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Lyndon Conrad Bell | 3/19/2008 | Smart
Roger Penske, Jay-Z and Russell Simmons have a lot in common. All three men know a good thing when they see one, and all are well versed at turning that good thing into mountains of money. Thus, when Penske gets behind something like the diminutive Smart fortwo, just like a Jay-Z or a Russell Simmons venture, you know it's poised to pay.
And the little Smart fortwo is poised to pay big.
With oil teetering like Humpty Dumpty about to fall straight into a $100 barrel, and gas at the pump feeling reasonable at $3.50 a gallon, the Smart fortwo appears to be the answer to the question everybody's asking. We say appears to be, because despite being the iPod Nano of the automotive world, the Smart fortwo barely breaks 35 miles per gallon--which can also be done in a Nissan Altima Hybrid, a Honda Civic Hybrid, or a Toyota Prius.
All three of which are considerably larger and more capacious vehicles.
The beauty of the Smart fortwo though (if you'll pardon the pun), is its cuteness, which, in no small measure (here we go again-sorry) is directly attributable to its size. The Smart fortwo is so small you can fit one sideways in a mall parking space. In fact, you can fit two of them in that same parking space. A Mini looks iong parked next to the Smart fortwo.
Inside though, it's a completely different story.
In what has to be the most efficient packaging feat ever accomplished in a modern car, the Smart fortwo really is for two. Shoulder, head, and legroom are business class, if not exactly first class. It's so spacious, that after a driving it for a while, you forget how small the Smart fortwo is.
Delivered in two states of trim--dubbed Passion and Pure by the Smart fortwos's marketing team--the Pure version is the base car with such niceties as an audio system and air conditioning optional. The Passion model makes those items standard equipment. The lineup also encompasses a convertible version, known as the Cabriolet. Being a Mercedes-Benz product--fit, finish, materials and ergonomics go way beyond the exterior stature of the Smart fortwo. Also, a nice choice of colors, shapes, and fabric choicesin concert with the ultra-hip styling and the placement of controls and instruments lend the interior a nicely upscale look and feel.
On Wheels drove the Smart fortwo over the course of two days in a variety of circumstances, around town, on the freeway, on winding mountain roads, and down to the sea. Overall the Smart handled everything we subjected it to with the poise and affability of pretty much any other car you can think of. In fact, it was most remarkable for the fact that the experience was relatively unremarkable. At one point, we were stuck for well over half an hour in heavy morning commute traffic. Interestingly, we experienced more psychological discomfort (with the traffic flow) than physical discomfort with the Smart fortwo.
After all, what's not to love about a uniquely styled, agile, rear engine, rear drive, two-seat German coupe with rack and pinion steering and a manual transmission? Yes, we know we just described a Porsche 911, and while the fortwo is definitely no Porsche, it is fun like a 911--except in a different way. The Smart fortwo's 1.0-liter Mitsubishi engine makes 70 horsepower @ 5,800 rpm and 63 lb/ft of torque at 4,500. It runs remarkably smoothly, making entertaining sounds all the way up to redline. It also cruises happily and smoothly at 5,000 rpm.
Power is transmitted via a five-speed "automated" manual transmission. This means you shift gears, but you don't have to step on a clutch pedal to do so. If you leave the Smart fortwo to its own devices, it will eventually shift gears on its own. But there's a lethargic hesitation that can leave you feeling mired in taffy between gear changes. We found the best method was to shift the transmission ourselves using the paddles behind the steering wheel, lifting off the throttle between shifts as you would do if you were using a traditional manual transmission. At least then, the hesitation felt as if you induced it, which made it a bit more bearable.
In urban settings, the fortwo is masterful at turning cracks between parked cars into full-fledged parking spaces. One of the happiest circumstances while driving in the Smart fortwo in urban traffic is finally being able to slip past that inconsiderate individual who stops their car at just the perfect angle to prevent you from making a right turn until they lumber away after the light changes. Nearly any traffic congestion situation that would impede the progress of the average car becomes an opportunity for a triumph in the Smart fortwo.
