Smart Roadster: A Smart Sky Counterpart

[1994SC2]

Hey all,

I just got back from a trip to Switzerland and not even 10 minutes in to being in St. Gallen I was stricken with an odd little yellow roadster on the side of the road. I took a picture and noted that it was actually from the once-Swatch-owned line of Smart Cars.

I couldn't help but feel some empathy for those owners who drive the halo Smart car - a brand that really never had anything sporty to drive. Granted the smart roadster is a far cry from the beauty of our Sky, but I still thought I would share.

(pictures: Yellow one I saw, promotional art for roadster, original Smart)

[Blue Sky]

Diamler Chrysler recently announced it would sell and distribute the Smart Car in the US. They are VERY small cars.

Blue

[JRinKY]

Blue Sky : Diamler Chrysler recently announced it would sell and distribute the Smart Car in the US. They are VERY small cars.

With more luggage space than Sky's.

[SKYtime]

While the Smart Cars are only about 8-10k overseas (base prices), they are going to be much more expensive here. Really not worth it if you ask me. I thought they were awful cute in Rome though.

[Grandpa]

I too saw them in Europe and thought they were cute. In talking to someone there they said they had a motorcycle engine. Something about the tax rate based on engine size.

[SKYtime]

The engines are 3 cyclinder, I believe....

[JRinKY]

Grandpa : I too saw them in Europe and thought they were cute. In talking to someone there they said they had a motorcycle engine. Something about the tax rate based on engine size.

That doesn't mean what it used to. Triumph now has a bike with a 2.4l 40cyl. Sound familiar ?

[duck833]

I saw some in Paris a few years ago, I tried to get one shipped to the US but they would not do it. The Europe version has a desiel engine. They are converting it to gas for the US versions.

[richm]

Originally Posted by SKYtime

While the Smart Cars are only about 8-10k overseas (base prices), they are going to be much more expensive here. Really not worth it if you ask me. I thought they were awful cute in Rome though.

They do have a turbocharged mercedes benz engine in them, so they are pretty zippy! However, in order to get them DOT approved for US roads, they had to make some modifications. In fact, there is NO WAY to bring a European model to the US and EVER get it approved for US highways, so we will be forced to pay $20-25K for the same cars that you can get for $10-12K in Europe. Is the automotive industry going the way of the pharmaceutical industry (more expensive in the US)?

[SUNNY_SKY]

I saw one of these parked outside one time at my former gym.
It was black, very small, and had a open top.
Huh...I wonder how they got it here into the US?

[1994SC2]

Originally Posted by SUNNY_SKY

Huh...I wonder how they got it here into the US?

From the size of it, probably just a refrigerator box and 200 euros for shipping.

The first Smart model coming out in the US I heard will be a bit larger than the European version and resemble more of a small low riding geo sidekick/SUV kind of deal.

[CenterIce]

Originally Posted by SUNNY_SKY

I saw one of these parked outside one time at my former gym.
It was black, very small, and had a open top.
Huh...I wonder how they got it here into the US?

They've been available in Canada for the last year or two. I read that Daimler-Chrysler didn't bother bringing them into the US because of the American fascination with "Bigger is Better" like with the Excursion, Navigator et al. (Editorial's opinion, not necessaily mine)

The first time I saw one, I literally started laughing. I thought it was a clown car or something. They bill it as great gas mileage but I also heard that was exaggerated, too. I park beside one every day and I can tell you that they're interesting looking cars but not something I'd want to get into an accident with.

http://www.thesmart.ca

[turbopro]

Must get this mod if the smart car is released here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIkwdv1kvmo

Smart car with a GSXR motorcycle engine.

[C20LET_50]

Originally Posted by 1994SC2

.....
I couldn't help but feel some empathy for those owners who drive the halo Smart car - a brand that really never had anything sporty to drive. Granted the smart roadster is a far cry from the beauty of our Sky, but I still thought I would share....

