October 10, 2011

By CarsUK

On the face of it, it’s reasonable to expect a car as small as the SMART for-two CDI to be capable of astonishing economy if driven in a certain way.

And the ALD Automotive / Shell FuelSave MPG Marathon, run last week near Cirencester, proved exactly that, with a SMART driven by Mick Linford and co-driver Ella Flynn managing to use less than four gallons of diesel to cover the 370 mile route.

That means the SMART fortwo CDI averaged 99.24mpg on the route on real roads, an improvement of 16 per cent on the official combined figure of 85.6.

But perhaps the most impressive stats came from Vauxhall’s hooning Australian offering – the VXR8.

The Vauxhall VXR8 managed, in the hands of drivers Andrew Duerden and Chris Mooney, to average 32.14mpg on the route which, although a long way behind the SMART, was a massive 53 per cent improvement on the official combined figure for the VXR8.

Both figures show that driving style is far more relevant to economy than almost anything else, although the figures achieved by these two cars would be almost impossible to get in real life.

To be so parsimonious with fuel would mean driving in a way that would drive other road users barking mad (as evidenced with the big ‘CAUTION – Economy Testing’ stickers on the back of the competing cars) so the achievements of the cars in this competition are really no more than to endow the participants with some bragging rights and a bit of media coverage.

What we would love to see is real world testing of cars’ economy in a way that more closely reflects what real drivers in the real world would get. The current official figures - particularly for hybrid and electric cars – are so misleading they’d be clobbered under the Trade Descriptions Act in any other field.

Still, interesting to see how many miles per gallon you can get out of a car if you drive like a prat.
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By Drew Johnson

Monday, Oct 3rd, 2011

Although it hasn’t been a smash success here in the United States, Smart’s second-generation Fortwo city car has just crossed a major milestone, selling its 500,000th example worldwide.

Smart’s second-generation Fortwo launched a little over four years ago, with the city car still proving popular around the world. So far this year 69,073 units of the Fortwo have been sold, representing a 6.6 percent improvement over the same period last year.

“Our Smart has long since evolved into an icon, which is indispensable in the cities of the world,” Dr. Annette Winkler, head of Smart, said of the achievement.

Smart is expecting continued growth in the coming years thanks to two new products. Smart will launch an electric versions of its Fortwo city car during the spring of 2012 with an electric ebike to follow sometime during the second quarter of 2012.
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September 28, 2011
By Scott Evans

If you've been following sales numbers over the past few years as we have, you'd be forgiven for thinking Smart's time in the U.S. is running short. The company is believed to have sold fewer than 4000 cars so far this year, though specific data is hard to find. Daimler, parent company of Smart and Mercedes-Benz, hasn't bothered to include year-to-date totals in its monthly sales reports, nor any data on 2010 performance relative to 2011. Why? Because Smart's sales continue to spiral downward by double digits every month. You'd think that would mean the end is nigh, but Smart's refusing to go down in the U.S. market without a drawn-out fight.

Click to view GallerySpeaking with executives at Mercedes-Benz USA, which has recently taken over control of Smart USA from original importer Penske, Motor Trend learned that the micro-car brand is far from finished in the U.S. With the full backing of the German mothership, Smart is planning to reinvent itself in America and return to profitability. But while there's a plan in place, it's a long road ahead.

The plan starts with marketing. Think about it. When was the last time you saw a Smart commercial on TV? Your memory isn't to blame -- there's never been one. According to Mercedes-Benz, Penske simply didn't have the resources at its disposal to mount the kind of massive media campaign needed to sell cars. Mercedes on the other hand does, which is why you'll start seeing a lot more Smart advertising in the near future, beginning with a major ad campaign that started in mid-September. TV commercials will appear on all the major networks during a number of popular scripted, reality, and talk shows.

The point of the ad campaign, we're told, is not to re-educate the market about Smart cars, but rather to expose people to them. Brand awareness, Mercedes says, is very low right now, and dealers say they haven't seen any advertising in three years. According to Mercedes, most car buyers don't know what Smart is, and those who do don't necessarily have the right idea about the brand. Judging by the comments on our last Smart Fortwo test, Motor Trend readers think the car only sells in San Francisco, but Mercedes tells us that many Smarts are actually sold in Texas, of all places. Smart is hoping to send a message of value and downsizing as the buying public begins to embrace small cars and restrained spending.

