Smart Car Blog

We are suckers for environment-friendly cars, but the first time we saw the Smart ForJeremy, another version of the ForTwo, our jaws dropped. The car has wings! And now our jaws dropped not in awe.

I guess that what happens when Smart taps Jeremy Scott who is well-known for his attention-grabbing line of clothes. He has designed for the likes of Katy Perry, Rihanna, , Kanye West, and Lady Gaga and yes his impossible-not-to-see lines are reflected on the Smart ForJeremy.

The Smart ForTwo is not really being marketed for its practicality nor the driving experience it offers but for the green technology it embraces. It is a very outlandish creation and the brand might just want more attention when they hired the fashion designer.

Smart, sorry but this car is just too weird for our taste.

Do you remember riding a boat in the park with those big swan wings? That is how the ForJeremy looks. This will not float through a love tunnel but is ready to cruise on the road as it takes the form of the 74-horsepower of the Smart ForTwo. It can go as fast at 78 miles an hour using a lithium ion battery pack. It has a range of 78 miles when used in an urban setting.

You might also think of the wings on the shoes of the mythological god Mercury. Before we forget, the wings that have been crafted from fiber glass do light up. Yes, just like the shoes you love when you were a kid.

Just like us, you might already be wondering why someone will put some wings to a car. Scott’s design actually are dominated by wings. According to the designer, it symbolizes freedom, just like how the car tries to free the air of harmful gases.

Now, use your hands to cover the wings and you will see a normal Smart ForTwo with 5-spoke chrome rims, and other shiny elements. The shiny treatment continues to the interior of the car. Be careful and do not touch anything or your fingers might burn from all the chrome you will see.

The car, with wings, will roll out next year. On a limited run (and that is the best thing about it.

Smart, Smart Forjeremy, Smart ForTwo Jeremy Scott, Smart, Smart Forjeremy, Smart ForTwo

The Smart Fortwo, under the umbrella of Daimler, has not made a profit since its birth in 1998. It is still trying to convince consumers to convert into their Smart way of owning and driving a car. The attempt of the company has led to several crashes to a lot of spending. Through the years, electric cars have been making some major strides. The design of the Smart Fortwo cars, for example, is perfect for zig zagging through traffic and parking on tight spaces.

The transition of the American market though to the Smart Fortwo vehicles as forecasted before by experts in Germany. Even young buyers still clamor for vehicles that have more space and carry a good amount of luggage.

The company is currently testing its third generation Electric Drive Smart Fortwo. You cannot see a lot of changes with the exterior but the engine had major revisions. The new Smart Fortwo ride now has a 47-hp cruising output and a max output of around 74 horses compared to the previous generation’s 27 hp and max of 40 hp. The number almost doubled.

The car can accelerate to 60 kilometers an hour in a matter of 4.8 seconds compared to its predecessor that did it in 6.5 seconds.

The new gen Smart Fortwo also dropped the automated transmission that was highly criticized by the press people and consumers. It gets a single-ratio gearbox that smoothly deliver a better accelration in tandem with the electric motor.

The new gen Smart Fortwo ED depends on a 93 lithium ion battery pack made by Li-Tec. The battery is stored under the floor of the vehicle. A single full charge can bring the car up to 90 miles from point A to B. A typical recharging will take an owner around seven hours using a 220 volt outlet with 13 amperes or around six hours when using a plug of 16 amperes. There is no option of a quick charge.

The new vehicle will be formally launched during the auto show in Los Angeles next month. Expect the sticker price to hit the $25,000 mark for the coupe and around $28K for the top down.

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Social media interactions between brands and consumers can be fun at times. SmartUSA just made a lot of car lovers smile this week as it outsmarted a critic over Twitter. And yes, their answer came with an infographic.

It started when a certain Clayton Hove tweeted that he saw a Smart Car totaled after a bird poop on it. Other brands might have ignored or just shared the laughter, but it was not the case for the makers of the Smart line of cars.

They tweeted back saying that they did the math and it could not have been one bird, but 4.5 million pigeons. That is definitely a brilliant move from a brand protecting its position in the market. They even came with a witty infographic. See that below:

There was really a process that people from SmartUSA went thru before coming up with the answer. They called up farmers, found out how poops of birds weighs, and researched how much pigeons and other birds poop each day. They tossed the information together and bam!

The social media team of Smart also used the opportunity to promote the safety of their vehicle. The critic was definitely caught off guard. The company has a good policy of loving the lovers and just dealing with the haters with some humor about their quirky ride.

The company admits that their cars are not for everyone but there are people out there who have uses for them. They expect more of the mockery in the future but they are confident they can handle them well and use them to their brand’s advantage.

Smart, Social Media Clayton Hove, Smart, SmartUSA, Social Media, Twitter

When you see the shape of the Smart ForTwo on the road, you know it is the ForTwo. You cannot mistake it for another car on the US roads as it is the shortest in the market today fitting the engine and two passengers on a very small frame to have the shortest footprint.

Too bad though that the ForTwo did not hit it big in the United States. Part to blame is its gearbox which somehow has an attitude and its low fuel economy than what you want to have for this tiny a car. If you ask someone who has been driving the ForTwo for its fuel mileage, the average you might get is around 60 to 75 miles per gallon. Actually it is just rated at 38 mpg on the highway and 34 mpg on city streets or a combined rating of 36mpg. It does not guzzle much gas but neither is it more practical than better options like the Hyundai Accent and the Kia Rio.

The small car from Smart though has some good points. It has more attitude when compared to a ride which is ten times its price or double its size. You can even get a convertible if you want. If you want to go green all the way, you can get an electric version with an equivalent fuel rating of 87 mpg.

You might need to consider its easy parking ability and the very unique look of the vehicle before you can choose it over more economical, practical, and faster cars. The space for two big adults is actually more than sufficient when you get into a Smart ForTwo but the cargo space is just good some bags of grocery.

The city traffic can be handled with a breeze in a ForTwo cruising on comfortable speed. When you hit the highway, you can go 70 mph and not be too scared although you might have the picture of small wheels in your head while praying that you will not topple over. You also feel the bumps and the ride quality is not for those with back pains. The crash test for the the Smart ForTwo are quite impressive considering its size.

The Smart ForTwo is being pushed to the market as something as an “uncar” and this is the only way you can appreciate it, not as a car but just another means of transport.

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Smart is the automobile arm of umbrella company Daimler AG. The German company has been producing microcars with plants in Böblingen, Germany and Hambach, France. They are the ones behind the Smart Roadster and the Smart ForTwo. For some time now, the microcar company has been under the radar. However, word is that the microcar company is planning to debut its new look for the model that would replace the latest edition of the Smart Roadster.

The ForSpeed Concept that was debuted at the Geneva Motor Show last March became an inspiration Smart’s new microcar. Some experts say that the new design resembles a white ladybug however, the sleeker design and shadowline trim look promising.

However, the Smart buzz isn’t just about the replacement for the Smart Roadster. According to an inside scoop, 4×4 model that will directly compete with the MINI Countryman will also be unveiled. Now, if the rumors are true, then the 4×4 model will probably by based on the design platform of the Mercedes-Benz’s new B-Class and would be Smart’s largest model to date.

There’s also rumor that Smart might work with Renault-Nissan soon. If the rumors are true and the partnership prevails, then the succeeding models of the ForTwo and the Roadster might carry the Renault Twingo platform. Given that, it might pose some conflicts if the 4×4 will directly compete with MINI Countryman. Nothing’s official yet so we just have to wait to see how things will progress for the Smar 4×4 model and the new Smart Roadster replacement.

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