smart car

tomstickland

Depends on whether you want to go fast in a straight line or go round corners. I've opted into the cheap to run but still fun camp now. I used to run a tuned up 165BHP* 2.0 8v engine on twin 40s and that managed 22-24mpg most of the time, but did acheive 32 on a long mway run at 80. I've got a 135BHP BMW E30 318iS now, same sort of power to weight as a MK2 Golf GTi 8v, but it really entertains me and isn't slow if you maintain momentum. The consistent 28-32mpg is good news, it can do nearer 40mpg if I was sensible.
*real numbers, not made up by a max power reader.

scheming_gypsy

i get about 24ish round the streets but i only really drive to and from work. On the way home i come down the motorway and country roads and get to about 27. Had an impressive 37 going round Loch Lommond once which was nice.

tomstickland

I used to spend far too much money on cars, so going for a car with jusssst enough power but a really sweet chassis and handling has still got a lot of novelty value for me. I used to think that, for example, MX5's were a bit "gay" and underpowered, but I'd buy one now. Elise with "only" 115BHP is the pinnacle of the less is more concept. Which brings me back to the smart coupe - sounds slow on paper, but felt fast enough when I was a passenger and a lot of fun.

scheming_gypsy

which is the Smart where they put the effort into? was it the Coupe or the Brabus or something? actually looks like a decent motor and shifts on a small engine

tomstickland

Coupe is 2 seater sports car thing. I liked it apart from the silly auto box. If it had a revvy 1.3 16v and manual box then it'd be a winner.

scheming_gypsy

bit off topic but i like the sig. Probably contavenes the 'slating petty forum rules' forum rule.


ok ok it was completely off topic

MrSmartprice

You don't need the Brabus version of the Smart to get it to move. The car comes with the Engine Management System governed to 84mph. This was apparrently for taxation purposes in Germany. Many owners have the engine remapped, and they will comfortably exceed 100mph. Lots of Smarts are modified and customised, and will invariably be remapped too. But also many that look quite standard have also been done, so don't be surprised if one goes haring past on the motorway. The real advantage of remapping Smarts is that it improves the gearchanges 100%.

jjames_3

100 in a Smart? Scary.

jjames_3

What really bloody annoys me about all this talk of Coupes, MX5s etc, is that I'm too big to fit in the flippin things. Even the Hyundai Coupe/Toyota Celica, which relative to these other cars are cavernous things, I just don't have enough headroom. Grrr.

So, even though I want a silly sports car next, I'm stuck with various small Astra-sized boring efforts which are no better than my current cars other than the bigger engines. Some VW Golf (a dull car at the best of times) with a big engine isn't a fun car at all.

Altarf

funkydom wrote:

I'm not sure if you can ever make a car the size of the smart with a 5 star rating and keep it affordable. Its tiny even compared to cars in its class.

Toyota are trying hard. The new Yaris (which is not a big car and has a very short front end) gets a 5 star rating. Toyota have managed this by developing its own internal standards and tests to ensure its cars better protect passengers in 'real world' circumstances.

The crash tests they used for the first time on the new Yaris are:

• Frontal impact against 2-ton vehicle, with a 50% overlap (both vehicles driving at the same speed)
• Side impact from a 2-ton vehicle
• Rear impact from a 2-ton vehicle, with a 50% overlap.

i.e. crashing into something twice the size of the Yaris.

They also increased the crash speed from 30 mph to 35 mph (which is a bit more like real life).

If you compare the results on the Euroncap website with the Smart you can see what the huge difference 6 years in safety development has resulted in:

Smart - http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=1&id2=29
New Yaris - http://www.euroncap.com/images/results/superminis/car_246_2005/Toyota%20Yaris%20Datasheet.pdf
Old (2000) Yaris - http://www.euroncap.com/content/safety_ratings/details.php?id1=1&id2=74