SCOOT

Smart Fortwo third generation spy shots

2012-01-27T09:24:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week, spy photographers from WorldCarFans managed to catch a glimpse of what is supposed to be the next gen of the second gen Smart Fortwo microcar. From the spy images here, we can see that the new Smart Fortwo has been installed with daylight running LED's and minor cosmetic changes. It is also believed that Smart Fortwo microcar third gen will also be available in new and exciting color choices.
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Chrysler CEO: 'Blame me' for missing Fiat 500 sales target

2012-01-09T18:27:00.003-05:00

By James R. Healey, USA Today

Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says he grossly overestimated the degree to which Americans would embrace a super-small car. But even though the Fiat 500 fell well short of predictions, Marchionne says it won't hurt the automaker's fortunes.

Marchionne admits he was way off when he forecast that 50,000 Fiat 500s could be sold in the U.S. every year. Until the Scion iQ came along, the stylish Fiat 500 reigned as the second-smallest car on the U.S. market after the eight-foot, eight-inch Smart.

The Fiat 500 is important because it fills the gap for a small, fuel-efficient car in the otherwise Hemi and truck-heavy Chrysler Group line-up. But the brand only sold 19,769 of them last year, 2,325 in December alone.

"Blame me. I'm the guy that came up with the 50,000 forecast," he said today in a session with reporters at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

The good news? He says the Fiat 500 is made at a plant in Toluca, Mexico, that's flexible enough to make 500s for other markets and didn't cost a lot to tool-up to build the 500 in the first place.

Smart For-Us Pickup Concept Debuts At 2012 Detroit Auto Show

2012-01-09T18:19:00.002-05:00

By Viknesh Vijayenthiran
Fresh from its win in last year’s Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge, Smart has unveiled a funky electric urban pickup concept at this week’s 2012 Detroit Auto Show.
Yes, this tiny concept car is an open-top pickup complete with a sturdy tray, which Smart claims is ideal for holding a pair of bikes or whatever else the vehicle’s two passengers may wish to carry--along as it’s small.
The electric drive of the For-Us Concept is based on the electric drivetrain that will feature in the latest-generation Smart ForTwo Electric Drive due this spring.
It consists of an electric motor rated at 73 horsepower and 95 pound-feet of torque and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 17.6 kWh. In the For-Us Concept this zero-emission drivetrain will see the vehicle reach a top speed of 75 mph.
One innovative feature is the vehicle’s charging outlet in the cargo area. Smart suggests carrying a pair of electric bikes, so that any driver of the For-Us can also reach destinations that are out of bounds for cars--for example traffic-calmed zones in the city or isolated park trails.
While we don’t expect Smart to launch a pickup model anytime soon, we can envisage the For-Us Concept’s open-top design featuring on a sporty new roadster model. Following the success MINI has enjoyed with all its variants spun-off the basic Cooper hatchback design, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Smart follow the same route using its next-generation ForTwo as the basis.
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World’s Cheapest Car, Tata Nano, Gets More Features, Better Economy

2011-11-23T07:05:00.004-05:00

BY NIKKI GORDON-BLOOMFIELD

We may have unfairly called the Indian-built Tata Nano “unusually combustible” last week, but there’s no denying that the world’s cheapest car is responsible for helping tens of thousands of Indians get behind the wheel of their first car. Now the diminutive Tata Nano has just undergone its first major revision since its release in 2008, offering an increase of power, more standard features, and a headline-grabbing fuel economy of 59.7 miles per gallon.

Just like its predecessor, the upgraded Tata Nano features a simple 0.6 liter rear-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive transmission. But Tata’s engineers have managed to squeeze extra power from the small unit, harnessing 50 horsepower from an engine which previously only produced 46 horsepower.

Read full article here.

EVs: Drivers demand range, convenience

2011-11-19T16:14:00.002-05:00

By Peter Gorrie - Toronto Star
Two weeks ago, I asked how much range an electric vehicle must have before you’d consider buying one.
From your responses, carmakers must dramatically improve range, but charging convenience is equally important.
“Although today’s electric vehicles may suffice for commuting, they’re woefully inadequate for longer trips,” writes John Pereira. “How do I get a five-minute fill or 80 per cent recharge during the trip?”
Ron Robinson, who drives a Mini, notes electric-vehicle owners could rent for longer trips, but that “still adds to my costs as well as the trouble it takes to pick up and return the vehicle. He awaits “an infrastructure to support battery swaps because I am not going to sit for a few hours on a trip to wait for a battery charge.”
“I really want a vehicle I can drive from, say, Toronto to Montreal,” writes Alister Sutherland. “I suppose one can always rent a conventional car for trips like that, but I want to use the one I paid for.”
Gunther Petersen, of Barrie, says his minimum range requirement is 500 kilometres. “As well, you have to take winter driving into consideration, first to keep the windshield clear, and second to heat the car’s interior. I have spent many winter nights driving in Ontario. Only a big, fat, fully charged battery would be acceptable.”
Andre Tonelli agrees on 500 kilometres. “But the real question is: How much does it cost to recharge?”
“I will be persuaded not by range of kilometres or even price, but rather by charging that is as fast, available and convenient as gas is now,” says Al Strickler, of Toronto.
Read full story here.

Mobilicity asks consumers to put a number on smart savings for chance to win year of smart cars and smart phones

2011-11-12T13:54:00.003-05:00

Carrier marks one-year anniversary in Vancouver and Ottawa with
modern twist on the classic jelly bean guessing game

VANCOUVER AND OTTAWA, Nov. 10, 2011 /CNW/ - Mobilicity is marking its one-year anniversary with a nod to the classic jelly-beans-in-the-jar guessing game - only this modern-day guess fest isn't just sweet, it's smart and worth thousands of dollars in prizes.

Mobilicity's 'Get smart' contest invites Vancouverites and Ottawans to guess how much faux Mobilicity money is inside specially marked smart cars and see how much their city could save if everyone switched to Canada's smart mobile carrier's truly unlimited plans.

The closest guess in each city will win a smart fortwo one-year car lease, HTC Panache Android smartphone plus one year of Mobilicity's unlimited talk, text and data service - a total prize value of approximately $8,700 each.

"We developed Mobilicity's 'Get smart' contest to help people visualize, in a fun and memorable way, the phenomenal amount of money Mobilicity can save," said Chief Customer Officer Anthony Booth. "Our customers have saved a fortune with our smarter, more affordable way to use wireless," he added pointing to a few of the many Canadians who have switched to Mobilicity in the last year:

Tiny Smart car to get redesign -- but not until 2014

2011-10-11T06:47:00.003-04:00

The Smart ForTwo, the smallest car for sale in the U.S. and one of the older models in the market, will finally get a redesign, Automotive News reports.

Just one problem: The new one won't show up until 2014. Until then, Mercedes-Benz, which took over U.S. distribution of its Smart in July, will have to make do.

