Its got me thinking about one of these as a commuter 3.5l/100km and a 16,000 cdn base price, thats civic, corolla and protege price range. I don't do my commute on the 400 series hiways where things get out of hand and safety becomes an issue. Am I out of my mind or what?

missed the link.

http://www.autonet.ca/Autoshows/Stories.cfm?storyID=11126

I've seen these park sideways (like a motorbike) in London- they look stupid, but great for city parking :-)

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

Is 06 soon? Even then it wont be the roadster, the only kool one. Course, who knows by then maybe they'll have paid off the Gov. to let em in.

You yanks will never buy them. You have an allergy to small fuel efficient vehicles. Everyone is obsessed with the "safety of weight" that it has become a race to see who can drive the biggest, heaviest, most gas-suckingist vehicle available.

The Smart was shown at MB dealers in Canada, and it was well recieved, but there are some problems:

1. It's WAY too expensive. A Civic is about $18K with auto/AC, and a Corolla is about the same. The new Mazda 3 is also priced right at that mark. The Smart price in Canada is to be around $16-20K. Sales will be really slow at that price. They need to be $12-14K. Don't think about "base" prices, as Smart options are quite pricey...

2. They are going to sell them at MB dealers. These dealers are not equipped to sell an inexpensive car. The margins are too small per car, and handling the volume required is not within the dealer's capability right now. Too big a culture shock.

The Smart might sell in Canada (we have a much larger percentage of sales of small cars) if the price were low and the quality decent.

However, at $20K, I'd buy a Mazda 3 long before the Smart. Sure, it's not as miserly, but it's a much more usable as an only car, better on the highway, more comfortable, and it's fun to boot.

Since it's coming, I guess we'll see...

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

MB is coming out with a new Smart sports car in the near future. I saw a picture of it on a British website. They were taking advance orders. I think that would sell better in the US.
I'd never buy any new car, so I wouldn't consider either but in big US cities, it strikes me that it could be a popular second car.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

We have a vehicle for the family that has enough utility for our 'stuff', it just bothers me to look around at all the car I haul to work with me. It runs around 9.5/100km which isn't brutal but I never get the opportunity to break 80km/h let alone 120. But yes BM thats an excellent point on the dealer structure, that hadn't crossed my mind, MB doesn't understand economical, I had just assumed they'd set up an outhouse around back so they could hide the great unwashed that might come in to see them. BMW did that with the Mini, a separate showroom on the same lot. I just think so much can be done with the modern diesel that make it much more realistic and practical than hydrids or fuel cells. I read an article in Wards a couple years back that with technology that exists today the diesel engine could be made 60% efficient, which would be a huge improvement for the IC engine. I'd likely support any maker who had the stones to make a diesel available in their small car entry, provided I fit in it, at 6'4" I don't fit in any of the current entry vehicles comfortably if at all.