Daimler's SMART coming to the U.S.

Daimler-Benz's diminutive SMART car is coming to America. Specialty vehicle company ZAP (for Zero Air Pollution) has won approval from the U.S. government to distribute a version of the popular car that's been modified to meet U.S. emissions and safety standards. Pricing is said to run from about $12,000 to $20,000. While we dig the car's fuel efficiency (60 mpg!), style and size, we'd still be terrified to drive it on America's SUV-clogged highways. However, it should be a natural for cities like New York, where it may even be able to beat BMW's Mini at squeezing into tight parking spots.

[Via Futurismic]

[Funkstar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

You can park this thing at 90 degrees to the pavement (or kerb as you know it), so yeah, probably the easiest thing with four wheels to find a parking space for.

[Paul Upton @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I own one in the UK and once driven, you'll never want to drive another car.... Parking is amazing....

[Jules Holleboom @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Oh my god, that car is already for 5 years in my street (even the smart forfour, coupe!) and it's beeing introduced in the US?!?

[Joseph Briggs @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Finally! This is going to be my next car.

[Thomas Bonk @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

@Jules Holleboom:
I think that the SMART ins't the typical car for the USA with all their SUV and horse power mosnters on the streets.

On the other I ask myself, why Americans buy a Mercedes E55 AMG Wagon (476PS 8 cylinder engine; top speed eletrconically limited to 250 km/h - without limitation it will drive more than 300km/h)!? I recently had a ride in one of these rockets - and it was build for an US costumer. Strange.

[Eddie B @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

It says "the car has been modified to meet U.S emissions".. this is a joke right.. U.S doesnt have any emmission laws!!

[gaswhore @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

ok wierd. i just read an article about how the smart car WILL NOT come to the us because people arent ready for a trully fuel friendly smart car. supposedly mercedes will release a "mini" suv to get us consumers ready for the next step, the smart car. but if it's really coming then yaaaayeeee. then again i hope this isnt a repeat of the 70's where gas prices got so high that new smaller and fuel effecient cars had to be born out of neccesity. *coughYUGOcough*

[Kevin Cannon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Maybe it's been modified to be less fuel efficient? :P

[Robert @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

"the car has been modified to meet U.S emissions" - it just means it'll have higher emissions, and be less fuel efficient so it doesn't stand out too much on "America�s SUV-clogged highways"!!!

[Juergen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I drive smart ForTwo cabrio since four years. I bought the second one (silver pulse) 1 1/2 years ago.
Since Germany does not have weak emission or safety standards I am really interested in what had to be changed for the US version.
http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/002565.html says they had to add structural support. I don't believe it. For one there is no space left to add anything. And more important the "Tridion Cell" is perfectly rigid. Actually it already is too stiff for certain crash situations which is why the are extra "crash boxes" to take off crash energy and the seats are part of the "crash concept". They break at certain hyphenation points.
Besides changing the suspension and some cosmetic stuff the car is the same as 8 years ago and there won't be a new model before 2007. Daimler-Chrysler obviously sees no need to change anything. So why does ZAP?

[Drew A. @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I've been following this car for the last year or so. Two things: ironically, the prototype for this car was designed in souther California. And sorry, to counter the strident and cynical viewpoint above that the US does not have any emmission standards: ours are actually higher than Europe's on a per unit of petroleum product burned basis. However, it's just that we use WAY MORE than Europeans as to negate any higher standards. Hopefully, the Smart line of cars (yes, there are 3 models available including a Roadster) will go along way to overcome this 'over usage.'

[Lee @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Two Words: Parking Meters. As long as we have them, these vehicles will be a difficult sell. I'm all for them, owning a Mini and having seen Smart in action in the streets of Frankfurt GE. (It is funny to see them on the Autobahn though). But as long as we are a one-car-one-meter country......

[Bruce @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I've been driving the Mercedes S-Class Escape Pod for over a year, and put up a "user review" here:

http://homepage.mac.com/bruce.mckenzie/blog/C995349106/E1624620437/index.html

Don't beleive the 60 mpg however. In real life it's more like 40 mpg - and remeber also that UK mpg is not the same as US mpg as gallons are not standard.

