Smart diesel with Blutec and 70+ mpg rumor will have to die, for now
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We got a tip from Autoblog reader Cary about the delightful possibility of a Smart ForTwo in the U.S. with Mercedes' Bluetec technology. Cary writes:
Yesterday, I spotted a ForTwo on the 5 freeway south in Orange County, intrigued by the fact that they have already been released and this one was still wrapped in the typical camo vinyl, I decided to follow it. After following the car back to Mercedes-Benz of Laguna Niguel, I got to speak to the driver. And what I heard was music to my ears. The ForTwo will come in Blu - Blutec that is, according to a MBUSA R&D employee I spoke to at MB Laguna Niguel yesterday. I'll quote him on this, "Expect between 55 and 65 mpg around town and 70+mpg on the highway." He said they were testing with low rolling resistance tires. Best part of all, it will exceed Tier II BIN 5 standards without the use of urea injection found in the upcoming Bluetec diesel SUVs by MB. He was also able to tell me the engine has been developed in-house.
Well, we needed to get some clarification on this Smart Bluetec rumor, so we called Smart's communication director Ken Kettenbeil (we last spoke to him at the Detroit Auto Show in 2007 talking about the availability of the ForTwo in America) for some more info and we got a big wet blanket. Kettenbeil said that there is nothing official to say on a Bluetec Smart ForTwo. He did say that Mercedes-Benz is looking at electric, micro-hybrid and diesel technology for Smart ForTwos in the U.S., but we'll just have to wait to see if these possibilities move beyond the looking stage. Thanks for the tip, Cary!
Gallery: 2008 smart fortwo
[Source: Smart]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
zaedrus 4:48PM (2/14/2008)
Sebastian-
Any word on plans for a transmission upgrade for the current model?
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rgseidl 5:40PM (2/14/2008)
You can bet Mercedes would love to come out with a T2B5 diesel option for the US, where consumers irrationally expect a car with half as many seats to consume only half as much fuel.
Such a vehicle would almost certainly be equipped with a lean NOx trap rather than a urea injection system. The former is more effective in real-world urban traffic due to lower light-off temperatures, cheaper to implement for small displacement engines and of course, more convenient to operate. You only use SCR if you have to.
However, even an LNT adds a lot of cost to a car this small and, must be packaged in the underbody. Whether that is an issue depends on whether M-B engineers were permitted to anticipate future emissions equipment when they redesigned the floorpan of the current, stretched model.
Btw, Mercedes uses Bluetec for its entire portfolio of diesel emissions control technologies, of which only a subset is installed in any given vehicle. Specifically, do not equate Bluetec with urea injection aka SCR.
I'm not sure what M-B will do about the single-clutch manumatic transmission if it proves a stumbling block to achieving unit sales. Note that there is simply not enough room for a the clutch pedal and gear lever required for a regular manual. Also, adding clutch pedal would introduce crash safety issues. So, flappy paddles plus an auto mode it is.
The manual mode in the new model works well enough, but most US consumers are used to smooth, fully automatic gear changes. Operating flappy paddles represents a learning curve. M-B could let Getrag reprogram the automatic mode to deliver crisper gear changes with reduced hysteresis. However, as Maserati and Ferrari discovered, the price you pay for that is increased wear and tear on the clutch.
A dry dual clutch design, DDCT with integrated mild hybrid, regular AT or CVT might be technically feasible replacements. Unfortunately, no suitable model may be available off the shelf (at lest from Getrag). Developing one from scratch just for the existing smart fortwo would not be economical, the unit volume just wouldn't be there.
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Karkus 5:42PM (2/14/2008)
Great Job Sebastian, for actually checking the rumors and going straight to the source to get ABG readers a complete story.
All other ABG bloggers should take this example and actually check your sources (at the very least, Google it) before posting misinformation and myths and speculation, which is unfortunately becoming too common here.
Of course there's the chance that this Smart official isn't authorized to talk about these new Smarts or doesn't know about them.
Regardless, it's good to have both sides of the story.
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The Power Guides 6:19PM (2/14/2008)
I love the little Smart Car my big grouse was the mileage , when the becomes available I will most certainly be interested
steve
http://www.thepowerguides.com
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phil easler 8:34AM (2/15/2008)
I was on the $99 waiting list for the Smart. Once,
I heard they were only bring out the gas engine (that gets only 40/45 mpg), I call them back up and say thanks but no thanks, I'll wait for a 70 mpg diesel + or better still a electric model.
I made sure when I was talking to them, to note the electric model. We are never going to have the choice to buy a electric model unless we say no to their inferior drivetrains that the U.S. has been having to put up with.
Phil
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Ervin Raab 9:27PM (7/14/2008)
Someone(namely JQ Public) is smoking crack-cocaine if they think an electric car will solve our problems(since the electrons obviously have to come from SOMEWHERE...DUH??!!
Toyota Prius looks like garbage/drives like garbage(simply a feel-good gimmick)...it's simply a stop-gap in technology for Blue-Tec Diesel(of which the infrastructure already exists)...
Way to GO, MBZ !!
GoodCheer 9:28AM (2/15/2008)
Of course saying
"there is nothing official to say on a Bluetec Smart ForTwo"
is not quite denying the rumor, is it. It might simply be that the communications director is more careful about what information he gives to whom and when than some tech or engineer doing a test drive.
But then of course the communications director probably also knows the actual situation better than the techs/engineers.
If M-B is reading this... please add my vote to the "Yes bring it" column. I'm not a guaranteed sale, but it would be on a pretty darn short list for me.
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dean 12:58PM (2/15/2008)
So, are you trying to say that we aren't getting a diesel smart, or we are getting one? Just read that the guy you contacted didn't have anything to say. Looks like we are getting one. Lovely.
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JP Hedin aka DrSmart 2:31PM (2/15/2008)
The funny(?) part of this sad saga is that now the CDI is NOT available in Canada. Mexicans can buy the diesel-why not USA & Canada ?? Penske or the Dark Star must be taking a bath on the car-US pricing-$12K to $17K Canadian pricing-$15K to $21K with the US & Canadian dollar exchange rate now equal-what's wrong with this picture. Even with a $ 2,000 Canadian Gov. rebate-smart 70 MPG Diesel sales in all of Canada for 2007 were 2,442 cars. $ 300,000+ for a franchise in the US. smart is past automotive history-The Toyota IQ is the future. I think it's time to turn the lights off at "smartville".
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Roy 12:21PM (9/21/2008)
The first HIGH MILEAGE / PERFORMER with massive appeal in the U.S.WILL BE the Audi A3 Sportback S/Tronic tdi!
Wake up Audi, BRING IT!!!!!!!!!
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M. Regenthal 6:41AM (4/02/2009)
I think the real dreamers are those counting on 70 mpg. It's consistant that european development yeilds high mileage but the changes for the US market ALWAYS resault in a decrease. I expect it will get here but the fed still has final say so.
M
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