Click to view GalleryAnother aspect of the plan comes on the dealer side of things. Mercedes cut loose 30 percent of Smart's dealer network when it took over the brand, dropping all dealers that weren't also Mercedes dealers. As of now, Smart is down to just 50 U.S. dealers, though that number will go back up to anywhere between 80 and 100 dealers in the near future, and all of them will also be Mercedes dealers. The idea is similar to Hyundai's plan for Genesis to have a dealer-within-a-dealer selling Smart cars as their own brand, not as tiny Benzes. They won't just be sold, either. Now that Mercedes is calling the shots, Smart will begin leasing gasoline cars for the first time. Meanwhile, the company is looking for ways to bring down the lease price on the Smart ED electric car from the current $600 per month rate.

Mercedes is hoping that this plan will get Smart back to sales growth in 2012, though given 2011's low sales, it's not a lofty goal. Next year will also see the launch of the third-generation Fortwo as a 2013 model based on the Forvision concept that just debuted in Frankfurt. The update as we understand it will be mostly cosmetic, but third-generation electric models will feature increased range and performance and, if all goes to plan, will actually be for sale and not just for lease. Dealers will have to make do with that for another three years or so until an all-new car debuts. That product, we hope, will feature some big updates, as we've found the current car lacking in a few areas, though Mercedes insists that the opinions of automotive journalists don't reflect those of customers, who apparently aren't complaining at all about the transmission.

Mercedes-Benz is working closely with its Smart dealers to craft a new awareness for the brand, one it hopes will get sales back on track. How well it works will depend on how effective the message is as much as gas prices and the country's economic woes. Beyond the short-term, though, Smart's future in America is still unclear and will depend heavily on future product we haven't seen yet.

Source: http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_ne...art_in_america/

Smart's Forvision Conceptualizes the Next-Generation of the Fortwo

Daimler's Smart unit will be represented at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September by a new concept study named Forvision that does two things for the brand: it previews the new design direction for the Fortwo and it hints at the technology being readied for the firm's future models.

The Forvision is Smart's second concept model after the sportier, roofless Forspeed that debuted in Geneva this past March to feature the brand's new styling language that brings the original Fortwo's design into the 21st century.

Smart worked together with BASF, the world's largest chemical company, for the development of several advanced technologies used on the Forvision.

Among other highlights are the revolutionary plastic wheels that each weigh about 3kg (6.6 pounds) less than an aluminum rim, and the carbon fiber-reinforced epoxy resin used in the construction of the passenger compartment and the doors, which weight savings of up to 50 percent compared to steel and 30 percent compared to aluminum.

The concept model features an electric drivetrain, with the solar roof providing additional energy to feed the battery.

So, when will see the actual, production version of third generation of the Fortwo? The German automaker is expected to roll out the new model sometime next year.

It will be based on a new rear-wheel drive platform architecture that has been developed in cooperation with the Nissan-Renault Alliance and, according to a joint statement made last year, it will also be used on the next Renault Twingo.

[Photo gallery available in article]

Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Debuts Prior to 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show

By Andreas Stahl, Correspondent | Published Aug 16, 2011

Just the Facts:

• The latest Smart Fortwo Electric Drive features a new electric motor drive developed by Mercedes-Benz and Bosch.
• The new motor delivers a 33-horsepower increase over the previous model
• A new battery increases range to 87 miles, a 5-mile increase over the previous model

STUTTGART, Germany — Mercedes-Benz's city car division Smart has revealed a reworked version of the Fortwo Electric Drive. The new two-seat coupe, which receives an upgraded driveline for added acceleration and greater range, is planned to make its public debut alongside a concept for a new four-door Smart model at next month's 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show prior to going on sale in up to 30 markets, including North America, during the second quarter of 2012.

Central among the changes made to the third iteration of the Fortwo Electric Drive is the adoption of a new electric motor developed in a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Bosch.

Mounted at the rear and providing drive to the rear wheels, the brushless unit boasts a 33-horsepower and 7 pound-feet increase over the earlier Fortwo Electric Drive's motor at 73 hp and 96 lb-ft, respectively.

The added reserves cut the 0-37 mph (0-60 km/h) time by 1.5 seconds to 5.0 seconds. Top speed also increases from 62 mph (100 km/h) to 75 mph (120 km/h).

Electric energy for the motor is supplied by a new lithium-ion battery pack. Produced by Deutsche ACCUmotive, it replaces the Telsa-supplied unit used by the second iteration of the Fortwo Electric Drive, production of which has now ceased after a run of more than 2,000 cars.

The capacity of the battery has increased from 16.5 kW/h to 17.7 kW/h in a move that provides the new Fortwo Electric Drive with a 5-mile increase in range over the older model at a claimed 87 miles. Smart claims a recharge time of eight hours on a 220-volt European socket, or just under an hour using the car's onboard high-ampere charger.