Daimler, Mercedes' German parent, is going to develop the next two-seat Smart in conjunction with Renault, which has to find a replacement for its own tiny car, the Twingo [shown above]. Renault is a French company and the Smart is built at a plant in France.

The Smart is an ingeniously engineered little car that has gone basically unchanged for more than a decade. Before it was the Smart car, it was the Swatch car, named for the Swiss watchmaker. It has been imported into the U.S. for about three years through Penske Automotive, and now Mercedes. Mercedes has launched the first national ad campaign for the car. Lately, it has been getting more competition, too. Toyota is introducing the Scion iQ, and the Fiat 500, Mini Cooper and others also compete in the smallest-car segment.

Smart is also hinting at a new four-seat model, which won't show up until 2015. Smart made a four-seater previously, but killed it due to slow sales. Penske had one in the works in a deal with Nissan, but killed it when Mercedes took over the brand.

View source.

A real man's car

2011-10-01T19:45:00.003-04:00

NFL's San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Antonio Garay in his Hello Kitty smart car. At 6' 4" and 320 pounds Garay doesn't need to work at looking macho.

Ad of the Day: Smart Car In a world of big, another auto brand wants you to think small

2011-09-26T07:01:00.002-04:00

Noreen O'Leary
Remember the Smart car—that quirky European two-seater created by the auto world's most improbable partners, Swatch and Daimler-Benz? If you do, you're ahead of many other Americans, half of whom said in a recent J.D. Power survey that they have no awareness of the brand.
Back in 2008, however, there was great anticipation of the car's entry into the U.S. after its successful launch 10 years earlier in nine European countries. Cheap and fuel-efficient, a little city car with a big Daimler pedigree, the vehicle sold more than 24,000 units in the U.S. in 2008 with little ad support. With the beginning of the financial meltdown, sales plummeted, and this summer Daimler took control of the car's marketing and distribution, which had been handled by Penske Automotive Group. The German automaker hired Smart's first national partners for marketing, events, and PR, and is now launching the car's initial TV advertising.
The launch spot, via Merkley + Partners and Razorfish, is a pure awareness-building effort, underscoring the micro car's unique size in a country's whose national religion has always been "bigger is better." The agency uses lemming-like imagery showing the pervasiveness of Americans' love of that notion. The commercial ends with a lone young dissenter, who looks out his office window at a Smart vehicle and whose eyes light up as he discovers "small." The commercial uses the tagline, "Unbig. Uncar," which will evolve in future incarnations to other ideas like "Uncluttered" and "Unblah."

Daimler’s Smart Starts U.S. Marketing Campaign to Improve Model’s Image

2011-09-26T06:54:00.002-04:00

Daimler AG (DAI)Daimler’s Smart plans to spend as much as $35 million on a new marketing campaign as the small- car brand seeks to remake its image in the U.S. after sales plummeted 76 percent over two years.
Smart, which had been distributed through Penske Automotive Group Inc. (PAG) in the U.S., switched to Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz U.S. operations on July 1 with Tracey Matura as the general manager. Sales of the brand fell to 5,927 last year from 24,622 in 2008, according to Mercedes.
“With the marketing activities that we’re going to have, we’ll see some positive momentum,” Ernst Lieb, head of Mercedes U.S. operation, said in an interview this week in Montvale, New Jersey. “The biggest problem the car has right now: Nobody knows it.”
Daimler’s attempt to reverse the Smart sales slide comes as competitors have introduced new small-car models in the U.S., including Ford Motor Co. (F)’s Fiesta subcompact, General Motors Co. (GM)’s Chevrolet Cruze and the Fiat 500, whose U.S. version is produced and sold by Chrysler Group LLC.
Read full article here.

All plastic wheels for smart car

2011-09-11T06:49:00.003-04:00

Automotive manufacturer Daimler has teamed up with BASF to develop all plastic wheels for use on its Smart car. The concept is driven by a desire to reduce weight.

The wheels use a high performance polyamide composite with long reinforcing fibres to improve mechanical properties and give thermal and chemical stability, dynamic strength, toughness and good continuous operating characteristics. Initial product tests show the potential for the wheels to be used in production, and the material is also suitable for high-volume manufacture.
The development is part of a wider design collaboration by the two to develop the Smart car for the future, called the Fortwo. With energy efficiency and lightweight design being the key design drivers, another concept that is being assessed is having solar cells embedded in the roof.
Even in diffused light and poor light conditions the transparent dyes of the solar cells can generate enough energy to power the multimedia components and assist with climate management of the vehicle interior.
Dr. Annette Winkler, head of Smart said: "With the clear objective of greatly increasing the zero-emission range we concerned ourselves with all factors that influence this on the vehicle. This resulted in completely new concepts and materials in the areas of insulation, reflection, lightweight design and energy management.
"In conjunction with smart's revolutionary DNA, we have designed a vehicle that is so unique that we can't wait to take it out of the research laboratory and onto the roads."

Author: Justin Cunningham
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Volkswagen to unveil oddest car at Frankfurt

2011-09-05T20:57:00.002-04:00

Electric Nils city car concept makes smart fortwo look bulky

You can expect some weird concept cars to debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show next week, but this single-seater Volkswagen may take the cake for the least conventional. Green Car Reports just posted pictures of the Nils city car concept, an electric vehicle under 10 feet long (shorter than a smart fortwo) and four-and-a-half feet wide. It rides on 17-inch wheels, naturally. Scared the thin body and outboard wheels won't protect you at 128 km/h? It's got a full safety cell and hazard avoidance systems, so you can feel safe in the 450-kg (1,000-lb) car. The car should have a range of about 65 kilometres, and should debut alongside the similarly different Audi Urban Concept two-seater.

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Smart Forvision:a solar-powered roof with plastic wheels never looked so good

2011-09-03T17:20:00.005-04:00

No, it's not a Micro Machine -- it's the Daimler Smart Forvision. Daimler paired up with chemicals giantBASF to improve Smart's flagship EV after being soundly trounced by the Nissan Leaf's longer range. With an emphasis on efficiency, the Forvision goes up to 20 percent further than the standard Fortwo. It has a transparent solar-panel roof which generates power to keep the cooling fans running even when stationary, see-through dashboard and clear OLEDs for internal lighting at night. BASF's wizardry helped in the development of all-plastic wheels, a super-thin heat shield and aluminum fiber paints that insulate the car but allow for GPS, WiFi and Bluetooth signals to pass through unimpeded. The concept will be unveiled properly at the Frankfurt Motor Show but check out the preview gallery and press release to learn more.

Read full article here.

