Fuel Efficient SMART’s hit the road show circuit.

[xcel]

Smart USA Launches Cross-Country Road Show to Introduce the ForTwo.

Ken Kettenbeil - Penske Enterprises - May 8, 2007

Consumers Can Test-Drive Vehicles in 50 Cities Nationwide - May Through November.

BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich -- A small car with a big urban solution is coming to the streets of cities across the United States as eager consumers will have their first opportunity to experience the fun and functionality of the smart fortwo. smart USA Distributor LLC, a subsidiary of United Auto Group, Inc, (NYSE:UAG), is launching a national road show May 19, starting in Los Angeles, California, to introduce the revolutionary smart fortwo to U.S. consumers. The tour provides a hands-on experience, allowing consumers to test-drive the fortwo and experience its innovation, functionality and the joy of driving. The 50-city tour will visit events from festivals and universities, to sporting events and retail outlets, to other popular city destinations through November.

"The smart fortwo is all about urban independence and freeing people from the constraints of city driving, so this road show offers consumers a unique way to discover the brand and get up close and personal with this amazing car," said Dave Schembri, president of smart USA. "The best way to understand the benefits of a smart fortwo is to experience it - and this vehicle will change the way drivers look at the driving experience."

Three road show teams will visit three regions of the country simultaneously, showcasing four drivable vehicles at each stop. The tour will stop in each city for approximately four days, starting in Los Angeles in May, and ending in Miami in November. The anticipated road show schedule is noted on the next page, and updates can be found at www.smartusa.com … [Read More]

[psyshack]

Ive seen a few Smarts in Tulsa. Cute little cars. But I dont see them catching on. For the money many will opt for a standard econo box or hybrid if pushed to what they see as a extreme..

psy

[BailOut]

Though small and decently fuel efficient they burn as dirty as a truck. Their tailpipes quickly become as black as the asphalt they live near.

[BlueBulletIP]

At only around 40 MPG why would I buy one of these when I can get 1.5 to 2 times that MPG with my Prius or Insight and be able to drive to anywhere in the country besides?
And for essentially the same price. Heck, a plain old Civic or Corolla will get you that kind of MPG.
IMO a car of that size should be all electric or achieve at least 60-80 MPG or why bother.

[c0da]

Originally Posted by BlueBulletIP

At only around 40 MPG why would I buy one of these when I can get 1.5 to 2 times that MPG with my Prius or Insight and be able to drive to anywhere in the country besides?
And for essentially the same price. Heck, a plain old Civic or Corolla will get you that kind of MPG.
IMO a car of that size should be all electric or achieve at least 60-80 MPG or why bother.

Because George Clooney drives one? I don't like these cars very much either, it's a bit underwhelming in fuel economy and size. I went to the dealership and sat in a Prius today. It has a ton of room for being a small car and I almost traded in my 06' Civic for it. But I'm holding for my 09' Prius!

[Dan]

Whoo Hoo... They're coming to Houston.

Any word on Hybridization?

11011011

[xcel]

Hi All:

___When speaking with the reps in Detroit, they kept towing the company line of 40/40 city/highway. Seeing this article pushing 60 highway is a breath of fresh air but I don’t see this ICE pulling Insight like numbers anytime soon. Probably a typo

___I sure would like to get my hands on a review vehicle for a week just to find out

___Good Luck

___Wayne

[MetroMPG]

The hypermilers at clubsmartcar.ca regularly pull Insight level fuel consumption numbers from their diesel cars, but I haven't read anything about the gas version yet.

The "manumatic" sequential gearbox is a limiting factor in what techniques you can use in these. (Though I'm not certain whether the gas versions will be using the same transmission that the previous gen cars used...)

[Pravus Prime]

LOL, figures that Hybridfest and the Detroit SMART Car tour overlap a bit.