I also describe options for fitting it with an iPod here:

http://homepage.mac.com/bruce.mckenzie/blog/C1146693724/E308369470/index.html

... not to mention a Navman GPS unit and a Palm PDA:

http://homepage.mac.com/bruce.mckenzie/blog/C1146693724/E1039019189/index.html

Anyone got a space Mac mini? ;-)

[Gwaant @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I wouldn't hold your breath for the roadster. It is apparently being discontinued. There were news reports earlier this month reporting Smart has been loosing money. As part of it's restructure, so it can try and break even for 2007, it will only continue with the forTwo and forFour.

[Chaz @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

They've been here in Canada for about 6 months to a year now. I know for a fack that they get 100km (aprox 60miles) every gallon. An owner tested it for the local paper and it cost her $4 to go 100km when gas was about $1/L ($4/gallon). I'm considering the forfour model myself when they are available here. Right now it's just the fortwos.

[Jordan Langille @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

These have been in Canada for months...

-Jordan

[Alex Stapleton @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I love it than in America the BMW Mini is considered small. It might be called a "mini" but it's actually kinda large compared to other hatchbacks.

[dthree @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

ZAP better get their orders in to Daimer-Chrysler quickly as they may be killing the Smart altogether:

http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102013

DC has already aborted more attempts at entering the US market with the brand than I can remember. I think the first try was even pre-chrysler takeover. Anyway, ZAP could help Smart achieve their sales goals, especially if they actually SELL a car here instead of just ANNOUNCING/RETRACTING the intent to sell as DC keeps doing.

[Emon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Before the SMART car comes to the US does anyone know if they have resolved the EPA mpg dispute over this vehicle. Here's a link to the artile a few months back saying that this car was only getting 37mpg instead of 60mpg. http://www.autoblog.com/entry/1234000077034124/

[escalade328s @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

yea, it will be easy to park, but you still have to find a space for this overpriced piece of crap.
when you see them on the road they are a joke, they are cool over in europe where all the cars are small, but not in north america where the cars are big (not only the SUV's, but think of a big rig, talk about owned) safe as it is it is toast against a big rig.

[Chris Kalan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

We in Canada have had this car for about a year now. Perhaps we are a test market for North America? I have seen very few on the road, but apparently they have sold tons.

[Rusty Hodge @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

They've been promising this for years now. (ZAP that is). Aside from the one they auctioned off on Ebay, are they really selling this? Or is it permanently 2 years out?

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Hey escalade hate to break it to your feeble mind but even the biggest of SUVs would be toast against a rig. The smart has the triton frame so its actually very strong and safe.

The only problem though is that they are backordered for ever and selling like hot cakes but the morons up in the echelons of Daimler can't figure out how to make the company make money.

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

While the economy and design seem like a great idea, the price is completely ridiculous for such a small car. I'd love to get one, but cannot fathom why they're $12,000+ USD for a base price. That is insanely high. Perhaps $7,500 or so to start for a base model would make more sense. Either the manufacturing and marketing costs are way out of line or the greed factor plays a bigger role in the high price?

[Bob @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

#22: It's priced that "high" because it's part of the Mercedes car group, just like the Maybach.

[Harish @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Yes! I've been waiting for the smart cars to be released over here!

[Nate @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I have seen a fortwo driving in my neighborhood (just outside Philadelphia) for the past couple of months. I think the SUV drivers will do their diligence to not kill those of us who will be driving a SMART when they are available. I have a 40 mile commute to work, and I make that journey alone. So, this will be the best car for me!

[Grandpa @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Computer fan boys should STFU and do a little research before they start talking cars.

Mercedes has been losing BILLIONS on this car line. Bringing it to the US would just make them lose even more money on it.

There are plenty of small and high MPG vehicles available in the US. The ultra small size of the Smart offers very little extra benefit in the US where our streets were built for cars in the first place.