Third generation Smart Fortwo ditches Tesla powertrain, gains two wheeled cousin

2011-08-17T09:08:00.003-04:00

By Dante Cesa posted Aug 17th 2011

Time and tide wait for no man, folks. Nearly nine months after delivering the first electric Fortwos tosnuggie-toting yanks, Daimler's gone and announced its faster and longer-lasting successor. It's not an entirely new car mind you, rather an extensive under the hood nip and tuck that replaces the Tesla powertrain with a more potent unit sourced from EM-motive. Up 34 horses from the previous model, the 74 horsepower EV now scoots from 0-60 in a "lively" 13 seconds -- a vast improvement over the 23.4 second (!) time of its predecessor. It's got a larger 17.6kWh battery pack too, which increases range a smidge to 87 miles. And this isn't another EV trial: it'll be produced in volume and sold (not leased) in 30 countries at an undisclosed price.

Joining the revised city dweller is the matching Smart Ebike. The electrically assisted bicycle gives meat bags a choice of four levels of laziness as it propels them 60 miles between charges. At €2,900 (or around $4,000) it's no bargain, but you didn't think transportational color coordination came cheap, did you? Expect more on both come September when they are officially unveiled at IAA Frankfurt.

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Please do not try this at home

2011-08-14T18:19:00.002-04:00

City Police Looking for Stolen smart car

Charlottetown Police Services responded to a call of vehicle theft on Grafton Sreet at 8:10 pm Friday. Complainant states she was offering her car for sale on Kijiji and allowed a male to take her vehicle for a test drive. Complainant contacted Police when male did not return with her vehicle. Vehicle is described as a 2008 Smart Car, yellow with a black stripe on each side, PEI plate YG-082, and having vin# WMEEJ31X78K186413. Anyone having information concerning this theft can contact the Charlottetown Police Service at 902-629-4172 or PEI Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS

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Business smart 48: The Old Triangle, Halifax, NS

2011-07-29T22:13:00.003-04:00

The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse

Smart electric set to plug in next summer

2011-07-22T20:35:00.001-04:00

By Steve MacNaull The Canadian Press - Thu, Jul 21

KELOWNA, B.C. — Dana Sleigh pushes the pedal to the metal on the Smart electric car and gets only silent acceleration.

"I knew that’s what’s supposed to happen," said Sleigh during a recent test drive of the 100 per cent electric vehicle.

"But it’s still a bit unexpected because when you accelerate you expect all the revving and accompanying noise. I love the quiet of this car."

Sleigh of Kelowna test drove the Smart ED (electric drive) when the Smart Plugged In Tour promoting the vehicles came to the local Mercedes-Benz dealership recently. Mercedes-Benz is the maker of both the regular Smart and electric Smart cars and the vehicles are sold through their dealerships.

While the electric Smart car won’t start to be sold to the public until summer 2012, the tour is meant to bump up awareness and excitement about the brand.

Smart has an advantage in the electric car race because its gas and diesel models have already been on the market for years and people are familiar with the distinctive snub-nosed shape of the cute littletwo-seaters.

That will come in handy when the electric car market explodes next year with not only Smart coming on stream, but also the Chevy Volt, Nissan Leaf and Mitsubishi Miev.

Fake Kombi is Subaru in Disguise

2011-07-17T13:38:00.003-04:00

Photo by RLT

This little beauty didn't fool us for long. Hats off to the folk at La Perla for delivering the make-over.

Rare Bird

2011-07-16T16:14:00.005-04:00

Photo by RLT

We spotted this Hondy Acty in St Peter Port, Guernsey at the Val des Terres Hill Climb. This is a grey import as this vehicle is not normally seen in these parts.

Little Ligier is no racer

2011-07-11T06:14:00.002-04:00

We spotted this Ligier microcar in Cherbourg, France. The same company that ran in Formula One 1976-1996. Photo by RLT

Business smarts 45, 46 & 47

2011-07-10T08:53:00.006-04:00

Photo by RLT

After spotting 15 fortwos at St Peter Port, Guernsey within an hour of arriving, I give up on counting. It's not surprising that drivers find them suitable to the narrow streets and limited parking on the island. Above are some of the "business smarts" we've seen.

Channel Islands: Alderney

2011-07-10T08:38:00.007-04:00

During our six day visit, we count 7 or 8 fortwos including the one above at St Anne's Harbour.

Also suited to island driving is an electric GWiz made by Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited, pictured below.

Smart Crossblade Returns

2011-01-06T06:23:00.004-05:00

Leaked patent drawings reveal Smart is working on a successor to its wacky 2001 roadster.

By Jack Rix 04th January 2011

The Crossblade is back! Introduced at the 2001 Geneva Motor Show, Smart’s quirkiest model did without doors, a roof and a proper windscreen – and these grainy design drawings prove that a spiritual successor is on the way.
Filed by Mercedes, Smart’s parent company, in mid-November last year these revealing images were leaked onto the web this week, and show the newcomer from a variety of angles.
Precious few details have emerged, but the outrageous styling tells you everything you need to know. Unlike the Crossblade which ditched conventional doors in favour of shoulder-height safety bars that swung upwards on gas struts, this new roadster keeps a conventional set of doors.
A chopped-down windscreen is designed to channel airflow over the occupant’s head, while maintaining the dramatic open-top looks. Smart’s distinctive Tridion Safety Cell keeps the structural rigidity in tact, and now forms two oversize roll hoops behind the driver and passenger’s head.
No details have emerged about if and when we’ll see the new roadster in the flesh, but a debut, initially in concept form, seems likely at the Geneva show in March.

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New York City gets smart

2010-12-27T17:55:00.004-05:00

On a recent visit to Midtown Manhattan we spotted four smart cars in four days, two of which are pictured here. By comparison, it's hard to leave home in Toronto without seeing two or three.

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 38: South Bend, IA to Toronto, ON (Home)

2010-08-29T14:07:00.007-04:00

Five and a half weeks into mission, we're starting to feel road weary and deciding we'd like to wake up the next morning in our own bed, we put the hammer down and head for home.
It being Sunday morning that we're in the heart of Northern Indiana Amish country, we share the highway with innumerable horse drawn buggies (above).
In Ohio we stop at the Libbey Glass Factory Outlet. Since we've started collecting glassware, we've become interested in the history of its manufacture in North America. Toledo has long been a centre for the industry.
The border crossing at Detroit is busy but traffic moves quickly and we're across the Ambassador Bridge and back in Ontario in less than half an hour (below).
A combination of heavy rain, fatigue and a detour off the 401 make for a long and wearisome drive into Toronto. We are thankful to arrive safely and are glad to be back home.

Daily distance: 757 km Fuel cost: $9.08 US, $15.05 CDN

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 37: Knoxville, IO to South Bend, IN

2010-08-21T23:29:00.004-04:00

Up and on the road early, we have a hearty breakfast of veggie omelets & hash browns at The Copper Lantern in Sigourney, IO. Like many other county seats in the state, the County Courthouse is the focal point of the town's layout (above).
Throughout this tour we've navigated across fifteen states using four tools: GPS, maps, signs and hubby's sense of direction. This morning, leaving Iowa and entering Illinois our GPS has developed laryngitis and we don't have a state map. Months ago when planning this trip, I ordered travel info from various states. I was sent brochures and road maps from every state but one - Illinois. After several false leads we get a map at a rest stop.
When we get to Indiana we are very impressed by the Welcome Centre at South Shore where the staff are friendly and helpful (below). We decide to press on to South Bend, IN, and stop for the night.

