2012 Smart Fortwo Passion on 2040-cars

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Smart shows off the Fortwo Cabriolet ahead of Frankfurt

The Smart Fortwo Cabriolet is official. The 2016 model gets a larger, three-position soft top, remote top operation, a tweaked design, and more package options. It looks a little different than the coupe, with a slimmer B-pillar and some so-called "more progressive" lines for the Tridion safety cell. The 20-millimeter thick "tritop" folding canvas soft top can be slide back to open an aperture like a targa, or it can be slid all the way back like a proper convertible in just twelve seconds. In that latter guise, the guiding roof bars can be removed and placed in a storage area inside the tailgate. The top can be opened with a button on the key, and it's available in three colors: blue denim, red, or black. The roof bars come in the color of the safety cell, and the top headliner is always gray. Passion, Prime, and Proxy comprise the three model lines, with two engines and two transmissions on tap. There's a 1.0-liter, 71 horsepower three-cylinder, or a 0.9-liter turbocharged three-cylinder with 90 hp. Shifting choices are either a five-speed manual transmission or a six-speed twinamic dual clutch transmission. This model is stiffer than before thanks to more high-strength steel, crossbars underneath the car and the front and rear bulkheads, and a steel "inner tube" in the A-pillar. More safety comes with the available safety systems like Crosswind Assist, Lane Keeping Assist, and forward collision warning. We'll get a look at it in person at the Frankfurt Motor Show next month before it hits European showrooms in February of next year. The press release below has all the nitty gritty. Related Video: The new smart fortwo cabrio: Summer in the city Stuttgart, Aug 28, 2015 - The countdown has started for the new fortwo cabrio, a particularly iconic variant of the new model series. The open-top two-seater will have its world premiere in September at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt. The new smart cabrio will be available for ordering from mid-November and the first models will reach dealers in February 2016. Three cars in one: at the touch of a button the new smart cabrio is transformed from a closed two-seater into a car with a large sliding canvas sunroof, or a fully fledged cabriolet with the soft top completely open. This enables the fresh air driving experience to be adapted to the weather or the driver's mood.

Recharge Wrap-up: Smart Fortwo engine fires, Tesla finalist for Extole Advocacy and Customer Experience award

NHTSA has launched a preliminary investigation into complaints of Smart Fortwo engine fires. So far, the agency has received eight complaints about the rear engine compartment catching fire in model year 2008 and 2009 Fortwos and quickly engulfing the car. Six of the fires occurred while driving and were preceded by a check engine light. "The safety of our customers is our primary concern, and we are cooperating with NHTSA in its inquiry," says parent company Mercedes-Benz. "We are not aware of any injuries related to this inquiry." Read more from Automotive News. Volkswagen will pay $1.6 billion (US) in Canada as part of a settlement of its diesel emissions scandal. The funds will be used to fix or buy back some 105,000 affected cars, compensate owners between $3,815 and $4,451 above the buyback price, and pay a $11.2 million civil fine. So far, VW has agreed to spend over $18 billion in North America in connection with its diesel emissions cheating, and is expected to settle on a resolution of its 3.0-liter diesel vehicles in the US soon. Read more at Hybrid Cars, or from Automotive News. Tesla is one of three finalists for the Extole Advocacy and Customer Experience Award. The award recognizes companies that turn customers into brand advocates through referral programs. In Tesla's current program, customers who buy a car using a referral link get $1,000 off the price of their car, while referring owners are awarded prizes including a signed Powerwall 2 and invitations to unveiling events. Referring owners are also entered into a drawing to win a Model S or Model X. "With a disdain for paid advertising, Tesla Motors is leading the trend of reaching new customers through existing ones," says Extole. The other finalists are Hanna Andersson and Ulta Beauty. Read more at Teslarati. Related Gallery Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo View 20 Photos News Source: Automotive News, Hybrid Cars, Automotive News, TeslaratiImage Credit: Copyright 2016 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Government/Legal Green smart Tesla Volkswagen Green Automakers Safety Diesel Vehicles Electric recharge wrapup

Smart USA doesn't take crap from anyone

The minds at Smart USA took to Twitter to make a point about the manufacturer's tridion safety cell recently. Clayton Hove, who runs a snarky blog about advertising, joked that he "Saw a bird had crapped on a Smart Car. Totaled it," leaving the door wide open for Smart to work up a response. And respond the automaker did.
Smart USA fired off a tweet of its own, complete with an infographic (click above to enlarge) depicting exactly how much bird excrement it would take to damage the vehicle's safety cell. According to Smart, the structure can withstand up to 9,000 pounds of pressure, which equates to around 4.5 million pigeon droppings.
Smart didn't stop at just doing the math. The company worked up a handy infographic to break down exactly how many turkey or emu droppings would do the same damage. Turns out those numbers are 360,000 and 45,000, respectively. Hilarious. Check out Smart Twitter account to see the original exchange.