New, U.S.-Bound Smart ForTwo Unveiled

Just yesterday we were polling our readers on whether or not the Smart brand would go bust in the U.S., and here we have the first official look at the model that will head to our shores in early 2008. The new Smart ForTwo looks a lot like the old one but features three new gasoline engines topping out at just 81 hp. We’d guess the 81-hp version will be the only one that makes it to the States along with both coupe and convertible body styles. There’s not much information regarding prices, but we don’t even know yet where the dealerships will be. Keep reading for more images and let us know if you’d consider buying one.

Comments

deffenetely, without a doubt! That interior is great and it is so versatile!

Definitely a cool car albeit fragile. I see them in Paris with parts falling off left and right. Of course over there they parallel park by feel! Gimme that MBZ A class though for my morning commute. If this Smart takes off here maybe MBZ will invest in the upgrades to import theirs.

talk about a death trap. I'd be saying my prayers everytime I put the key in the ignition.

Heck no!
This thing makes a Gremlin look like a luxury car.
And I thought the Subaru Justy was small and dangerous ("...will the doors fall off???""....no..its a Subaru!").

I don't know that I would use the word versatile to describe an 81 HP car with 9 cu. ft. of cargo space.

When the novelty is gone—and, as I said in the other post, I think it's already gone—you're left with a pretty boring car with limited capabilities. Without cool styling what's the cars purpose? That's why I'd prefer to see the roadster and roadster coupe coming to America instead.

What intrigues me though, is the possibility of seeing a Cabrio rolling on 27” wheels. You know someone will do it. It would be so cool.

Quasi related thought: Am I crazy to think that Hummer should be making a car this size. Maybe not quite as small as a Smart, but a Yaris size vehicle that looks like an H2. It would be HUGE; and worth it just for the reaction form environmentalists.

Let's face it. Micro cars are here to stay. We need to embrace them. They are efficient, have minimal impact on the environment and leave more space for the rest of us on the road. If the price was comparable or even less than say a Honda Fit or Toyota Yaris, I'd buy one.

Are those parking sensors on the bumper?!? If you can't park this thing, you've got no business behind the wheel.

Imagine enough of these on the clogged streets of L.A. (or any auto-chocked city) taking up half the parking, half the lanes, using half the gas, and you begin to see the point of cars like the Smart. It's about the collective effect. I can only hope that we've finally gotten to the place where we can think past our big America idea of what transportation is about.

how can this thing possibly be safe if it was involved in an accident with ANY other car on the road? i also think it looks too unconventional to sell. GM will lose even more money on this doomed venture. Americans love SUVS. While many can say Americans love small cars too, even small cars could crush the smart if God forbid there was an accident.

kenneth, smart is owned by DaimlerChrysler not GM.

Here in the uk I was never a fan of small cars but with fuel price hikes and all sorts of charges it now makes more sense to get one of these. Even though the design is not to my liking but the economy of the whole thing makes sense.

The best thing about this car being released will be all the ignorant comments about it being a death trap. Do some research. Small doesn't mean death trap anymore.

Fools.

So what is the gas mileage on these Smarts?

I would buy one right now if I could. I saw them all over Europe, and was impressed as they passed me on the freeway. They are comfortable and safe. I haven't been this excited about a car since I was in high school and I'm 63 now!

Michael,
No mileage figures have been released but we'd guess that a gasoline engine would get at least in the high 40 mpg range if not 50. The diesel's on the current smarts get 60 mpg. That's what happens when you only have 81 hp. NOW any automaker could tweak their current engines to get better mileage. Consumers are the ones demanding things like more passing power etc.

We have seen Smart Cars in Italy and love them.
We had a GEM Electric which we sold.
The Smart Car is perfect as a Neighborhood Vehicle . Save your old huge guzzler for highway trips.
Port Townsend,WA

i live in england and drive a 2002 fourtwo pulse. I think you yanks will love the new fourtwo. Dont be put off by its size or performance, mine will cruise on the motorway her in the UK at 80 no problem and i believe your speed limit is 55? so whats the beef. Two adults can ride in comfort and still get the weekly shop (or 8 cases of beer in my case) in the back so what could be better. I did a round trip of 280 miles last weekend and averaged over 65mpg so as we say on this side of the pond.....sorted, luverley jubbly. Give em a go!

I'm still interested in what kind of saftey ratings these things would get? The only possible places for crumple zones I see would be your knees and spine.

I don't know about our english friend but there's no way to fit eight cases of beer in a Smart. Even without a passenger.
The Smart is designed with a rollcage like the Mini so crumple zones aren't as important. Basically imagine those car crashes you see during nascar or F1. they flip over a hundred times at 200 mph and walk away just fine. same concept.