[Dave @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

The diesel model has been available in Canada since September, '04. Mine should be here within a month.

Regarding price, it's no more expensive than a equally equipped Toyota Echo hatchback.

As for real world fuel economy, I know several drivers that are getting 3.5 L/100 km (67 mpg (US) or 80 mpg (imp)). Of course, on the other end of the scale there are others that drive their cars much harder and only get 5 L/100 km (47/56 mpg).

They're also much safer than conventional wisdom would suggest. Each car has a built in rollbar as strong as those found in NASCAR. Recently a ForTwo was stopped at the lights and hit from behind by a Lincoln Navigator travelling 60-80kmph. The Smart driver was able to open the door and walked away with no injuries. Emergency techs were amazed by the strength of the Tridion safety cage. A lesser car could have only been opened by the Jaws of Life. In fact, the safety cage itself was not compromised at all. The Navigator, on the other hand, faired far worse.

Of course, a ForTwo wouldn't fair so well against a big rig, but neither would a Hummer.

[MrFloppy @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

This car has been in Spain for years.
I love it, but i�m waiting to buy one.

[Geyser @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

As a few posts have said, this car has been available for a while in Canada. Here in Vancouver, it's become the latest trendy item, almost up there with the iFad. But maybe it should be re-named the "STUPID" car, because that's what you have to be to take the chance of finding yourself on the wrong end of a collision with anything like our 4,000 lb. vehicle.

[bioNEMESIS @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Yes, this has been available in Canada for a year now. Originally, it was going to be available in Canada at the same time as the U.S. launch. However, the decision was made to release a limited amount in Canada because changes that need to be made for Canadian distribution were minimal. I live in Northern Alberta (Fort McMurray to be exact) and there is at least one being driven here (saw it today).

[Winston @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

There are hundreds of these things buzzing around Vancouver. At first, they seemed oddly small ... but the more there are of them, the more normal they seem. And we all know that cars are generally oversized for what we use them for, which just makes these seem logical. And I can't argue with the fact that they can park two per metered spot perpendicular to the curb and are so cheap to run.

Having said that, Vancouver isn't a typical N.American city. I don't imagine winter would be fun in a Smart car, nor would a freeway.

And I don't actually like them. Wouldn't buy one myself.

But don't knock 'em. This is a little closer to what most of us should be driving. As per Post 30, it's the '4000 lb.' vehicles that should be re-named "STUPID" cars.

[gozer @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

they're all over T.O

[Blaah @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Grandpa,

You write that:
> There are plenty of small and high MPG vehicles available in the US. The ultra small size of the Smart offers very little extra benefit in the US where our streets were built for cars in the first place.

Yes, that's part of the problem : As a European I'm stunned every time I'm in the US - nobody seems to be able to walk even the shortest distance. With high standard roads, low cost cars, low cast petrol and a huge affinity for big cars the consequence is the US is one of the world's worst polluters.

Smart may not offer much extra in comparison with other low mpg cars, as you put it, but the one thing it offers is a trend. If Smart could lure buyers to drive smaller, lighter and lower mpg cars, then nothing would be better.

As a side note : Now, even the new hybrid cars are being pitched in the US as "more powerful and faster acceleration". Clearly, the 'save the environment' doesn't catch on..

[Baron @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I see no reason why the Smart Car shouldn't get 60mpg average. I used to own a Geo Metro XFi which had a 3 cylinder engine and a 5-speed manual trans. I got an average of 50mpg of gas and during one fill-up after a lot of highway driving I got a whopping 60mpg. The Metro was a bigger car than the Smart Car.

I drove my Metro way over 100K on the odometer and it still got 50mpg. And the gearing was just about perfect so it got great low-end tourque, enought to climb mountains fine. The Smart Car has a 6-speed tranny so it must also be optimized both on the low and high end.

[Tice @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Jep, and here you get the icons for it:
http://www.macbillboard.com/pages/iconpage.html (Set #4)

[sherlock @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

To be clear i do own a smart for 2 years.

