Kind of like an ultra modern 914....But a miser on gas.

4 cyl turbo...I don't know how small, 101 hp., so it must be tiny... front and rear trunks... hard top and soft top...six speed sequential paddle shifter. Cool looks.
Price starts around 25K

Looks like a Mazda and a Lotus "got it on"! What is it?

QUOTE (Buzzard1 @ Aug 30 2005, 01:09 AM)

Looks like a Mazda and a Lotus "got it on"! What is it?

Whatever it is has a cool license plate which you can read from your rear view mirror.

QUOTE (Buzzard1 @ Aug 30 2005, 04:09 AM)

Looks like a Mazda and a Lotus "got it on"! What is it?

It's the new Facade Vega.. there's a Barbie Corvette chassis under there.



M

It looks like the Brabus version of the roadster 100bhp from a 698cc engine
I took the girlfriend out to test drive one this weekend, great fun and over 55 miles to the gallon

I don't think the SmartCars are even available in the States yet, something about the wheelbase length I think. They look sharp and if I could I would score one.

Mike D.

AndyC...You are right, and lucky to be able to drive one. I'm really interested in these cars, and am hoping that it will be available in Canada soon. The only one here now is the fortwo, which are becoming an everyday sight on the streets of Victoria.
They are planning to import the smart Formore (An SUV version) to the US this fall.
The demand for these cars is huge. Chrysler Daimler need a North American Plant.

fourmore below

I haven't seen the Formore yet but we do have the forfour which is pretty much the formore at a normal ride height
The Brabus roadster retails for about £17,000 over here and a standard 80bhp starts at around £10,000
Fairly common in the UK - I can see 3 from my office window right now

The smart roadster has already been put on the Daimler chopping block. It was supposed to be out of production by now but there are still a few being made. Pity really. Especially when you consider that they are keeping their lackluster forfour.

smarts are not available in the US. There is a company called ZAP that is importing used fortwo's and getting them certified for US but they come with one heck of a price and no dealer network. Mercedes Benz US is convinced that Americans love their SUV's and won't tolerate tiny cars. Bunch of whackos if you ask me.

The problem with US imports are numerous. They include evaporative control (no room to install), Side impact (easy fix), no steering column interlock (show stopper - needs exemption) and a host of minor stuff. There is a major revision coming in the 2007 model year that is supposed to address those issues but MB USA still has no plans to import it.

Up here in the great white north the Transport Canada has a cell who's sole purpose in life is evaluating and championing high fuel efficiency cars. It was their work that brought the smart fortwo diesle to Canada. They arranged for some exemptions and actively lobbied MB Canada to bring it in.

Steve

is there any way to privately buy one of these in canada and flatbed it on a trailer back to the US?


with a bill of sale, I can get a title here in KY....

QUOTE (swl @ Aug 30 2005, 12:56 PM)

Mercedes Benz US is convinced that Americans love their SUV's and won't tolerate tiny cars. Bunch of whackos if you ask me.

I'm sure if they stuck a 5 litre engine in it and made it do 3mpg it would be welcomed with open arms in the states

I don't have a picture of it but on our way from Ontario a few weeks ago we passed a car in Michigan near where I 69 & I 94 cross. It was a very very small two seater pulling a equally small trailer. I could swear the namebadge on the rear was smartcar????

This was it only in yellow

One of our Canadian members has a Smart...is it you Steve?

It was at my show, it's a neat little car....if they had a 4 seater I would think about one for us.

QUOTE (Mark Henry @ Aug 30 2005, 05:01 PM)

One of our Canadian members has a Smart...is it you Steve? It was at my show, it's a neat little car....if they had a 4 seater I would think about one for us.

There is a four seater - the forfour.
Its a little more conventional than the fortwo have a look at www.smart.com

QUOTE (swl @ Aug 30 2005, 04:56 AM)

Mercedes Benz US is convinced that Americans love their SUV's and won't tolerate tiny cars. Bunch of whackos if you ask me.

That's the same thinking that made the Beetle so popular.

QUOTE (bd1308 @ Aug 30 2005, 06:50 AM)

is there any way to privately buy one of these in canada and flatbed it on a trailer back to the US? with a bill of sale, I can get a title here in KY....

Do your homework first Britt. There are a lot of folks in the US trying to do exactly that but no one has been successful you may be able to get title but it will fall apart when you go for tags. Besides - who wants to have a new car with the closest service dealership a 16 hour drive away.

QUOTE (Mark Henry @ Aug 30 2005, 09:01 AM)

One of our Canadian members has a Smart...is it you Steve?

Indeed.

What can I say. I'm a sucker for two seat, mid-engine, rear drive cars with great handling, low power, funky styling and a huge fun factor. And when they are available in ravenna green - bonus!

Oh, and did I mention the 60MPG(US)? Helps pay for the teener restoration.

requisite 914 content for this thread - how to make a teener look like a huge car.

The Elise BBS(s)....my cubie neighbor hangs there, not me...is bitching that the new Elise's are getting heavier, mor HP and adding creature comforts....kind of defeats the original premise...

i wanna see it do a wheelie...........

QUOTE (LongARM @ Aug 30 2005, 05:12 PM)

i wanna see it do a wheelie...........

I'll leave the wheelies for you to pull when you get a first gear!

Thanks for the inspiration trip in your car. Sure brought back a flood of great memories. Devon was grinning big time when he got home. Back at the project this weekend. Get that fricken screw out and the fuel pump in.

Steve

QUOTE (Brent @ Aug 30 2005, 01:20 AM)

Whatever it is has a cool license plate which you can read from your rear view mirror.

haha, first thing i noticed as well ...

someone got that picture mirrored (is that a word?) ...
Andy

Mini Evo Convertible. New Colt CZT with 1.5 Turbo.

Cute but are those back seats?

So if we are looking at more modern roadsters we should consider the Venturi Fetish. Just the name alone should sell it to some of the folks in this crowd. Wait until you get to the price - I'll take two please

http://www.venturi.fr/us/fetish/specs/specs.php3