DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
#136
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
They say that is a great place to find a lot of the parts one needs for
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
#137
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
They say that is a great place to find a lot of the parts one needs for
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
#138
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
They say that is a great place to find a lot of the parts one needs for
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
their Toyotas.
mike hunt
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:WMidnXERNPyJSzjZnZ2dnUVZ_qKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> TeGGeR® wrote:
>> jim beam <nospam@example.net> wrote in
>> news:2PqdnaKiHuhwMjjZnZ2dnUVZ_sKdnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t:
>>>personally, as a guy that like to surf junkyards from time to time,
>>
>>
#139
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
Mike Hunter wrote:
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
#140
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
Mike Hunter wrote:
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
#141
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
Mike Hunter wrote:
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
#142
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
Mike Hunter wrote:
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
fud
>
>
> mike hunt
>
>
> "Edwin Pawlowski" <esp@snet.net> wrote in message
> news:9Okpg.111728$H71.82951@newssvr13.news.prodigy .com...
>
>>"TeGGeR®" <tegger@tegger.c0m> wrote in message
>>
>>
>>>Now -- get this -- all of a sudden, the "Smart" car does not have to have
>>>"crumple zones"! Somehow, it will violate all the laws of physics while
>>>protecting its occupants! Instead of slowly converting impact energy into
>>>deformation, the "Smart" is "bounced around like a pinball", so all the
>>>energy is dissipated in bouncing the car around. But wait..you're IN that
>>>car...
>>
>>There is some information about construction if you click on "why are they
>>safe"
>>http://www.zapworld.com/cars/smartcar.asp#
>>
>>Click on the MSNBC link or go directly here to see a crash test
>>http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=48...-7b1d97e08a61&
>>
>
>
#143
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
I read in a auto magazine about DaimlerChrysler "BLUE TECH" engines that are
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
#144
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
I read in a auto magazine about DaimlerChrysler "BLUE TECH" engines that are
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
#145
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
I read in a auto magazine about DaimlerChrysler "BLUE TECH" engines that are
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
#146
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
I read in a auto magazine about DaimlerChrysler "BLUE TECH" engines that are
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
a hybrid diesel that should get some impressive MPG's when they hit the us
shores pretty soon. Daimler has been selling them in Europe for some time
now and is about to start using these high tech motors in U.S. cars soon. I
like my Honda but these new DC sound mighty impressive.
"Matt Ion" <soundy@moltenimage.com> wrote in message
news:e_ipg.111408$Mn5.36008@pd7tw3no...
> These things are all over the place here in Vancouver - the Smart cars
> have been available here for a couple years now, and they've become
> popular to the point that city councilors are being encouraged to
> introduce special parking rates for them (you can fit two into a standard
> parking space).
>
> You don't see them so much outside the metropolitan areas - they're much
> better suited for commuting and just running around town, than to long
> highway drives.
>
> F. H. wrote:
>> DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
>> The company's Smart car, available in Europe since 1998, is to go on sale
>> here in early 2008.
>> By John O'Dell
>> Times Staff Writer
>>
>> June 29, 2006
>>
>> The tiny Smart car is only two-thirds the size of a Mini Cooper, but
>> DaimlerChrysler has big plans for it.
>>
>> The German automaker, which has been selling the two-seater in Europe
>> since 1998, said Wednesday it planned to introduce the Smart in the U.S.
>> early in 2008.
>>
>> With a fuel-sipping three-cylinder engine that gets about 60 miles per
>> gallon on European highways, the Smart could be a big hit here. But first
>> Americans will have to be convinced that something so small can hold its
>> own against pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles that could carry the
>> 1,600-pound Smart in back.
>>
>> Dieter Zetsche, DaimlerChrysler's chief executive and former head of its
>> U.S.-based Chrysler Group unit, is betting that $3-a-gallon gasoline and
>> crowded streets and highways will help overcome concerns about size.
>>
>> At just 8-feet, 2-inches in length, the Smart ForTwo, as the model is
>> called, can be parked in half the space occupied by a full-size pickup.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit, which builds the Smart at a plant
>> in France, designed it to stand up to much larger vehicles, Zetsche said.