Smart has confirmed that production of the latest Fortwo Electric Drive is planned to be increased to over 10,000 units. The earlier model's production was capped at just 2,000 units.

As well as revealing the new Fortwo Electric Drive, Smart has also announced it will diversify away from its usual automotive activities with the addition of a so-called eBike to its lineup as part of a broader personal mobility program aimed at taking the Mercedes-Benz offshoot back to its roots.

The new electric bicycle, previewed at last year's Paris auto show, uses a 250-watt hub motor mounted at the rear to provide assistance to the rider.

The electric assistance can be altered in four steps using a handlebar-mounted mechanism. Electric energy for the motor is provided by a 0.4 kW/h lithium-ion battery that sits low down within the new bicycle's frame.

Inside Line says: Nothing like more power and range to make an electric car seem a little more worthwhile.

smart Canada proudly celebrates its 20,000th smart fortwo customer delivery

TORONTO, Aug. 11, 2011 /CNW/ - smart Canada today announced that the company has surpassed a significant milestone by delivering more than 20,000 units in Canada since the launch of the smart brand in the fall of 2004. From the very beginning, the smart fortwo truly redefined intelligent transportation and forward-thinking Canadians immediately and enthusiastically recognized the many benefits offered by the compact, safe and versatile smart fortwo.

To mark this auspicious occasion, Mercedes-Benz Canada President and CEO Tim A. Reuss personally met today with the 20,000th customer, Ms. Mireille Piché, who purchased her red smart fortwo coupe at Ogilvie Motors in Ottawa, ON. Mireille has been a fan of the smart fortwo ever since she first saw the vehicle in Germany in 2002. After spending some time behind the wheel during a recent test drive event held in Canada, this confirmed that the smart fortwo was indeed the right choice for her first car and she realized that its "fun to drive" quotient perfectly matched her personality. As a recent graduate of Concordia University, Mireille qualified for smart Canada's Graduate Rebate Program and saved $500 off the purchase of her passion coupe.

Mireille was presented today with a special congratulatory package that included: a commemorative plaque, two nights accommodation at the W Hotel in Montreal, tickets to visit a special Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts sponsored by smart Canada, a set of winter tires courtesy of Ogilvie Motors, $500 spending money, and a $500 gas card - which will take Mireille a very long way considering that the smart fortwo achieves an extremely low fuel consumption value of just 5.4L/100km combined.

The widely diverse customer base which spans from coast-to-coast and well into remote Canadian locations, further underlines that the smart fortwo provides a safe, comfortable, economical and extremely versatile transportation solution.

Regardless of the prevailing climatic conditions, varying terrains or distances traveled, the smart fortwo upholds the highest level of safety and technology in its class. This is attributed to the vehicle's sophisticated safety management system which is anchored by the tridion safety cell. This extremely tough steel cage protects the driver and passenger, and its sturdy and rigid shell is reinforced at strategically important points with high-strength steel to maximize protection for its occupants.

In addition, the many standard active safety systems including: electronic stability program, anti-lock braking system with electronic brake force distribution and hydraulic brake assist, help drivers avoid an accident altogether by always keeping them safely in control of the vehicle.

"As the first country to launch the smart fortwo in North America in 2004, we were confident that the savvy Canadian consumer would truly appreciate the smart fortwo's compact dimensions and its revolutionary design. We also felt that the vehicle's extremely high fun to drive factor would resonate particularly well here in Canada with customers who simply enjoy la "joie de vivre"," said Tim A. Reuss, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. "With more than 20,000 open-minded customers in Canada, we are so proud of this diminutive car which has performed in such a big way from coast-to-coast."

Reuss continued, "I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to every customer who has joined the smart family to date. Today, our company is thrilled to celebrate this important achievement with Ogilvie Motors and our other 52 smart centres, by applauding their collective dedication to supporting the smart brand and by recognizing that their commitment to effectively serving the needs of every one of our loyal customers has definitely been the catalyst to our overall sustained success."

Further information about the smart fortwo can be found online at www.media.mercedes-benz.ca, www.thesmart.ca, facebook.com/smartCanada and twitter.com/smartCanada.

Image with caption: "Mercedes-Benz Canada President and CEO Tim A. Reuss personally met today with the 20,000th smart Canada customer, Ms. Mireille Piché, who purchased her red smart fortwo coupe at Ogilvie Motors in Ottawa, ON (CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/...OTO_EN_2078.jpg