This isn't a car for everyone and it has no intention for being that. It's a niche vehicle and for some people it serves a purpose. For myself; a single young male who lives in the city, it's perfect. I never use the backseat in my car anyway, I don't have a lot of money for gas, and parking can be a nusiance in my neighborhood, so this will help out. Plus it makes a statement that small can be cool. I'll buy one as long as its reasonably priced.

Reply to Dave T, i definately can get 8 cases of beer in the back of my Smart, maybe our cases are a different size. Any way the point is that the Smart is a car for 2 people and a few bits and pieces in the back, it was never meant to be a goods vehicle. Ive had mine for 2 years now and only on a very few occasions have the size been a problem, then you just call on a friend and borrow their car. The main points of the Smart is economy and practicality. Think of it as a motorbike and side car only better and much cooler. There are Smart clubs and rallys all over europe and especially in the UK and all those people cant be wrong. And remember its german engineered. Safety isnt really a worry and the new model you will be getting in th US has an excellent Euro Ncap safety rating, much better than a lot of japanese and korean cars currently available. If there were any safety concerns the media and press would have a field day especially the British press.

The smart is comming to the States so why not be open minded, give it a chance and see what happens. In sure it will be as popular there as it is everywhere else......remember the VW Beetle and the Mini?

Be smart....buy Smart and have fun!

Paul from England

Hi all
well they do have Merc build quality and all of the Merc saftey features . They get good gas mileage something we English have to think about with gas at $9.50 a gallon we have our second on order.A fantastic small car.
Jon

Coolest car I've seen in a while...I don't "need" to drive one, I want to drive one. Get those things here as fast as you can Daimler!

I've had my Smart Car Cabrio since April. I love to drive it, especially on "95". We have a Corvette which sits in the garage most of the time, because my husband is 6'3" and loves the comfort of driving in the Smart car. We also have a Mercedes which we use only when it necessary to have passengers. The Smart car is not just a novelty. Oh yes, did I mention the economy? Great for savings on gas. Anywhere from 33 in traffic to 45 mpg on the open road...We love the car!! PS I am a senior citizen.....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

i laugh at this "car"

Live in lower 48 and drove to Alaska this summer. Drove through Edmonton and test drove two SMART cars. My husband (6') loved it, as did I. Others have said, and I won't belabor, it has good safety engineering (but does not use the big-car crumple-zone technique). If you're curious, check out their website. I'd buy one in a heartbeat. Top of the line diesel (dealer said 74mpg highway) was quoted at $27,000 Canadian to us (we didn't try negotiating - not yet certain if we want to pay duty or wait for it to come to the U.S.). It was terribly fun to drive.

I bought one, a grey market 2005 new in NH. Have had it for a few months drives well goes 75 on the highway with no problem. Gets a lot of attention.

I can't wait to get one. The performed better than a Ford Explorer in crash test ratings. The body is encased in carbonized steel. As long as you are wearing a seatbelt you'll be just as safe as any other car. The bounce off objects that are hit, they don't crumple.

Count me in!!! I want one now!

Has anyone experienced it's capabilities on snow. We live in Chicago and, although we do have another car, we will have to drive it in winter. We're told they're quite low. Is that a deal breaker for us?

This is just a fascinating car, and I can't wait to see what people in America will do once they realize how small and unique it is. I definitely want one, and hope my old car will last until these begin to go on sale. Safety isn't really a concern; if you visit the Canadian website for the fortwo, you can watch a video of a Mercedes Benz E Class sedan crashing into a Smart fortwo. Afterwards, the doors still open, the steel safety cell is intact, and the dummies are fine--it's amazing.

Just saw a yellow smart car in Downer Grove, IL. It's the out going model as indicated by its headlight design. I'm very excited about this as American motorists should begin to change their ways.

yeah,
personally i think that smart cars are pretty kool but they are ecspecially unsafe in the U.S and Canada because of the high speed limits on highway overpasses. Most truck drivers don't even see the little smart cars buzzing around them until the last second. If u live in a gigantic city then wonderful! Smart cars are everyone's dream car in England because of how small the roads are.lol

smart cars i soooo little they're like metal jelly beans!lmao

i think i could fit 24 cases of a pak of 24 beers in my smart car!!!!o beet that ermatthe cuz i just did the IMPOSSIBLE!!!

GO LIL YELLOW SMART CAR DRIVE AWAY TO ENGLAND

I have put down a deposit to reserve a spot for one already. Leave the Suuu-Veee's for the people who care about no one but themselves. The crash test show they are safe, I'm not fat and I don't carpool with more than one person so they are the perfect car to take back and forth to work.

OK, this is for all you want to be motor-heads out there, I’m 63 years young and have owned everything from a 67’ Shelby Mustang to Cadillac’s to a 600D Fiat and a 61’ VW Convertible. I loved every one of them and enjoyed driving them, and in case any of you feel I don’t know what I’m talking about, here are a few things I’ve also done. Built two custom VWs from the ground up, One called the “Red Bug”, a 65’had a two liter VW engine that would turn over 8000 RPMs. I also built a custom 77’ black Trams AM that would run 175 MPH at 6000 RPMs.