Daily distance: 655 km Fuel cost: $20

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 36: Columbus, NE to Knoxville, IO

2010-08-21T22:38:00.006-04:00

When we stop at the smart center in LaVista, NE (a suburb of Omaha) we realize that one of our sidelights is not working (above). We wanted to get an oil change after all the kilometres we've covered on tour. A friendly salesperson directed us to the service centre at the back of the dealership to get both of these problems looked after. Evidently, our timing was bad. We were told that ALL of the service folks were just about to go for lunch. No worries. We'll take our money elsewhere.
At lunch time we stop at Our Daily Bread in Griswold, Iowa (below). This historic building is just as lovely inside as out. This family run business is a bakery and cafe. We order the pizza of the day with side salad and grilled salmon with rice and salad. Two large mugs of tea and a luscious lemon cake to share round out the meal, $24 including tax and tip. We can't resist buying a loaf of banana bread for the road, $2.49.
By evening it's raining, we're road weary and hadn't booked a room. All things considered we were happy to find the Red Carpet Inn in Knoxville, home of the Sprint car equivalent of the Super Bowl - the Knoxville Nationals.

Daily distance: 449 km Fuel cost: $11

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 35: Ogallala, NE to Columbus, NE

2010-08-19T23:12:00.009-04:00

Another theme of our trip has been railroads. In Trains magazine, we read about the largest train yard in the world at North Platte, Nebraska and knew we'd have to top at the Golden Spike Tower & Visitor's Centre while on tour (above). It's hard to come to grips with the magnitude of Union Pacific's Bailey yard. Imagine being on the eighth storey of a tower overlooking a 2,850 acre yard where 10,000 railway cars are handled daily. "The idea of the Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center was first conceived in the mid-1990s as Union Pacific's viewing platform was falling into disrepair. Community leaders thought it a good idea to erect a tower that would allow visitors to get a birds-eye view of Bailey Yard. The Golden Spike Tower and Visitor Center opened on June 26, 2008." Source: official website.
Travelling eastbound on highway 30, there is a constant flow of railway traffic easily viewed from the road.
We stop for a picnic lunch at Ehman Park in Gothenburg, NE, which is named for the city in Sweden where the town's early settlers hail from. In the park we visit an original Pony Express Station, moved 20 miles to this site in 1931 which now houses artifacts, tourist info and a gift shop. Across the street is the Gothenburg Historical Museum where we discuss war time ration books, Canada's medicare system and the joys of travelling off the interstate with long time residents (below). Neither site charges admission but donations are gratefully accepted.

Daily Distance: 442km Fuel Cost: $ 19

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 34: Rawlins, WY to Ogallala, NE

2010-08-18T23:01:00.007-04:00

On this tour, hubby and I have been talking about how "Westerns", both films and TV shows, were very popular when we were growing up. Today we drove into Laramie and Cheyenne, Wyoming both of which had series named after them. I've been trying to figure out which program's opening song is stuck in my head. After searching on Youtube I realize it's the theme from "The High Chaparral" (set in Arizona, not Wyoming alas).
At Laramie we find "The Grounds" a coffee shop that just re-opened under new ownership on the first of August. We enjoy their coffee, banana bread and wifi (above).
At lunch time, we drive in to Kimball, the first town of any size we reach in Nebraska on I 80. At Greg's Grub Steakhouse and Grille we enjoy the best service and best lunch of the tour. Hubby opts for the "Chicken Hobo Pocket" (chicken breast with potatoes, celery, onions, carrots and seasonings cooked in a foil "pocket") and I have the grilled cheese sandwich. Both come with salad bar. Add iced tea, tax and tip - $17.35 for a wonderful lunch.
We stop and several thrift and antique shops along Hwy 30 - The Lincoln Highway which gets us off the interstate for miles before we end the day's journey in Ogallala, Nebraska.

Daily distance:520 km Fuel cost: $9

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 33: Salt Lake City, UT to Rawlins, WY

2010-08-17T23:48:00.006-04:00

Salt Lake City has a unique history, setting and vibe. As we drive to the Utah State Capital Campus we see temporary no parking notices that have been set up to keep the road clear for the "Tour of Utah" time trials to be held this evening. We see the teams getting their practice laps in.
At the capital, we are greeted by Beverly, a knowledgeable and enthusiastic guide who shows us the old supreme court, the house chamber and senate chamber. The art work in the rotunda is exquisite (above).
We cross the street to the Travel Council Building (below) which was constructed in 1865-66 and moved to its present location in 1963. We pick up a map and some tourist info and head west towards Rawlins.

Daily distance: 500 km Fuel cost: $20

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 32: Elko, NV to Salt Lake City, UT

2010-08-17T00:35:00.005-04:00

Back to "the Salt" today for a last look at the cars - what a blast! We've met so many interesting folks from near and far. At what other motor racing event can you sit at the start line and watch the cars and bikes being launched?
These two Crosleys really caught my eye. They are both date from between 1946 and 1948. "Crosley Motors Incorporated had its main office and engineering facility in Cincinnati Ohio, with assembly plants in Richmond Indiana (1939-1942) and Marion Indiana (1946-1952).
The Crosley automobile was the brain child of Powel Crosley, who had already made his fortune as a radio and appliance manufacturer, owner of WLW the "Nation's Station" and the Cincinnati Reds baseball team." Source: Crosley Automobile Club Inc.
During the drive to Salt Lake City we start to appreciate the full extent of the salt flats - over 30,000 acres.

Daily distance: 407 km Fuel cost: $6

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 31: Elko, NV - Wendover, UT - Elko, NV

2010-08-16T01:31:00.002-04:00

Six weeks ago, when we tried to book a hotel for Speed Week we weren't that surprised that everything within a 100 miles of Bonneville was fully booked. With 345 vehicles registered, each with a crew of 5 or 6 people; add to that family and friends; then the spectators - it's not hard to explain why even the campgrounds are full. We stayed in Elko, NV and so clocked up 400 km just going back and forth from "The Salt".
We had a much better idea about how to make the most of it and stay hydrated in the 90F sun.
Even with the amazing array of vehicles that show up, our smart car Trudi still attracts some attention.

