 Ever stared at an impossibly small car puttering along and wondered “why on earth would anyone want to drive that?” Well it turns out more and more people are overcoming the stigma of driving something that looks like its right out of Mr. Bean’s 10 most wanted list. “We wanted to create a feeling that the car was larger on the inside than the outside, It's not just a car that wants to be cute; it wants to be taken seriously.” said designer Hartmut Sinkwitz. These mini-mobiles are rapidly gaining popularity, owners citing rising fuel prices and increased traffic congestion as major factors.
Now you can add the Mercedes made Smart 42 to the list. As the name implies it is indeed built “for two”, and designed for cost conscious, no-frills travelers. Only slightly longer than a full size SUV is wide, the Smart 42 has a pleasing thrifty character, and will be available in dealerships by January of next year. Response has been extremely positive with nearly 34,000 buyers forking over the $99 deposit fee to secure one.
While it may be an ideal solution for many grid-locked commuters stuck daily in big city congestion, at this price point there are trade-offs to be considered. The base model also referred to as pure trim, starts at a paltry $11,590; however traffic jam life-savers such as air conditioning, power steering, and incredibly even a radio are deleted. For an additional $2000, buyers can opt for passion trim, adding more standard equipment, and a spruced-up, livelier interior. Despite its puny look, crash test safety results are outstanding. “Which can support more weight, a short ladder or a long ladder?” asks Karl-Heinz Baumann, mechanical engineer for passive safety at Mercedes-Benz. “If you make it smaller, you make it stiffer. You cannot say larger is safer. It depends on the situation.”
Typically vehicles in this class are sold with manual transmissions. This saves weight, reduces manufacturing costs, and allows more power to get down to the road. But given the Smart 42’s intended purpose, this may not be appropriate. Over a two hour commute, constantly squeezing the clutch pedal while stuck in stop and go traffic is enough to leave anyone disgruntled. And in all likelihood hobbling around like a peg leg pirate overdue for shore leave. As such, Mercedes has come up with a very unique solution to enjoy the best of both worlds. All Smart 42’s are equipped with a conventional standard transmission, though shifts are done automatically with the use of an electronic clutch. For a little more control, drivers can also manually change gears via the central gear selector, or paddle shifters mounted on the steering column, however clutch operation is still handled automatically. Just as with any manual transmission, there is a noticeable pause while the electronic clutch engages the next gear.
Employing a 3 cylinder 70HP engine, the Smart 42 delivers adequate grunt for most situations, but don’t expect to win any drag races; 60mph arrives in a leisurely 12.8sec, with terminal velocity set at 90mph. EPA figures are surprisingly unimpressive for this type of vehicle; registering a mediocre 40mpg in city driving, and 45mpg highway. An alternative fuel powered Smart is currently under testing, and may ultimately be released, depending on the Smart 42’s long-term success.
smart-42.autopolitan.com - Nov 15,07
| Apparently producing some of the most fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles on the planet is not enough for Honda. The successful Japanese automaker has launched an initiative to make its operations centers in North America more “green”.
Two new facilities located in Troy, Ohio and Torrance, California are expected to receive LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by 2009. This is in addition to sites in Gresham, Oregon and Raymond, Ohio which have previously received the stringent title.
So what makes a building certified to LEED standards? In a nutshell - being able to minimize ecological impact, and the conservation of natural resources. Honda has implemented several measures including: power saving lights triggered by motion sensors, use of recycled material wherever possible, lowering the rate of solar absorption by using highly reflective materials, and choosing nearby suppliers wherever possible.
Expect more companies to jump on board, as official government legislation is currently under review.
eco-friendly-honda.autopolitan.com - Nov 10,07
|
|
|
 2009 Nissan GT-R
Worshiped by import racing fanatics and Gamers for over a decade, the left hand drive-only Skyline represents the best supercar ever produced by the Far East. The moniker has been around since the sixties, but it was not until the mid 90’s that Skyline mania reached full tilt.
2009-nissan-gtr.autopolitan.com - Nov 5,07 | Fun Volvo?
Widely acknowledged as the worlds “safest” carmaker, Volvo has always been expected to provide impeccable security and crash protection. In fact low speeds accidents involving the Sherman tank-like Swede have often been proven to result in major structural damage to the other vehicle, while the Volvo is left with nothing more than a small blemish.
2008-volvo-c30.autopolitan.com - Oct 27,07 | Struggling GM Still On Top
Automotive giants GM and Toyota are once again battling for global sales supremacy, with each manufacturer topping the 7 million mark through the first three quarters of this year. Even though GM has had to cut more than 34,000 jobs and close 12 plants in North America, they have to gone on to record sales this year slightly eclipsing Toyota, selling a whopping 2.38 million vehicles in the third quarter alone, a 4% increase over the same period last year.
struggling-gm-still-on-top.autopolitan.com - Oct 24,07 | Water Powered Rotary?
Mazda has always done things a little differently; their smartly designed cars and unique rotary engines have long been admired by motor-heads, creating a distinctive niche in the marketplace for the Japanese automaker. That tradition continues with Mazda pursuing the development of a next generation hydrogen powered vehicle.
water-powered-mazda.autopolitan.com - Oct 22,07 | Silver is Golden
Think you see an awful lot of silver cars on the road? Well you’d be right; silver/grey is again the most popular new car color choice in North America with 22% of buyers choosing that color. White and black trail by a good margin coming in at about 16% each, surprisingly red and blue only account for 13% and 12% respectively.
silver-is-golden.autopolitan.com - Oct 20,07 | Homegrown Compacts Promise Better Build Quality
The push to release top-notch small/compact cars is finally hitting full swing in Detroit. Known for producing affordable, great bang for the buck SUV’s and trucks, US automakers are re-investing in a market dominated by Toyota and Honda for decades. Their attention is focused on improving build quality and vehicle refinement. Studies have shown consumers will no longer accept all the foibles normally associated with domestic compacts of the past.
domestic-compacts.autopolitan.com - Oct 18,07 | 2009 Audi A4
For 2009 Audi has again re-designed its popular A4 sedan. Now a bigger, more capable car, it still carries the distinctive Audi lines with styling cues borrowed from its big brother the A5/S5. It has also has grown six inches in length and is wider than last years model.
2009-audi-a4.autopolitan.com - Oct 16,07 | No More Texting for Teens While Behind the Wheel
Taking your folks car out for a night on the town may never be the same. A new technology developed by San Diego based Drivecam, designed to curb the amount of teen car accidents, is currently under testing. Cameras mounted inside the vehicle are linked to motion sensors which can detect any sudden movements, such as abrupt acceleration/deceleration and swerving.
no-more-sms-messaging.autopolitan.com - Oct 14,07 |
|