Now to the subject at hand, the SMART Fortwo car. If you are not totally stupid and do some serious research on the net you will see that the Fortwo is as safe as possible and should be really fun to drive. I have worked in the Aerospace business for over forty years and know a little about design. Some of the things I have designed went to the Moon and others are flying around defending our nation. I look forward to picking up the Fortwo I have reserved and giving back my leased Super Sport. Spaceman Out!

p.s. Both my wife and I have reserved one and will keep our G6 for road trips.

This brand has been a big fiasco in Europe. And the people who buy one of this toys have money to have a bigger car.

The people who buy this don't want bigger cars. That is the SFB mentality that is causing the cost of gas to go so high. The less gas you use the less it will cost so get out of that gas pig Suuu-Veee (Calling Hogs) and get with the 21st century.

I have owned: a 1958 VW Beetle, 1966 VW Karmann Ghia convertible, 1996 Ford Bronco, 1986 Crown Vic, 1998 Subaru Impreza, Chevy station wagons (two), '83 Cadillac, 1968 Ford Galaxie and a '64 Chevy Pickup Truck.

I am college educated, make 105K per year, and, guess what? I am buying a Smart car!

Why? Because it is well-built (judging by the Canadian Smart I looked at), economical, and works well for me, since my last kid is moving out in 3 years (we raised five!).

Those of you driving Hummers are living in dreamland-- gas will continue to get more expensive, so why not think about the future? (gas was 25 cents a gallon, when I was in high school, back in 1972). And, Good Lord, have we ALL forgotten the Oil Embargo of 1973?!!

Get Smart, folks! Leading edge technology, with style and a touch of brilliance...the future is NOW! Buy a Smart, and we won't have to fight any more wars in the middle east!

It is an image car, like most hybrids. Almost everybody who has a smart will have a bigger car in the garage.

The only smart people is Mercedes which is selling here the remains of this big European fiasco.

The Canadian market has had these for awhile and their safety record is very good. The US version should be even better. I'd buy one, a diesel, if it gets about 60 miles per and has a decent warranty.

I have seen the Smart car and was impressed, accept the price-tag. No way is this worth over $29,000.00. Not when the 2007 Toyota Yaris is sold at $13,000.00. Come now...

Smart really should have introduced the Smart forfour and formore to the US instead of the tiny fortwo. The forfour is a four or five seater, still reletively small, but a much more conventional car. It looks stunning, a totally 'Smart' icon of a car, but its immensely more practical. The formore was an SUV, but like all Smarts was very eco-friendly.

Sadly, Smart have now made the utterly crazy decision of scrapping production of the forfour, Roadsater and formore, to free up the cash to be able to launch the fortwo into the US. Its very likely going to cause the end of the brand, which will be a sad day indeed.

Look gas most likely will reach 4.50/gallon by next fall. Even if it modestly moves to 3.90
this car is one very good response to responsible travel from the highschool student to college to elderly on limited incomes as well as a backup vehicle for families.If you are a car head you can get 200 hp with modest engine work and any thing in car style modifications. SO my point is this is a real good preliminary solution to pollution, economy, and versatility.
HAve some creativity and insight.

One advantage of this little car not discussed much is at-home parking. Our "two car" garage can easily hold an SUV or Minivan for hauling the occasional crowd and two fortwo's in the other bay. Like most Americans, my wife and I commute to work solo, and with the price of gas and growing environmental concerns, driving a big car all the time makes little sense. We have one on order and anticipate a second if it lives up to expectations.

Does anyone know when the US testing will be done for crash and safety???? Looks like a coffin on wheels to me, I want to save gas and the environment, but not at the cost of my kids

Thanks for creating this great article on the smart, I would like to personally invite you to the new smart site just launched.

The new smart website is focused on the 451 smart fortwo ( 2008 smart car ) and its web address is: http://www.451s.com

451s.com was created to help bring together worldwide smart owners and smart enthusiasts. While this site is focused on the 451 smart fortwo sold in America and Canada it is open to all smart's and the worldwide smart community.

http://www.451s.com

We enjoy our Smart Car Fortwo. I just received it on2/09/08 and have 542 miles on it . I have been on interstste I 75 in Fl. I took my car up to 75 and stayed in the middle lane to see if the two Trailer trucks that were going to pass me would bother me when they passed me. To my surprise I felt no sway, my Lincoln Towncar rocks a little but my Smart Car takes
takes the Trucks better.
I do get better milage 40 miles to the gallon.
We live in the Villages Fl. and it is a nice car around town. I get everyone around when i park and they aske me where they can get the information about the smart Car. Myself and my wife love the car, the ride, milage and the comefort
Thank you, Lou & Lee Myers
The Villages, Fl. 32162-7500