All the pictures in your post are from Smart 1. geneneration. The Roadster and the Roadster Coupe are not in production any more, same with the Smart 4-seater (modified Mitsubishi). The only two types that are in production now are two 2-seaters: a closed type like in picture 3 and a Cabrio similar looking with an electrical cloth top. For import to the USA you'll get the second generation of the Smart starting with the 2007 model year. Here is a picture of the closed type



There are some differences not easy to see at the first view:

- the car is 7.5 inch longer. thereof
- 2.5 inch at the modified front (better pedestrian protection)
- 2.5 inch longer wheelbase to get more room inside
- 2.5 inch longer at the end (the trunk has 2.5 cbft more room)

Total length is now 106 inch, trunk 7.8 cbft.

The easiest point of differenece are the rear lights: 3 at the old model, only two at the new model.

The car has got new 3 cylinder Mitsubishi engines (instead of Mercedes engines in the old model), 3 gasoline and one diesel for Europe.

1.0 L, 3 cyl, 61 hp, 89 Nm (66 lbft), 145 km/h (90 mls/h)

1.0 L, 3 cyl, 72 hp, 92 Nm (68 lbft), 145 km/h (90 mls/h)

1.0 L, 3 cyl, 84 hp, 121 Nm (89 lbft), 145 km/h (90 mls/h) Turbo

0.8 L, 3 cyl, 45 hp, ?? Nm (?? lbft), 135 km/h (84 mls/h) Diesel

The car has got a new semi-auto 5 speed transmission, that should be much better than the old 6 speed semi-auto, which was much to slow in shifting.

Don't know which engines you'll get in the USA but I think not the Diesel and the smallest 61 hp engine.

In Germany and the other European countries there are a lot of Smarts running, but we normally don't use them on the Autobahn, this cars are made for inner city traffic and here they are really handy. And they have a good mealage: ~ 47 mls/gal for the gasoline engines.

Don't know if it is a clever decision from DaimlerChrysler to try to sell that car in the USA because as far as I know most of the Americans think that those little car are not secure. But thats not true, this car has a very secure structure (4 stars in the EuroNCAP crash test).

[jayman]

Will the price include the eight hamsters and their wheel?

[JRinKY]

I've seen crash test video of these cars, although it was probably Gen-I, they are incredibly tough, and look like they would protect the occupant from just about anything.

We may yet get the diesel in the US, low-sulphur diesel is about to be a reality here.

[C20LET_50]

Originally Posted by JRinKY

I've seen crash test video of these cars, although it was probably Gen-I, they are incredibly tough, and look like they would protect the occupant from just about anything.

We may yet get the diesel in the US, low-sulphur diesel is about to be a reality here.

In Germany they had a crash test biggest Daimler against smallest: Mercedes 600 against Smart. The crash behavior of the Smart (Gen-I) was really good against that big car.
The new Gen-II with the body modification will be a bit better than the first generation. But most Americans may not believe that such small cars can be secure.

If you'll get the diesel engine in USA you can go 67 mls/gal (Norm measurement), even with a heavy foot you'll go more than 50 mls/gal.

[K666 ADM]

Hello you lucky Sky owners. I am in the wet and cold north of Scotland and have been reading your posts about the smart - which i drive!! I have a all black roadster. Yes, they have dinky little 700cc turbo'd engines developed by Mercedes - standard output is only 80bhp but this can be quickly upped with minor modifications to air intake, turbo pressure and engine management system remapping - 110bhp is much better and does not reduce engine life. Some owners have pushed the little engine too far; with madness like 140bhp which puts excessive strain and wear on key components - specifically the cooling as its all squeezed into a very small space. More important than the engine output is the low weight of the car - a steel frame is used to give strenght and the body pannels are plastic so kerb weight is kept low - low weight gives greater performance and brilliant handling.

I would love to own a Sky - I was hoping it would come to the UK but alas its not, its coming avalible in europe - badged as a Opel GT (touched this car when I was at the Geneva motor show last year) . My need for one is so much that I am thinking of travelling out to America to drive one and maybe find one that I could import over here - think it would get me plenty of attention on these shores - a friend imported a Mustang GT and the ladies seem to love it, so need something like that in my life.

http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?Memb...005270&MID=217