Smart planning updates to the U.S. ForTwo for 2010
The Smart ForTwo has only been on sale in the U.S. market for 9 months, but the company is already preparing to refresh it for 2010. A number of owners of current Smarts were recently invited to come drive cars with some proposed updates for 2010. Based on postings in the SmartCarOfAmerica forum, the drives took place in the San Francisco Bay area over the past week or so. As expected, everyone who participated had to sign a non-disclosure aggrement so details on changes are scant. We certainly wouldn't expect any huge changes to the car so soon after introduction. However, there is certainly room for improvement. Improvements to the automated manual transmission would certainly be welcome by one and all. Other possibilities are the addition of the automatic start/stop system already available in Europe or even the electric version that is expected to be available for testing in California sometime in 2009. More of a long-shot is the diesel engine that in Europe is currently rated as the most fuel efficient vehicle on the road with a combined EU rating of 72 mpg (U.S.). If any of you actually participated and want to share anonymously, feel free to drop us a note with the tip or comment link at the top of the page.
[Source: SmartCarOfAmerica forum]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Matthijs 4:53PM (9/28/2008)
"We certainly wouldn't expect any huge changes to the car so soon after introduction."
I first drove the Smart first in 1998 and haven't seen big changes since. Back then it also had the same awful automated manual transmission. Of course in 10 years time the Smart has been updated, but it all happened very slow compared to the rest of the automotive world standards.
If they would do big changes like the gearbox I would be very surprised. Well it wouldn't hurt after 10 years.
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scooter 5:29PM (9/28/2008)
I could try one Smart in Barcelona, and I'm absolutely convicted that its one of the best solutions for the city mobility. Of course, I prefear a Tesla Motors, but I can´t pay it! :d
http://1000scooters.com
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Dave 8:24PM (9/28/2008)
If they could get a dual-clutch gearbox in there with 1-2 more gears, that would go a LONG ways to making the car more fun to drive and also make it more efficient at the same time.
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amg 3:35PM (9/29/2008)
I think a regular manual tranny would make a huge difference, but I've been in the car and looked under the "hood" and i can't imagine where they would put the shift linkage. It's really a tight fit in the engine bay, and I wonder if the rear-engine concept was really the right move for this car.
I'd be interested to hear from smart fortwo owners regarding snow driving; given that it is a rear-drive car, i would think it would be "interesting" to drive in the snow. Fishtailing, etc. Or would the stability control be equipped to handle that?
tankd0g 6:48AM (9/29/2008)
Unless they plan to ass a few feet to the wheel base this thing is still going to be horrible to drive. But as a fashion accessory, spot on.
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ElementalDragon 12:19AM (8/11/2009)
tankd0g: have you driven a Smart? I own one... and i don't think they're horrible to drive at all. I actually find it to be the most fun car i've ever driven.... and i've driven two Jeep Grand Cherokee's (older and newer), an 87 Jeep Wrangler (I will say the Wrangler is fun in the snow... but i have yet to have the privelege of snow driving in my Smart), an 87 VW Golf, a '99 Dodge Durango, and i've been able to drive my parents '01 Pontiac Trans-Am quite often as well.
amg: well, it's rear drive, rear engine.... the Smart site says that the idea of having such a setup helps with getting a better grip on the road and in the snow, especially for such a small car. Then there is all the stability control stuff to aide in preventing as much slippage as possible.
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