aspx?id=242

 

The grey market cars are more than a bit overpriced if you ask me, but next year the new generation will be sold in the US legally, with the blessing of Daimler-Chrysler, by a "real" dealer network setup by Roger Penske's United Auto Group, and at a far less expensive price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biYLn47VwJs

 

from fifth gear showing how well a smart car can take a crash.

 

 

 

and this video showing what happens when you mix a smart with GSX engine

 

 

the same smart smoking an F430:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biYLn47VwJs

 

from fifth gear.

 

 

Holy shit, thats some crash.

 

I really dont want one now.

Silver/Blue.

 

Was this silver/white? If so I saw it on the 75 yesterday afternoon as well

 

 

 

Yes, sadly due to the number of trucks/SUV's they just aren't a very safe alternative in the U.S.

 

 

But they are interesting.

 

 

cheers,

 

~Double

I saw my first one at Mcdonalds about 4-5 months ago. At that time I didn't even know they were available in the US yet.

Ricketts