Daily distance: 400 km Fuel cost: $16

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 30: Ely, NV to Elko, NV (via Wendover, UT)

2010-08-14T23:31:00.008-04:00

People we've spoken to that had been to "the salt" at Bonneville told us that the experience defied description. After being there today for Speed Week I have to agree. Every type of vehicle you can imagine - from motorcycles, to hot rods, to streamliners - from around the world are all ramped up to set land speed records (LSR). The sights, sounds and smells are unique. There's a juxtaposition of strict rules for competitors and lax regulations for spectators who are free to roam at will, chat with drivers and crews and take all the photos they want.
We meet up with Rick Pearson who is driving the "Flower of Scotland" (above) and attempting to break the LSR in the blown fuel streamliner class. We get to ride in the vehicle that tows the trailer, following Rick's first run at 170 mph and then watch the pit crew prep the car for a second run.

Daily distance: 398 km Fuel cost: $10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 29: Ely, NV

2010-08-13T20:28:00.006-04:00

Today didn't work out the way we planned. We thought we'd go to take a look at the Ward Charcoal Ovens in the national park, but when we realized it would mean 10 miles each way on a gravel road, we decided not to risk a flat tire or chipped windshield. Instead, we drove up to Cave Lake and enjoyed idyllic scenery and watching an American Coot herd her chicks with peculiar vocals (above). The water was so clear we could see Rainbow Trout of a good size coming to the surface for insects.
The laundromat our GPS found had gone out of business but fortunately there was a sign on the door recommending Soak n' Suds a few blocks away. It was a pleasure to wait for our clothes to be done in a clean, bright establishment with free coffee, washrooms and recent magazines. On the bulletin board, we see a poster about a car show hosted by the White Pine Rodders that neglected to give a specific location but it didn't take us long to find where it was - in front of the White Pine County Courthouse (below).
We stop for lunch at The Big Apple - daily special tuna melt on a croissant and cup of fresh fruit a bargain at $5.95. We consider visiting the White Pine County museum but neither of us could face another tourist attraction so we retreat to the hotel and chill out and regroup.

Daily distance: 45km Fuel cost: $0

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 28: Ely, NV

2010-08-12T21:16:00.007-04:00

We arrive at the Nevada Northern Railway's East Ely station and board the 9:30 train. Four cars are pulled by an Alco RS 3 diesel engine, number 109 (above). We're on the Keystone Route which goes to the mines of Ruth and Keystone, NV. After an hour and a half journey, we disembark the train at the workshop where an extremely knowledgeable volunteer named Bob shows us where and how the hundred year old steam locomotives are maintained (below). The Railway has some gems in its collection - many are fully operational but much time and money are needed to fully restore some unique pieces like the rotary snow plow. The walking tour lasts a full hour and we feel we've really got our money's worth.

Daily distance: 55 km Fuel cost: $11.50

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 27: Tonopah, NV to Ely, NV

2010-08-11T23:42:00.007-04:00

Another thing that has put Tonopah, NV, on the map is the 1908 New York to Paris Race. Competitors from four countries passed through the town on their way across America. This morning we spot Steven Weinberg's 1946 4CV parked outside our hotel , the Jim Butler Inn & Suites (above). He is driving the same route as the 1908 race and is blogging his journey here. I'm sorry that we didn't get to meet him, but we wish him safe travels. (And you thought travelling across the US in a smartcar was brave!).
We visit the Tonopah Historic Mining Park (below) before leaving town on Hwy 6 for Ely. From their website: "The park encompasses portions of four of the original major mining companies and covers more than 100 acres. This rich history is brought to life through preserved and restored equipment and buildings, historic exhibits, video presentations (in our on-site theater), and a self-guided tour. All of the buildings located on the property are open for our visitors to enjoy."

Daily distance: 284 km Fuel cost: $10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 26: Tonopah, NV

2010-08-10T23:07:00.004-04:00

Tonopah is a fascinating town with an interesting history. A visit to the Central Nevada Museum is a research stop for hubby and a photo shoot for me (above). We learn a lot about mining in this part of the state and armed with new information we drive south to the near ghost town of Goldfield where little has changed since our first visit about eighteen months ago (below).
We can't help but wonder about how these two mining towns with their roots in the early 1900s have fared so differently over time. Tonopah has a population of about 2700 and there are about 400 people in Goldfield. Tonopah boasts 7 hotels, 6 gas stations, 2 casinos, a grocery store and a book shop; there are none of these services in Goldfield.

Daily distance: 111 km Fuel Cost: $ 10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 25: Carson City, NV to Tonopah, NV

2010-08-09T21:35:00.009-04:00

After three mornings of the Quality Inn's continental breakfast, we were ready for the real deal after checking out. Hubby asked me what I wanted for breakfast I replied, " I want to be asked if I want hash browns or home fries with that". When we stop for fuel at Yerington the locals point us to Dini's Casino Restaurant and Steak House (above). Very Nevada. Great food, great service.
Driving south, past Walker Lake, we encounter an eerie site - row after row of identical buildings, hundreds of them. No signage, no vehicles, no people. Further on, we pass signs and realize what we're looking at is the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Depot. "The largest ammunition storage depot in the country. There are 3,500 buildings on the 147,000 acre main facility, located in western Nevada. Operated by the Day Zimmerman Hawthorne Corporation for the Army, which acquired the site from the Navy in 1977. Facilities include 2,427 munitions storage igloos, 75% of which are in use; the Western Area Demilitarization Facility, a $68 million, 13 building complex that processes and recycles outdated munitions; and a 700-acre bomb disposal site located 25 miles northeast of Hawthorne. The installation employs around 700 people, all but one of whom are civilians. Over the years chemical weapons have been stored and disposed of at Hawthorne, and there are several areas contaminated by mustard gas and other chemical agents. " View source.
We knew it would not be a good idea to stop and take pictures, so I borrowed this one from the web. See Nevadamax.com

Daily distance: 372 km Fuel cost: $7

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 24: Carson City, NV

2010-08-08T20:29:00.011-04:00

We return to the Nevada State Railroad Museum for a ride on the diesel powered motor car (above). The number 401 "doodlebug" was built in 1926 by the Edwards Railway Motor Car Company of Stanford, North Carolina and was first owned by the Tucson, Cornelia & Gila Bend Railroad in Ajo, Arizona. On this second visit, we are once again impressed by the knowledge and enthusiasm of the museum's volunteers.
Next we drive about 13 miles south of Carson City to the little town of Genoa, NV, to visit the Courthouse Museum (below). "The courthouse was constructed by Rufus Adams and Lawrence Gilman in 1856 when Genoa was the county seat of Douglas County. In 1916, the county seat was moved to Minden, a thriving new town in the center of the valley.
The Courthouse was used as a school from 1916 until 1956. In 1969 it was opened as a museum by the Carson Valley Historical Society.
The Courthouse Museum Genoa is the realization of a dream envisioned by a group of descendants of Carson Valley pioneers who organized the Carson Valley Historical Society in 1961. Through an extensive restoration program, the exterior was repaired and the interior restored. The restoration project was funded by grants from the state and county, the Bicentennial Commission, the Fleischmann Foundation, and private gifts and donations." View source here.
Across the street a small group of friendly senior students from Sierra Lutheran High School hosted a hot dog lunch at Genoa Country Store - barbecued hot dog, coleslaw, pickles, chips and homemade brownie made with Ghirardelli chocolate $5 (veggie plate $4). We enjoy our lunch and chatting with the locals. We wish them all the best in their efforts to raise funds for their senior trip.

