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Thread: Why America won't buy a Smart

  1. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by jcp123 View Post
    I'd rather have a Miata with a Prius drivetrain.
    Why not a V-Twin Prius and a hybrid bike?:
    "Kimi, can you improve on your [race] finish?"
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  2. #47
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    I would personally prefer a manual gearbox in my two seater, rear wheel drive sportscar.
    Damn...I forgot about the CVT. But that's still preferable for me if we are talking about a lightweight 2-seater made for good fuel economy.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  3. #48
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    Quote Originally Posted by f6fhellcat13 View Post
    Why not a V-Twin Prius and a hybrid bike?:
    Nah...I wouldn't even need a Carfax to see it has been in an accident. I'll pass!
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  4. #49
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ferrer View Post
    I'm a trend-setting person. Me, who thinks that cool-hunter is someone looking for an air conditioning device in a store. Feels weird.

    CR-Z.
    Really? You'd get a CR-Z?

    I'm as diehard as the Honda fans go and I can't accept the CR-Z for what it is and what it could have been.

  5. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by NSXType-R View Post
    Really? You'd get a CR-Z?

    I'm as diehard as the Honda fans go and I can't accept the CR-Z for what it is and what it could have been.
    I quite like the CR-Z, but in this case I was speaking about the drivetrain only.

    Mugen perhaps?
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  6. #51
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    Ah, well, a Miata with CR-Z drivetrain...might as well since I can get stickshift. Vis a vis a Smart which is also a 2-seater with little cargo space, I would much rather have this setup with more driving fun and better (potentially) fuel economy than a Smart, and the work can be done for less $$ than buying a new Smart.

    I say potentially better economy, because Honda's hybrid drivetrain management is a bit rough around the edges compared to Toyota's Hybrid Synergy Drive. It never quite yields as good fuel economy as Toyota's setup and is noted for shorter battery life too.
    Last edited by jcp123; 03-30-2013 at 01:08 PM.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  7. #52
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    If I concentrate really hard I can get up to 39mpg (US) from the sportscar. If I concentrate a little less hard I can get 35mpg (last tank).

    Sometimes I wonder if all the hybrid trickery (and added complexity/weight) is actually worth it...
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  8. #53
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    Toyota's is worth it - reliable, efficient, and capable of tremendous numbers in the hands of a dedicated driver. Nobody else really measures up. Ford's might be the only one which can hold a candle in terms of reliability and performance; it would be interesting to see what could be done if Ford designed a dedicated hybrid, like the Prius, rather than hybridising "normal" vehicles like the Fusion and Escape.
    Last edited by jcp123; 03-30-2013 at 01:42 PM.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  9. #54
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    Quote Originally Posted by jcp123 View Post
    Toyota's is worth it - reliable, efficient, and capable of tremendous numbers in the hands of a dedicated driver. Nobody else really measures up.
    I bet in European driving conditions it isn't that impressive, unless you go at a snail's pace. It also doesn't grip much, doesnt handle and the noise from the engine + CVT under hard acceleration is annoying.

    On the other hand, it's quite in relaxed driving, comfortable, spacious and the reliability and servicing excellent according to taxi drivers. It works brilliantly in the city, but for a city car it is massive and really rather expensive (even compared to equivalent cars).

    Work in progress.
    Lack of charisma can be fatal.
    Visca Catalunya!

  10. #55
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    Yeah, it was built with the US in mind, methinks. A Prius C might make more sense there. However, it's in urban driving that the Prius does its best work, so it might surprise you.
    An it harm none, do as ye will

    Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.

  11. #56
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    Quote Originally Posted by Matra et Alpine View Post
    Further to the "Why buy an SUV" thread I start this one based on an article I just read.

    Fun article and yet it holds so many truths !!

    The drove a Smart across America.
    To my American cousins, please don't get too upset at the stereotypes - just remember you have them of Europeans ( and no I do NOT wear a kilt all the time )

    http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/nav?pag...storyId=582346
    Why?
    The Smart is just too expensive for its size.
    What you save in gas will be spent buying the car.
    They might have a nice niche urban driving market niche if it were about the cheapest car in America. Maybe it can be done manufacturing it in China with a simpler cheaper engine?

    Besides safety is priceless.

  12. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by Big time View Post
    Besides safety is priceless.
    oh dear

    "ForTwo did well enough in crash tests by the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to earn the group’s highest rating—five stars"

    So how much are buyers spending to "feel" safe and possibly NOT be than actually be TESTED SAFE

    It is true the psyche equates size and weight with "safety", but I'd hoped the evidence of the Euro crash zones was getting better understood ? ( with it's own issues tho' )
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

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