I just dont get it why you americans resist smarts so much. They are quick, cheap to run and they save your time.

Also had 2 accidents in smart and verifed they are safe. Drived in the back of other car at 35-40 kmh and my smart was still in drivable condition.

Main argument of the smart opponents - being run over by 2 ton SUV - are proving that most of the people lack of basic phisics knowleage.
Smarts are so light (650 kg) they bounce from the other cars and as tridon is so rigid you walk away form most of the accidents.

[Paul Allen @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

"to counter the viewpoint that the US does not have any emmission standards: ours are actually higher than Europe's on a per unit of petroleum product burned basis."


Are you saying that US emission standards are more stringent than Europes? I'd have thought differently... any references?

[Robert @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Whether US standards are more stringent for small cars isn't so much the issue. It's the fact that 'minivans' and 'SUVs' are classified as 'Small Trucks' under those emission standards, and thus can evade the perhaps more stringent requirements. Therefore, the US's aforementioned SUV filled highways, are actually full of 'Small Trucks' with a license to pollute. This is not the case in Europe. However, I would still be rather sceptical that even the actual car standards are more stringent in the US than the EU, but I cannot back that up with actual numbers, as I could not find any quantitative data on what is and is not allowed in the US.


Of course, the other question is enforcement. For instance, in Europe cars are required to undergo regular testing once on the road, part of which is ensuring they stay within emission standards, that everything is working, as it should. Is there an equivalent in the US?

[Robert Mohns @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

respectfully... $12-20k for a tiny economy car? i live in the city, and this would be a great car for my fiance and i, but you're not going to get me to pay that much. at that price, i can buy a saturn with more passenger space and a large, roomy trunk. or, at the high end of that range, a Prius hybrid with more space and a small but still larger trunk. US parking is designed for US cars, so the small size, if not accompanied with a small price tag, is nothing more than a gimmick.

[nikotttin @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

For once the US is late :)

For driving around NY, the smart is the best car ever. I've been saing some of these cars... and I can promess you it is speedy and one feels preatty safe in it. Indeed the seat position is quite high compared to other vehicles. Even compared with the hudge and awrfull SUVs... For the trunk size, you can put atleast two big bags... and even a bike :)

Cheers :D

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Its ugly, but the price is good, and its exactly what my fiance would need just to tool around town to get to her job.

[JeremyK @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

I think we, as Americans, have a false sense of security when it comes to driving SUVs. We rationalize driving one, sighting "safety" but in reality is an ego/power thing.

Personally, I like my motorcycle (same ego/power thing) but at least it's efficient. Am I afraid of getting tangled under the wheels of a semi truck? NO! How do you silly SUV owners even get out of bed in the morning. The safety argument is lame and outdated.

The SMART will be embraced by some (progressive thinkers) here in the US, and shunned by others because it is different. I wonder how high the price of gas will have to get for people to realize their 6000lb, 12 mpg, freeway clogging menace isn't a practical commuter vehicle...

[RyanM @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

The SMART is a cool car. I've seen a couple of them here in Orlando. Yeah DC is losing their shirts with them in Europe, but maybe they could recoup some of the losses by selling them here. They should sell them here for just under 10K and I think they'd have a winner.

JeremyK is right about perceptions of safety in SUV. I live in Orlando, Florida, where by the way we have no annual inspections so you'll see everything from lifted Ford Excursions that I could drive my car under to boy-racer wannabes with exhaust systems you can hear a mile and a half away, but I digress . . . It seems like everyone here drives SUV's. SUV's are less safe than your average car because they don't have to meet the same stringent safey standards as passenger cars. Look at the Hummer H1, it doesn't even have a driver's side airbag! When was the last time you could buy a car without airbags? And I am sick to death hearing Avalanche and H2 drivers complaining about gas prices. Get a smaller car!! You don't need a Nissan Pathfinder Armada to tote your 1 rugrat around.