>> The passenger cabin is framed in high-strength steel that is designed to
>> work like the safety cage of a modern race car, isolating passengers from
>> the shock of a collision.
>>
>> "We are very confident about the safety features and structural
>> integrity" of the Smart, Zetsche said in a telephone interview Wednesday.
>>
>> The Smart has never made a profit. Zetsche is betting that a redesign and
>> stepped up marketing in Europe next year will turn things around and that
>> U.S. sales in 2008 will provide even bigger profits.
>>
>> The next-generation Smart ForTwo will be sold in the U.S. through a
>> dealership chain to be established by United Auto Group Inc., the brand's
>> U.S. distributor and marketer and the second-largest operator of new-car
>> dealerships in the U.S.
>>
>> Zetsche said United Auto, led by former auto racer Roger Penske, expects
>> to have 30 to 50 dealerships ready when the Smart is launched and will
>> continue expanding until the U.S. market is covered. He said the Smart
>> would be promoted as a commuter car in urban areas and as convenient
>> transportation in leisure communities.
>>
>> One of the risks the Smart brand faces is pricing. There are several
>> small cars in the U.S. market, such as the Honda Fit and Kia Rio, that
>> have room for four or five passengers and are priced in the same range as
>> the Smart.
>>
>> Zetsche said the car would be priced under $15,000.
>>
>> DaimlerChrysler hopes to sell 20,000 Smarts in the U.S. in 2008. Philip
>> Reed, a senior auto industry analyst at Edmunds.com, said he believed the
>> company would easily achieve that goal. "It will sell not only because of
>> its fuel economy and equipment but because of its looks and appeal."
>>
>> The Smart isn't totally new to North America. DaimlerChrysler began
>> marketing the car in Canada in 2004 and last year sold 4,000 Smarts
>> there.
>>
>> And a Northern California company, Zap, began importing and distributing
>> a version of the European Smart to the U.S. about a year ago. The cars
>> are converted to meet U.S. safety standards and exported by a private
>> firm with no connection to DaimlerChrysler.
>>
>> So far, Santa Rosa-based Zap has sent about 200 of the cars to various
>> dealers, who sell them for prices starting at about $20,000.
>>
>> "We knew from the start that it was only a matter of time" before
>> DaimlerChrysler began selling the cars in the U.S. at a lower price, said
>> Zap spokesman A.J. Gilbertson. But until 2008, he said, Zap has the only
>> Smarts around.
>>
>> *
>>
>> (INFOBOX BELOW)
>>
>> Big and small
>>
>> A comparison of the Smart and the Hummer H2
>>
>> Hummer H2 Smart
>> Curb weight 6,400 lbs 1,600 lbs.
>> Length 15' 9" 8' 2"
>> Width 6' 9" 4' 11"
>> Height 6' 7" 5'
>> Seating 6 2
>> Cylinders 8 3
>> Fuel tank 32 gal. 10 gal.
>> Horsepower 325 60
>> Miles per gallon* 8 to 13 40 city/60 hwy.
>> Price (in thousands) $50+ under $15
>>
>>
>> *Estimated by industry sources.
#147
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
#148
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
#149
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
#150
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: DaimlerChrysler to Bring Teeny Two-Seater to U.S.
"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote in message
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike
news:VvOdne76RoD6FjvZnZ2dnUVZ_s2dnZ2d@speakeasy.ne t...
> Mike Hunter wrote:
>> They apparently use your skeleton in lue of crumple zones
>
> fud
>
Really, the physics of crumple zones is not rocket science. The stiffness of
the zone determines the amount of force applied to occupants while the depth
of the zone (for a given stiffness) determines the maximum impact speed the
zone can absorb. Short zones work just fine, but become ineffective at lower
speeds than longer zones.
IIRC there is considerable disagreement on how much deceleration a human
body can safely withstand, and air bags complicate that. The major concern
is aortic rupture, and air bags alone have been known to cause aortic
rupture at speeds as low as 10 mph. It still doesn't change the shape of
things - longer crumple distances are effective to higher speeds than
shorter ones. Where the cutoff is for the SMART car is something I couldn't
find.
Mike