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By Jim MatejaChicago Tribune
December 8, 2007
Fads sometimes require sacrifice. Like inhaling sushi. Or conserving fuel. The former has you eating raw fish; the latter means buying a vehicle with a pack of batteries to do some of the work -- at a $5,000 premium. Thanks to the Swatch watch people, Daimler is selling a car that saves gas without hiding batteries under the back seat. There is no back seat. It's called Smart. Sold in Europe the last few years, it goes on sale in the U.S. in January, thanks to $3 a gallon gas -- at $11,590 for the Fortwo Pure, $13,590 for the Fortwo Passion and $16,590 Fortwo Passion cabrio or convertible. Smart has designated Roger Penske and his Penske Auto Group to set up the dealer network. About 70, only 9 of them Penske outlets, will carry the cars, primarily Mercedes stores, including Knauz in Lake Bluff and Loeber in Lincolnwood. We slipped behind the wheel of a Passion coupe to learn why 30,000 folks have made a $99 down payment when only about 20,000 cars will be shipped here. If each of the 30,000 pay the balance due, the first 1 1/2 years of production is spoken for -- so order now and wait for a 2009. Smart is the fad du jour in the auto industry. Small size, novel looks, high mileage. But sacrifice you will. It's a micromini two-seater that's only 108 inches long. That's 60 inches, or 5 feet, shorter than a Scion xB and 114 inches, or some 10 feet, shorter than a Chevy Suburban. It's so small you can park one in the garage -- or do you call it a shed? -- where the lawn mower rests, or two bumper to bumper in one stall. It's propelled by a 1-liter, 3-cylinder that delivers a modest 70 horsepower, or about 7.3-liters, 7-cylinders and 530-h.p. less muscle than a Dodge Viper. It weighs about 1,800 pounds minus passengers, 1,300 pounds less than a Honda Accord, and is limited to about 2,300 pounds total with two passengers, luggage or groceries. Try, just try, getting that much inside, though. It's rated at 33 m.p.g. city/40 m.p.g. highway, about 15 m.p.g. less city and 5 m.p.g. less highway than a much larger Toyota Prius that seats four and has a trunk. Prius, however, does start at about $23,000. Don't expect to quickly scale steep hills or nose past a Bimmer when leaving the toll booth, either. The 3-cylinder has enough guts to merge onto Interstate 94 without having to pull off the shoulder to let the big boys pass, but that zero- to 60-m.p.h. sprint is more of a trot -- 12 seconds. Top speed is limited to 90 m.p.h., though the speedometer goes to 100 m.p.h. as a psychological ploy. We got the buggy up to 85 m.p.h. without shake or shudder but with lots of wind noise. And crosswinds slap it into a little dance, though not enough to activate the standard stability control. One huge gripe is the "automated" 5-speed manual that shifts without a clutch or by pressing steering wheel paddles. On its own, there's a pronounced pause as you and the car bow forward slightly before each upshift. Use the paddles and it's much smoother with only a slight pause/bow. Despite membership in the Mercedes family, don't expect bounce-free ride or pinpoint handling into and out of corners. This is, after all, a gas-powered golf cart. And for a car so small and light, why do you have to stand on the brake pedal to stop? One shock is that 18-wheelers don't look as menacing as expected in the rearview mirror. Massive window glass (plus a panoramic roof) keeps you from feel trapped inside. And though short, Smart sits high enough so you look at other motorists at eye level to further lessening the intimidation factor. But, though Smart boasts a safety-cage construction, beware. When all that separates you from an 18 wheeler is a bag of groceries behind the seat, a Suburban doesn't seem so bad. Two large, well cushioned seats keep road bumps from bruising occupants, and the passenger seat back folds flat to accommodate a step stool -- if not a ladder. The rear window lifts and the tailgate drops flat to load a couple small suitcases or a few bags of groceries behind the seats over the engine compartment. An insulated pad keeps the engine heat from melting the ice cream. The tailgate also hides small items inside. Of note, there's a power plug under the dash; two cupholders along the floor; four coin slots in front of the gearshift; the ignition key slot behind the shift; and easy-to-see-and-use air, radio, CD and fan controls in the dash. Plastic body panels are interchangeable so you can switch colors at will. Smart is counting on attracting city dwellers tired of trying to park a boat. Good point but if you've seen normal size cars buried under snow and ice on Chicago side streets each winter, you have to wonder how a micromini will do. The Passion tested starts at $13,590, with air conditioning, power windows/locks/(heated) mirrors, AM/FM radio with CD changer and MP3 jack and a tire-repair kit since there's no room for a spare tire. No side-curtain air bags, no power seats. Smart will appeal as long as supplies are low, gas prices high and hybrids carry a significant price penalty. Just look at VW's New Beetle and Chrysler's PT Cruiser, which made buyers wait and wait and wait, initially. Now, however, they are sold at discount. It's just a matter of how long consumers put up with teeny size when they can get higher mileage in a bigger, more spacious car before Smart joins them. - - - 2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Price as tested: $14,645. *Add $645 for freight. Wheelbase: 73.5 inches Length: 108.1 inches Engine: 1-liter, 70-h.p. 3-cylinder Transmission: Automatic/manual 5-speed Mileage: 33 m.p.g. city/40 m.p.g. highway THE STICKER $13,590 Base $450 Power steering $225 Metallic paint $150 Premium AM/FM radio with CD player and MP3 compatibility $120 Dash-top clock/tachometer $110 Fog lamps PLUSES Novel size and design. Small enough to fit two bumper to bumper in one parking space. Able to handle interstate speeds. Membership in 30 m.p.g. club. Huge glass area rules out sense of claustrophobia. MINUSES Small and lightweight means it gets tossed about in wind. Seats only two with limited cargo room. Why so long for a lightweight to brake? Can get even higher mileage in bigger cars. Shift-and-pause pattern of 5-speed manual-matic. ---------- Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Transportation. Contact him at transportation@tribune.com.
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