Daily distance: 122 km Fuel cost: $0

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 23: Carson City, NV

2010-08-07T23:57:00.005-04:00

We drive to Incline Village, NV, to see what we can find of the Ponderosa Ranch tourist attraction that was closed in 2004 (above). Not much can be seen from the road beyond the many "No Trespassing" signs.
"The famous opening scene of Bonanza was filmed on location at North Lake Tahoe near Incline Village, and Lake Tahoe was among the outdoor locations used to film the weekly episodes. The house, both interior and exterior, was located on a Hollywood sound stage.
Lake Tahoe contractor Bill Anderson worked with the film crews on location, cutting roads and building fake outbuildings, and in 1967, he approached the show's producers and NBC with a proposal to build an exact replica of the house exterior in Hollywood, with a copy of the sound stage interior inside, creating a detailed replica of the fictional ranch house. Anderson's Ponderosa opened in 1967. The recreated Ponderosa became the centerpiece of a western-themed tourist attraction, a bonanza of a different type." View source.
Driving around the north end of Lake Tahoe we head northwest to Truckee, CA. Not much is open when we get there so we walk along the main street looking at historic buildings, including the jail (below) and stop for coffee at Elijah Bleu's.
We decide to drive through the famed Donner Pass in the northern Sierra Nevada - quite spectacular views if a little hair raising (elevation 7085 ft; 2160 metres).
Next we stop at a classic car auction and swap meet in Reno.
In the evening, we enjoy a tasty and healthy dinner at The Basil Thai restaurant in Carson City, NV.

Daily distance: 222 km Fuel cost: $10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 22: Carson City, NV

2010-08-06T21:12:00.007-04:00

Up early for breakfast we fuel the car and stop at Starbucks for coffee while waiting for the "Nevada State Railroad Museum" to open. Since the Pike Place blend isn't ready, we score two free grande coffees. The day gets better from there on.
We've visited many railway museums in many countries and this one, in Carson City, NV, is among the best. It's staffed by folk who really know and love trains. We even get the opportunity to operate a handcar (above). The Coupon Queen nets a 15% discount in the gift shop.
Driving out into the desert, we get to Gold Hill as the steam train arrives. When we get to Virginia City, we're just in time to ride the rails of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad back down the line. We get a discount for being CAA members. The 35 minute trip features detailed commentary about the railway, the Comstock Mine and the boom times in Virginia City. Our journey is interrupted by train robbers who get collared by the sheriff at Gold Hill (below).
As a young girl in England, I used to dream of being a cowboy. I think I got the idea from watching episodes of Bonanza, a TV series that ran from 1959 to 1973. Virginia City, NV, was the nearest town to the fictional Cartwright's equally fictional ranch the "Ponderosa". Virginia City truly lives up to its slogan, "Step Back in Time".

Daily distance:65 km Fuel cost: $6

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 21: Klamath Falls, OR to Carson City, NV

2010-08-05T23:34:00.007-04:00

Today was a three state day. We started out in Klamath Falls, drove through the northwest corner of California and then into Nevada. Stopping for lunch at The Sage Hen in Susanville, CA we phone Choice Hotels to book into the Quality Inn in Carson City, NV, for four nights.
On our way there, we stop at Reno (Las Vegas Lite) to take in the sights and sounds of "Hot August Nights". As we've noticed during this road trip, everything in America is for sale: businesses, homes, cars, you name it. Many of the traditional motels and hotels are boarded up. You can only wonder what their fate will be when the economy gets back on track. There is a fabulous array of classic cars from hot rods to police cruisers (below). We stop to listen to Route 66 a band that knows how to work the audience and features songs of the 50s, 60s and 70s.

Daily distance: 463 km Fuel cost: $13.00

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 20: Bend, OR to Klamath Falls, OR

2010-08-04T19:44:00.005-04:00

We enjoy a scenic drive through beautiful forests and lava fields to Crater Lake National Park. We stop at the gatehouse and pay $10 entry fee. The views are spectacular and can't really be captured on film. I took the above photo at Watchman's Overlook. "This pull out offers an unmatched view of Wizard Island, a cinder-cone volcano named for its resemblance to a sorcerer's pointed hat. Wizard Island erupted out of the lake around 7,300 years ago and features a 27 metre crater in its rocky summit." Source: Crater Lake Reflections Visitor Guide.
At Klamath Falls we have lunch at The Daily Bagel - smoked salmon, cream cheese, onion and capers on pumpernickel bagels. En route to our hotel we stop to have Trudi washed by an enthusiastic group who were holding a fundraising car wash to support a basketball team who will be going to a tournament in a nearby town.

Daily distance: 279 km Fuel cost: $9

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 19: St Helens, OR to Bend, OR

2010-08-04T19:05:00.008-04:00

Today was a road trip day. We drive through many typical northwest towns. Our plan to stay the night at Sisters, OR, is thwarted by a forest fire. All the extra hotel rooms in town are booked by evacuees.
"As of Wednesday morning, the fire had grown to more than 4,000 acres. The fire is burning in the Deschutes National Forest and on private lands just south of Sisters and is being fought by about 550 firefighters." Source: KATU
We continue on to Bend and check in to the Best Western. Walking across the street we buy dinner at Safeway grocery store - microwave pizza, fresh tomato, fresh apricots and carrot cake.
Safeway pricing is annoying. They advertise a price that only club card members can pay but you have to be resident in the US to get a card. At Albertson's they will swipe a courtesy card so you can get the discount price too.

Daily distance: 339 km Fuel cost: $10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 18: Seattle, WA to St Helens, OR

2010-08-02T20:43:00.005-04:00

Leaving Seattle we stop at the "smart centre" in Tukwila. It hadn't opened yet for business when we arrive in the morning so we have to be content with taking outdoor photos (above).
Using our GPS, a Washington highway map and guess work we head south without driving the interstate. At Chehalis we have a tasty lunch at the Market Street Bakery & Cafe. Just outside of town, we stop at the Chehalis-Centralia Railroad where, sadly, there are no trains running today. We make the best of the photo op (below).
Crossing the mighty Columbia River we enter Oregon and find a hotel for the night in St Helens.