If your truck weighs over a certain amount or is the size of a dumptruck, you shouldn't be allowed to drive it without a licence indicating that you are competent to do so. You need a to take a seperate written and road test for a motorcycle licence, why not the same for the the needlessly large SUVs out there. Let's see some of these people parallel park their International CXT's! It's about time the U.S. wakes up gets rid of these gas-guzzling giants and start driving more sensible vehicles.

[danR @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

As noted already, there are lots of smarts zipping around Vancouver. Very popular, very cool :)

They start at C$16,500 (~US$13,300) for the coupe and C$19,500 for the cabrio and the waiting list here is now *only* 6 and 3 months, respectively.

What sucks is that the only engine offered is a cdi turbo deisel (40 hp / 74 lb-ft). In the UK they offer 50, 61, and 74 hp gas engines (and they also have the 'tuned' Brabus edition -- schweet!).

As far as safety, check out this page http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccustom/smart/safety/event.cfm including the head-on crash with an E-class

[JeremyK @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

One thing that is going to hurt the SMART is the current US$ to Euro conversation rate. This means that the US consumer has less buying power when purchasing goods manufactured in "Euro" countries. So your $10,000 SMART is now going to cost d@mn near US$14000. The exchange rate was US$1.37 to E$1 when I was in Germany earlier this year. That sucks.

So, you can see how quickly this can inflate the price of an otherwise "inexpensive" car. Since DCX doesn't have the gonads to bring the car to the states, you have a company like ZAP that has to purchase SMARTs through an exporter (middle-man), ship them to the US, retrofit to meet US requirements, and still try to make a profit. In this context, it is easy to understand how the prices could start to get near $20K.

[Jim Warner @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Okay you geeks. The Smart car is in the US. I passed a car hauler full of them, including the roadster, a couple days ago heading through LA to (I guess) somewhere in So. Cal. Probably the safest place for them was on the truck. I don't know when they'll be sold, but my guess is right about now (June 05). I think they're cool, way overpriced, and I'll probably get one when the usual add-on dealer premiums are dropped. Pray for me. By the way, I saw three MB fuel cell cars being tested on the freeway in Lancaster/Palmdale a couple months ago. I keep wondering where they were going, and where they got their fuel. They were even cooler looking than the Smart cars, zipping along at extra-legal speeds.

[deb kling @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Okay, here's the scoop about the Smartcar and my opinion as to the possible reasons why it's not being sold in the U.S. As everybody probably knows, Mercedes Benz-Daimler Chrysler has decided not to sell Smarts to ZAP - a company that has the capability to convert the European engine to comply with U.S. emission standards - For whatever reason, MB-DC does not want this car in the U.S. It should be noted that every time ZAP has tried to get this going, the E.P.A. has effectively stalled their actions. I can only surmise that politics may be involved here, I mean with a president in office who is also an oil man,and with most of U.S., driving gas-guzzling S.U.V.s, without much of an alternative on the market to drive anything else. This whole thing is a little suspicious, don't you think? While some consumers may balk at Smart's size, the safety issue has already been addressed by the makers of this vehicle. I've seen Smarts careen through the streets of Paris safely at 75 miles per hour! So, what's the hold-up, folks? Aren't we supposed to be the greatest nation in the free world, a nation that strives to be on the cutting-edge of technology? Wasn't there also a time, in our not so distant past, when we saw the first S.U.V. on the road? The time has come to make room for a new American vehicle. Think down the road. Get Smart.
P.S. While ZAP was unable to contract MB-DC to purchase its vehicles in order to convert them for the American market, ZAP was able to sell a Smartcar at auction on eBay. The final winning bid? $35,500.00, American dollars. Go figure.

[robb Gordon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:38AM]

Sorry guys but I totally disagree with Zap selling this car.
I went to a mercedes dealership in Canada where the salesman was
seriously selling this car. If Zap sells it, it will be made a joke of.
BMW is selling mini like mad. Prius are selling like mad. There is a market out there that want small economical vehicles and we are waiting for the cars to come. Back when the gas crunch of the seventies occurred volkswagen couldn't make diesel rabbits and gas rabbits fast enough. Don't under estimate the consumer or the market is all I'm saying.