The Smart ForTwo isn't for shy people. Even though Smart USA has sold about 30,000 of these tiny two-seaters in the U.S., the little rollerskate attracts a lot of attention. On the road or in a parking lot, the ForTwo is a conversation piece, and people will come up and talk to you. Some will tell you about the Smart they saw in Europe. Others will ask if it has the guts to make it onto the highway. Most will assume it gets great gas mileage (it doesn't). But one thing's for certain, during our week with the ForTwo, there was a 100-percent conversation rate wherever we went. Anthropophobes, be warned.

Follow the jump to see what it's like to spend wheel time with a Smart ForTwo Cabriolet.



Photos Copyright ©2009 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.

A lot of people, when they see the smart fortwo ask "What is that?" We're used to the fortwo's diminutive style, but we're less sure how to engage with smart latest fashion collection. Available soon if not already, smart and the Paris shopping destination colette have partnered up for the "colette and smart collection" with the theme of "design meets sustainability." OK, fine, but what does that have to do with the consumer Christmas tree up there?

While the official explanation is available in the press release after the jump, we think our readers can come up with a better reason/caption to tell us what's going on, so we're opening up the thread for a little caption contest. Keep it clean, please, and keep it funny. Now, WTH is up with this picture?


[Source: Daimler]

Earlier this year at the Geneva Motor Show, European tuning company Brabus showed off a modified version of the smart fortwo ED. At the time, Daimler claimed that the electric vehicle came equipped with "fine natural materials [that] demonstrate harmony with the environment," whatever that means. Naturally, the concept was painted up in an interesting shade of green inside and out to denote its eco-friendliness.

Now that a bit more time has passed since its unveiling, details are beginning to leak out about what else the Brabus smart ED is equipped with. For instance, there's an exhaust note generator that features multiple engine notes to choose from. Feeling the need to sound like a big block V8? No problem. How 'bout the sewing machine pitter-patter of the standard fortwo? Just flip the switch and the front-mounted loud speaker is at your command.

As far as we can tell, there aren't any real changes made to the standard smart ED's drivetrain, which means the Brabus should sport a top speed of 60 miles per hour and a range of 70 miles, though an extra dollop of sportiness ought to be dished out via revised suspension settings and slightly meatier five-spoke alloy rims.


[Source: Inside Line]

Penske Automotive Group, distributors of the smart fortwo here in the United States, recorded an impressive 24,622 total sales of the diminutive city car in 2008, and dealers widely reported that they could have sold even more had they been available. With that in mind, the nascent company set what seemed at the time like a realistic sales target for 25,000 units in 2009. That may have been a bit optimistic.

So far this year, Smart USA has sold 7,451 fortwos, which is down nearly 16-percent from the first five months of 2008. May sales, though, were down an alarming 56.6 percent to 1,169. To stem the rushing tide of order cancellations and slow sales, Penske has decided to offer its first-ever incentives on the fortwo. From now until the end of July, buyers may qualify for 4.2-percent financing through Daimler Financial Services for the purchase of a new 2009 smart fortwo.

If this incentive has a positive impact on sales, expect it to be extended a bit longer. Further, Penske is considering making it possible for dealerships to order new cars without accepting the refundable $99 reservation from a customer that's currently required, which could have the desirable effect of placing more new vehicles on dealer lots for buyers to choose from.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

According to Channel 4 in the UK, the electric smart fortwo will be storming that country in full force by the year 2012. For what it's worth (which is probably a lot to Daimler), that date coincides perfectly with the UK government's plan to begin promoting electric vehicles with a range of incentives and subsidies worth £250 million.

By 2010, the electric smart should be in limited series production, featuring lithium ion battery packs supplied by Tesla. If early reports are to be believed, the cars will be available in the U.K. for roughly £150 per month, which is a heck of a lot cheaper than the current smart ED's £375 per month lease payment.

At this point, there's no indication of what kind of range or performance we should expect from these new second-generation electric smart fortwos. In addition to London, look for the electric smarts to show up in other major European cities like Paris, Milan and Rome.