Daily Distance: 295 km Fuel cost: $11

Crazy Daisy Tour Days 15, 16 & 17: Wenatchee, WA to Seattle, WA

2010-08-02T11:00:00.002-04:00

We stayed with my sister and her family in Seattle for three nights. It was great to catch up with them and my Mom who is staying with them for a few weeks while work is being completed on their new home. Had fun playing "Go Fish" and spying on ghost pirates with my nephews.
For details on this part of our tour, see my hubby's blog here:
punchbuggy.blogspot.com

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 14: Tonasket, WA to Wenatchee, WA

2010-07-29T21:46:00.006-04:00

I did not know what to expect when we set out in the morning after breakfasting on hearty omelettes at Magoo's Restaurant in Omak, WA. Driving south through the Okanogan River valley reminded me of the Santa Ynez Valley in California with all of the vineyards, wineries and acres and acres of orchards. In the towns we visited we notice many businesses, with signs in Spanish, advertising products that cater to the Mexican agricultural workers.
We see warning signs advising drivers to watch out for big horn sheep crossing the highway, but don't see any. A runaway domestic sheep nearly darts out in front of us though, followed in hot pursuit by a man with a lasso. Luckily the sheep veers into the bicycle lane.
We opt for an early finish and check in to the Best Western - Chieftain Inn at Wenatchee, WA. It turns out to be the best value for money on the tour so far: spacious room with microwave, fridge and wifi; very nicely furnished; hot breakfast; washer and dryer $1 each: CAA rate $71. plus tax.

Daily Distance: 201 km Fuel cost: $10

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 13: Coeur d'Alene, ID to Tonasket, WA

2010-07-29T21:34:00.009-04:00

Checking out of the Shilo Inn we drive west to Spokane where hubby is doing some research. There we walk through Riverfront Park and get some great views of the falls on the Spokane River (above). We have coffee at Atticus Coffee & Gifts - very interesting retail space. Sister store Boo Radley's, unfortunately, is not open at this time of the morning. I wonder what the connection to Harper Lee and Maycomb, Alabama is ?
Quite by chance, we discover the Mistequa Antique Auto Museum at Chewelah, WA, where I'm thrilled to see this little Peel P-50 (below). We saw another of these at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, TN. It was a pleasure meeting Glen Hafer and we greatly appreciate the time he spent showing us under the hoods of some of the unique cars in the collection.
We had intended to stay at Republic, WA, but find all the rooms in town have been snapped up by bikers. We've been on the road all day and are a bit frazzled so settle for a room at the Red Apple Inn in Tonasket, WA, about 40 miles away. Not the grottiest motel I've ever stayed in but not far off. The ancient proprietor recommends Whistler's restaurant in town for dinner which was just what we needed before crashing out.

Daily Distance: 372 km Fuel cost: $11

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 12: Coeur d'Alene, ID

2010-07-27T21:16:00.006-04:00

During our coffee stop at the Evans Brothers Coffee Roasters in Sandpoint, ID, (above) we help rescue a folder of important papers whipped by the wind. The businessman who owned the papers had a lot of questions about the smart car which he thought might be suitable to his needs.
Parked at Petal Talk florist shop we find a first generation smart car (below) which is puzzling as this model was only available in the US as a grey import. We wonder if this is a Zap smart?
For lunch we stop at Owen's Grocery, Deli and Soda Fountain in Newport, WA. Picture a large general store with a massive, circa 1910, wooden soda fountain. We get custom made sandwiches on thick cut sourdough bread for $3.50 each. The atmosphere is wonderful.
Back to the Shilo Inn in Coeur d'Alene where we've enjoyed staying for three nights, just doing local jaunts each day.

Daily distance: 241 km Fuel cost: $10.00

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 11: Coeur d'Alene, ID

2010-07-26T22:53:00.008-04:00

We're staying in Coeur d'Alene, ID for three nights and are exploring Idaho's panhandle and its history. Today we drive the "Scenic Byway" that skirts the east shore of the lake that shares the town's name. A startled deer bounds across the road in front of us and scrambles up a rocky ledge, turning to take a last look at our car.
At Cataldo we watch an informative film in the Visitor's Centre of the Old Mission. It tells the extraordinary story of how the Jesuits built the mission in the 1850s in partnership with the Coeur d'Alene Indians. Restored in the 1970s, the mission is Idaho's oldest standing building.
Next we drive east on I90 to Kellogg and nearby Wardner, ID, looking for remnants of an old mine. At the entrance to Kellogg we stop for a closer look at this exhibit of mining rail cars and equipment(below). In a bank parking lot, we spot the Brabus smart car pictured above. We visit the "Staff House Museum" and, once again, we view an interesting DVD that gives background to mining in Silver Valley

Daily distance: 212 km Fuel cost: $0

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 10: Missoula, MT to Coeur D'Alene, ID

2010-07-26T22:35:00.008-04:00

Since I was a kid, the name Idaho has conjured up images of potatoes. Neither of us had been in the state before but when researching for this trip we discovered that the Northern Region or panhandle is as mountainous and rugged as neighbouring states Montana and Washington. Mining is the chief source of revenue here, followed by tourism.
On our way out of Montana we stop at Alberton, MT, after seeing a billboard advertising a store with over 50,000 used books. Shortly after arriving at the Montana Valley we realize they're not exaggerating. After staying in Jamestown and reading about Louis L'Amour I decide to try of of his Westerns and buy, "The Quick and the Dead". I also find "Absent in the Spring", that Agatha Christie wrote under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott.
At a rest area just before the Idaho border we chat to a kind couple who are volunteering for an organization that builds homes for the needy in Wallace, ID. I think it's a wonderful idea that non-profit groups provide coffee, cold drinks and cookies to travellers at rest stops in exchange for donations for their causes. Between speaking to this couple and the owner of the book shop we get a clearer picture of what life is currently like for folk in small towns in this part of the US.
We enter Silver Valley and stop at Wallace which has pitched itself as a historic town. Many fine buildings line the main street including this one, the "insurance building".

Daily distance: 272 km Fuel cost: $10.00

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 9: Great Falls, MT to Missoula, MT

2010-07-24T21:35:00.007-04:00

We enjoy clear skies and gorgeous scenery on our way from Great Falls to Missoula. Part of the fun of a road trip is getting off the interstate and exploring stuff that's not in the guidebooks. We pass these defunct lime kilns (above) and stop at this bridge to watch the pelicans and other birds.
We stay at the same Best Western in Missoula that we did two years ago. At that time it was undergoing renovations and now it's a really happening place.

Daily distance: 394 km Fuel cost: $22.51

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 8: Lewistown, MT to Great Falls, MT

2010-07-24T21:12:00.011-04:00

Morning started with nothing going right; couldn't book next hotel online; phone in room not working; hotel's decaf carafe dispensed only cold water; gloomy skies and temperature in the low 50s F. Then we stopped at the Shade Tree Cafe (above) in the tiny town of Denton, MT, where I had the best french toast I've had in years.
As we headed north the sky started to clear and things started looking up. Fort Benton, known as "the birthplace of Montana", was established in 1847 as the last fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River. We stroll the river bank and read many of the historic markers including one that tells the story of Shep the faithful sheep dog (below) which reminds me of Edinburgh's Greyfriars Bobby.
The guest laundry happens to be next to our room at the Quality Inn in Great Falls, MT, so we have a good clean up and sort out.

