Recent Comments:
LA Times' Dan Neil bumped from NBC Gear {Autoblog}
Apr 10th 2008 4:10PM Don't forget that NBC is owned by GE -the company that is so big we must always do it GE's way - like the plastics div. (sold off by GE) together with Bayer AG, they supplied the plastic used to mold most of the clear plastic headlamp lenses in modern cars. These lenses get opaque with age- think "car glaucoma"-and the Feds don't think this fact is worthy of a safety recall. We all need to please Wall $treet.
NHTSA cites safety concern after crash testing smart fortwo {Autoblog}
Apr 5th 2008 3:33PM All you smarties out there-this crash test is not an April fools joke-but maybe the joke's on you. smart is a great marketing concept but not a very good car. Is it ok for the passenger to get a 3 star crash rating-well the driver gets a 4 star and if I'm in a side impact that's ok because it got wait for it... the magic 5 stars- only the door came open in the test. Not to worry because it is made by those small car experts at Mercedes and they can do no wrong, can they? One of my favorite "smart" owners was a man that I met in Cambridge, UK who had just bought a new forTwo. His only problem was that he had 2 children. The solution-the son was buckled up in the passenger seat and his daughter got to ride in the rather cramped luggage area. When driving this "transportation device" do NOT turn your head and look back. If you do you will realize that there is very little behind you. I have been rear ended twice in my lifetime . I would not like to be hit in the rear by a standard size vehicle doing 30 or 40 mph. smart was innovative in the 20th Century-but this is a new era. Get over it!
NHTSA cites safety concern after crash testing smart fortwo {Autoblog}
Apr 3rd 2008 4:52PM smart (?) owners are trying to justify their purchases much like a protective parent would say that "my kid couldn't have done that"-you name it. They are suffering from what I would diagnose as "smart delusion"- ie. deprived of this little bit of automotive nirvahna for so many years that they will listen to the siren song of marketers trying to create the new "beetle" or Mini.Questionable credentials from ex Mitsubishi marketers- who are telling lies about -sports car handling and the sporty and fun nature of a transmission that you will get used to . The fact that the car was only awarded a 4 STAR crash rating in an era when 5 stars is the norm says a lot. Mercedes sold 2,442 diesel smarts last year in Canada & about 70 diesels in Mexico per month. This year all they can get in Canada is the Mitsubishi gasoline powered econocar. Nobody is talking about future resale (low in the UK)-terrible ride & handling or the fact that the car doesn't even have a spare-or the 24,000 mi warranty. smart is the answer to a question too few people are asking. smart... safer than a scooter & better than a bus.
Toyota claims Jim Press lied about gov't funding Prius development {Autoblog}
Apr 2nd 2008 10:03PM What I think is an amazing example of our stupidity is that in the late 80's when Japan Inc. was paying the Japanese savers 1% interest on their savings, they were buying US Treasuries paying 15% interest and using all that American money to fund their US plant expansion. Another example of Japan Inc's eco friendliness is the support of whaling for so called "research purposes". I consider Toyota to be aiding and abetting this needless slaughter.
smart delivers 100,000th second-generation ForTwo {Autoblog Green}
Apr 2nd 2008 3:36PM smart is like the publicity machine at ZAP. I'm surprised that they haven't come out with the Jump into Spring special edition. If you want to see slow sales look to Canada & Mexican sales the past few months to see what a dud this car is. Road & Track recorded the slowest slalom speed and lowest G rating of all cars tested. Just remember-A 4 STAR safety rating & no spare tire - very smart ideas. Wait until you drive it in a crosswind especially on ICE. I have a new market to suggest boosting sales-The "Smart" (?)Fleet TAXI Package for those who have no friends. Buckboard ride & Herky-Jerky transmission-what a concept. P.T. Barnum was quoted as saying "there's a sucker born every minute". Caveat Emptor
Prospective Zap dealer chokes on electric vapor! {Autoblog Green}
Apr 1st 2008 3:33PM Zap should be in Federal Court for all the fraudulrent claims that they have made and the promises that they have failed to keep. 2 BILLION Dollars worth of smart car " DEALER SOLD ORDERS" They should know what that means-ie. an order for a specific car from an identified seller with a cash deposit. the Obvio built at the old "Tri-tec" engine plant in Brazil Where oh where is it now?? I had read that the plant equipment was sold and shipped to China. Even trying to sit in the 928 Porsche inspired Obvio 828 (get it) looked difficult and putting 3 in that crate would be crazy. Anyone who has looked at a Zebra sedan would realize that if this is the best that the Chinese can do, that global automakers have nothing to worry about. I have never considered an electric scooter or bicycle a "VEHICLE" in the classic sense. Zap may have had 9 lives - I think the time has come and that they are existing on a "Dead Cat Bounce" . Maybe the Chinese can rescue them or finally put them out of their misery. Caveat Emptor !!
smart may force cities to reconsider parking laws {Autoblog Green}
Mar 27th 2008 4:28PM The US isn't Rome and the smart is longer than an original Humvee is wide. In San Francisco a "smart" transportation device owner who parks at right angles to the kerb can get a ticket for blocking traffic-and of course all parking garages should offer these self righteous souls a 50% discount because they are only driving half a car.
Officially official: Th!nk City electric car on sale in the UK this fall {Autoblog Green}
Mar 27th 2008 4:19PM I was told that the batteries used on the prototype smart electric cost $ 12,000-that is why think is renting them-plus that covers any warranty issues. On the original think City you had to "equalize" the batteries every 2,500 miles. Evectric cars are VERY complicated devices that require a lot of cooling for all of the on board high voltage components. The energy loss climbing hills is amazing. You won't get much back on re-gen.
Men's Vogue wonders if the smart is man enough {Autoblog Green}
Mar 27th 2008 4:07PM Any "car" that has to call itsself the same probably isn't. I know that they need to develop sales in a new market-sales are down in the rest of the world-but what is the point ?? The best game to play in your new smart is try to find the spare tire. A Mercedes with a Mitsubishi engine-oh yes and it has a Getrag trannie just like a Porsche. Caveat Emptor
Zap counters hype machine story with yet more press releases {Autoblog Green}
Mar 27th 2008 3:58PM I like Zap's claim of selling over 100,000 "vehicles" Anyone who would ride in the Xebra has got to be crazy. I have never seen such a piece of automotive junk in my life. Steve Schneider is a total weasel and anyone who has anything to do with Zap isw bound to suffer a LOT of disappointment. Zap has always made false and misleading statements ie. 60 mpg smart car-sold dealer orders for over a hundred thousand smart cars etc. It's time for thius house of cards to fall down.