[Source: Channel 4]

The diminutive little smart fortwo may be the darling of microcar fanatics the world over, but it's seemingly always been plagued with at least one major shortcoming: it's rough, jerky and otherwise unrefined automated manual transmission. The automaker is finally stepping in to do something about it.

For the 2009 model year, all smart fortwos come with revised computer programming that's supposed to smooth out the car's shifting routine, fixing what smart refers to as "a little hesitation between gears" in the '08 models. That's great news, and we hope it helps. Fortunately, current owners are also in luck, as smart is sending all 24,622 owners a letter offering a free upgrade. The letter says:

We will upgrade your transmission software to the new 2009 operating mode which provides improved shifting dynamics as well as instant changing between automatic and paddle shifting just by touching the up or down shift paddles.

[Source: USAToday via KickingTires]

Smart officially began selling the tiny fortwo in the U.S. market in January 2008 and by the end of that year 24,622 examples had been sold. To celebrate, the U.S. distributor is teaming up with conservation group American Forests to plant an equal number of trees. The trees will go into the Cache River State Natural Area 150 from St. Louis. Since the gas-fueled U.S. fortwo has unexceptional fuel economy for its size (33 city/41 hwy for the coupe), a little bit of carbon offset certainly can't hurt. Smart USA will also continue the program for 2009, planting trees for each car sold.


[Source: smart USA]

You know what state needs more smart fortwos? Texas. That must have been Daimler's thinking before approving an expansion of the car2go carsharing service there. Daimler started car2go in Ulm, Germany last October and it will be coming to Austin, Texas - that little blueberry in the big red cherry pie of a state - this fall. There are now more than 200 fortwo cdi models that anyone in Ulm, visitor or resident, can rent by the minute, hour or day, 24/7. Costs range from 19 euro cents a minute to 9.90 euros an hour to 49 euros a day. Unlike other car-sharing services, registering for the car2go service is free. Daimler didn't release any information on possible pricing for the U.S. service.

Calling the Austin expansion "the next logical step," Daimler's Thomas Weber said that carsharing in the little fortwos is an "answer to current and future mobility needs in metropolitan areas." The main goal of the Austin service is to figuring how best to export the model to other countries. Basically, Daimler needs to figure out the issues with language, laws and layout. When the service starts this fall, only a small group of Austinites will be given access to the vehicles. Like in Ulm, if things go well, the user base will be expanded. Austin's fleet will start with 200 fortwo mhd (micro-hybrid) models. Hook 'em, smart.


[Source: Daimler]

Question: Should you only pay half the price for a parking spot if your car only takes up half as much room as other vehicles? According to Central Parking System, Inc., which owns more than 350 parking garages in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and New Jersey, the answer is yes. CPS has partnered up with smart USA to offer drivers of the fortwo half-price parking in all of its garages.

When the smart fortwo was initially designed, its makers had urban settings firmly in mind, which is why the little machine is just 61 inches wide and 106 inches long. Those diminutive dimensions serve to reduce congestion and make it much easier for owners of the fortwo to fit in parking spaces that may otherwise go to waste.

Click here for a complete list of locations that offer the half-price parking discount to smart fortwo owners. Click past the break for the official press release.


[Source: smart]

Almost a year ago, 13 people squeezed into a smart fortwo. Yes, they were gymnasts. It might someday be easier to fit more than two people in a fortwo if plans to make a longer fortwo come to fruition. Smart head Anders-Sundt Jensen has told Automotive News (subs req'd) that an extended wheelbase could allow 2+1 or 2+2 seating. Looks like the pressure from the Toyota iQ and the VW up! is having an effect.

What might these new smart models be called. Go ahead. Take a guess. Yup, names like forone, forthree and forfour "are being discussed," AN writes. A new model would likely look more like the current smart than the Colt-like smart ForFour that was sold from 2004-2006. The next-gen smart model is supposed to be revealed by next year's Geneva Motor Show.

[Source: Automotive News (subs req'd)]