2008 Smart Fortwo Lorinser Passion Convertible on 2040-cars

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A big family with tiny cars

Allow me to introduce myself: I'm a car lover, I'm a big car fan. I also have a big family. How big? Imagine seven kids and six dogs. I also happen to own three Smart cars. Wait, WHAT? How do we transport the whole family? I got that covered with the help of a big Sprinter. Back to the beginning, I love cars, I'd drive hundreds of miles to attend a car show, I'd go twice to the same car show. Heck! I'd drive thousands of miles just to show off my brand new car (more of that in another post). I'd take road trips with one subject in mind: cars. Despite living in the middle of the country and living in the middle of nowhere, I'm fortunate enough to have seen some unbelievable cars, and guess what? I love sharing those stories online. I'm grateful for this opportunity to reach an enthusiastic audience of car lovers who hopefully will enjoy my work as much as I enjoy watching beautiful, powerful machines: cars.Related Video: Image Credit: Alfonso Rascon smart open road

New Smart ED not coming to US until 2017

Smart is broadening its global lineup considerably with its new generation. There are two body styles, two engines, two transmissions, and more color combinations than we could shake a stick at. But, if you're waiting for a new electric version in the US, you'll have to wait a little longer. According to Automotive News, Smart won't launch the new ED (electric drive) model until 2017, which rules out the "late 2016" window we heard was possible earlier this year. We've asked Smart USA for confirmation of this time change, but have not yet heard back. The standard, fuel-burning version of the new ForTwo, on the other hand, is slated to arrive at US dealers in November. It will only be offered to American customers in two-door guise with the turbocharged engine, driving 89 horsepower through either a five-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The outgoing electric Smart is still going to be offered in three iterations. It first saw a pilot lease program distribute 100 vehicles in London, powered by a 41-horsepower electric motor and a 13.2-kWh sodium-nickel chloride battery that could take it for 68 miles on a single charge. The second followed in 2009 and spread 2,000 vehicles across 18 markets with a 27-hp motor with a 40-hp overboost and a 16.5-kWh lithium-ion battery for a range of 84 miles. The current, third iteration was unveiled in 2011 with a 74-hp motor, a 17.6-kWh lithium-ion battery and a 90-mile range. Expect the new Smart ED to further improve on those numbers when it arrives within the next couple of years. Until that time, the current model will still be offered as Daimler prepares the new ED model for launch as part of a growing array of plug-in electric vehicles. Related Video:

Smart highlights safety of new Fortwo by crashing into much bigger brother

Smart is just getting ready to launch its new Fortwo and Forfour minicars, riding on a completely different platform, and the diminutive brand wants to show that its latest creations can stand up to some serious abuse. For such a tiny car, the crashworthiness of the Smarts is a legitimate concern when taking on larger, heavier vehicles. To prove their survivability, the company filmed a head-on collision pitting the latest Fortwo against a Mercedes-Benz S-Class weighing more than twice as much.
When it unveiled the latest cars, Smart touted that it crash-tested them against the larger Mercedes-Benz C-Class and S-Class. Among their updates, the Fortwo and Forfour use a substructure containing ultra-high strength, hot-formed steel and maximum-strength, multiphase steel. They also have larger crumple zones.
Of course, Smart can make all the claims that it wants about the cars' safety, but actually showing it to people is much more convincing. At 5,088 pounds, the S-Class dominates the 2,478-pound Fortwo in terms of weight. Scroll down to see how the little hatchback fares against the more expensive, luxury sedan in a 31-mile-per-hour frontal crash.