Out on the highway, the Smart fortwo did display a bit of a tendency to follow grooves in the pavement, but stability and acceleration gave no cause for concern at all. In fact, it's fun running the little 1.0-liter up to its redline, popping off a couple of shifts with the paddles and swooping into freeway traffic. OK, swooping was a bit generous. At 12.8 seconds to 60 from rest, efficiently melding might be a better description. But once you're out there, the Smart fortwo holds its own.
Owing primarily to the spaciousness of the Smart fortwo's interior, you never really feel vulnerable in highway traffic. Also, the seating position is relatively high, so you're not eye level with the wheel hubs of tractor-trailers on the highway as you are in sports cars. Of course, given the fact at the fortwo hits its top speed of 90 mph rather readily and cruises comfortably at 80, more often than not, you're passing the trucks, not the other way around.
When we took to the mountains on our way out to the sea, On Wheels found the fortwo happily engaged the winding roads, albeit displaying a bit of understeer going into curves. Once we recognized this as the Smart's entry posture, this trait was easily compensated for. After a few miles of driving, a light rain shower made the roads go a bit greasy and the Smart fortwo telegraphed this information to our seat and hands well before we got into anything remotely resembling trouble. Braking was solid and the suspension system kept the tallish Smart basically flat through the corners, which inspired a lot of confidence. The Smart fortwo, while not a sports car by any means, is nonetheless capable of turning in a reasonable performance when called upon to portray one (so to speak).
Looking at the Smart fortwo, the first question that will pop into many heads will probably be; "Is that thing safe?" And during our two days with the Smart fortwo's marketing team, Mr. Penske and his crew did their level best to convince On Wheels that was in fact the case. We saw video of crash tests and rollovers that left the passenger cell of the Smart fortwo completely intact. Exterior body panels--along with the front wheels--were folding up big time in frontal impacts, but the part you sit in was left undisturbed. Similarly, rear impacts incited no intrusions of the engine or other mechanicals into the passenger compartment whatsoever. This is due in no small measure to the tridion safety cell (which you will hear all about if you get anywhere near a Smart sales center). Briefly, it is said to protect you the way a walnut shell protects the nut within. Its shape transfers impact energy away from the inside of the vehicle and gives the Smart fortwo tremendous rigidity where it needs it most.
After absorbing all of this information, the fact that the vehicle will survive a crash with larger vehicles (which is pretty much everything on the road, except a motorcycle, OK?) is not in question by us here at On Wheels. But, the way it folds up when it gets hit inclines us to believe repair costs will be pretty high. And (in our opinion), given the low price of the Smart fortwo, people who get into serious accidents in these cars will, in all likelihood, get a new fortwo, because frequently, the old one will be pretty much totaled.
On our last day with the Smart fortwo we drove around San Francisco a bit and took the car where regular people could get up close and personal with it so we could garner their reactions. Overall, they were pretty positive and we even found a few people who had gone online at www.smartusa.com and put down the $99 deposit to get on the list to be one of the first people to take delivery of the Smart fortwo when it goes on sale in January.
Pricing starts at $11,500 for the Pure and goes to $13,590 for the well-equipped Passion model. The Cabriolet starts at $16,590. And at those prices, particularly when you factor in the "cute factor", the Smart fortwo is going to sell faster than a hot new hip-hop album in the suburbs.
In other words, congratulations Mr. Penske, you're about to get paid--again.
2008 Smart fortwo
Base Price: $11,500
Engine: 1.0-liter inline three cylinder
Horsepower: 70 at 5,800 rpm
Torque: 63 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm
Transmission: Automated five-speed transmission
Drivetrain: Rear engine/rear wheel drive
Fuel Consumption (mpg): 33 city/40 hwy
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