Daily distance: 254 km Fuel cost: 0

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 7: Minot, ND to Lewistown, MT

2010-07-22T23:12:00.009-04:00

Up early and on the road by 7 for a marathon drive. Dark skies and rain for the first few hours (above).
Stopped in Williston, ND, browse the main street shops and had coffee at the Daily Addiction. Over the border into Montana the scenery changes dramatically and we find ourselves running low on diesel between towns. With the help of Flo (our GPS) we turn off the highway in Winnett, MT, and find the most decrepit service station in the west. Thankfully, it had diesel and at $3.09 US gallon it was not the highest price we've paid on this trip. Shortly after that we pass an all black smart on the highway
At Lewistown, MT, we check into the newly restored Calvert Hotel and go for a walk, checking out the local library where hubby does some valuable research. On Main Street we stop at the Bon Ton Soda Fountain which has been operating since 1908. The decor is 50s malt shop with interesting historic photos and memorabilia on the walls (below). It started off well with a cheerful young waitress bringing our ice tea. Then we waited ages for our orders to arrive, noticing that people who came in after us got their food before we did. When our meals finally arrive, my mine was not what I ordered. I thought the server was going to burst into tears when I told her but to give her (and the cook) credit the correct meal was brought out relatively quickly.

Daily Distance: 741 km Fuel Cost: $22.20 US

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 6: Jamestown, ND to Minot, ND

2010-07-21T19:10:00.012-04:00

Near our hotel in Jamestown, ND, is an attraction called Frontier village which is home a herd of buffalo including White Cloud, an albino and her one albino and four brown calves. I saw some brown buffalo peacefully grazing but didn't catch a glimpse of either White Cloud or Dakota Miracle, her son. The world's largest buffalo (above) was constructed in 1958. The good folk at Jamestown are currently running a contest to name him. Makes you wonder what took them so long. Jamestown's other claim to fame is that it is the birthplace of Western fiction writer Louis L'Amour who lived in the town until age 15. At the time of his death in 1988, at age 80, all 89 novels and 14 short story collections penned by L'Amour were still in print.
Driving along county roads lined with crops we stop to look at the American White Pelicans, Double-breasted Cormorants, gulls, Canada Geese and many varieties of duck on the sloughs and lakes.
At Minot we are ecstatic to get a room at the Comfort Inn, the first place we tried. As was the case during our Wild West Tour in 2008, the "oil men" stake claim to most of the hotel/motel rooms in parts of North Dakota and Montana.
About 40% of Minot's population are descendants of Scandinavian settlers, primarily Norwegian. Scandinavian Heritage Park is a beautiful tribute to the craftsmanship and contributions of folk from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Iceland. Among the many impressive buildings and monuments is the Gol Stave Church (below), a full-size replica of a famous Norwegian church that is now in a park in Oslo.

Daily Distance: 330 km Fuel Cost: $11.01 US

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 5: St Cloud, MN to Jamestown, ND

2010-07-20T22:23:00.004-04:00

Big companies, like Walmart, McDonald's and Starbucks, tend to suck the life out of the historic downtowns in communities across North America. Alexandria, Minnesota is a fine example of what can be done to fight back and stem the tide of chains and franchises. Its main street is lined with antique sellers, book stores and specialty shops. We spent a pleasant time browsing and chatting with the locals. Their train station (below) has been turned into a lovely eatery and a bike trail, that runs from St Cloud to Fergus Falls, goes by its doors along the shore of Lake Agnes. Big Ole the Viking watches over all. (above)

Daily Distance: 452 km Fuel Cost: $21.00 US

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 4: Clintonville, WI to St Cloud, MN

2010-07-20T21:12:00.006-04:00

At the FWD (four wheel drive) museum in Clintonville, WI, we are given a personal tour by Bill Hupke. It's hard to imagine that there is anyone who could have given us a more thorough tour than this gentleman who worked, as did his grandfather, father and son, for FWD. In Bill's 46 years with the company he was involved with various projects and had many roles. The museum occupies the machine shop where brothers-in-law Otto Zachow and William Besserdich built the first successful four-wheel drive car in America which they dubbed the "Battleship" in 1909 (above). Today FWD is part of Seagrave Fire Apparatus LLC and the production of fire equipment continues at their Clintonville plant. The reason for our visit is to see the Butterball Special (below) a post-war British race car built and driven by Archie Butterworth. It features in hubby's research on the Brighton Speed Trials - winning the standing start kilometre in both 1949 and 1951.

Daily Distance: 510 km Fuel Cost: $10.02 US

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 3: Fond du Lac, WI to Clintonville, WI

2010-07-19T08:11:00.008-04:00

To Road America at Elkhart Lake, WI for the Kohler International Challenge where vintage race cars compete in various classes.The Can-Am group is a highlight and makes you realize why many spectators wear ear plugs. A tribute to Mark Donohue (1937-1975) features many of the cars he raced and a book signing (“Mark Donohue: His Life in Photographs,” by Michael Argetsinger). Above is one of the AMC Javelins driven by Donohue for Roger Penske in the Trans-Am series.
Hubby spotted this smart car awning and we wondered why it was at Road America but there was no one to ask about it. On visiting the web address I found that it is the official French language Canadian smart car site but there's no mention of racing cars. Puzzling. Can anyone help?

Daily Distance: 213 km Fuel Cost: $16.76 US

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 2: Whitehall, MI to Fond du Lac, WI

2010-07-17T19:44:00.010-04:00

Drive to Ludington, MI where we park at the dock for the S.S. Badger. Unlike other ferries we've been on, staff drive vehicles onto the ship while passengers walk on. The Badger, which began service in 1953, was built to carry rail cars across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, WI. She is the largest car ferry ever to sail Lake Michigan and is currently the only coal-fired steamship in operation in North America. The journey takes about 4 hours, and you lose an hour changing time zones. Photo above is Trudi being driven off the S.S. Badger at Manitowoc, WI.
We stop to wash some mud off the car at a lakefront park in Sheboygan, WI and a couple in an American smart car pull up to say hello. We very much enjoyed chatting to Edward and Carol who tow little "Smartie" behind their RV when wintering in California. It was interesting to compare the two cars and share stories.
Daily Distance: 201 km + ferry Fuel Cost: 0

Crazy Daisy Tour Day 1: Toronto to Whitehall, MI

2010-07-17T19:21:00.011-04:00

On the road early. Breakfast at TA Truck Stop, Woodstock, ON, gets us in the road trip mode. Spotted this 007 2CV at Cordeiro's Auto European Ltd in Strathroy where owner Michael tries to sell us another smart car (he's got two of them).
Border crossing at Sarnia/Port Huron takes about an hour and a half as hubby travels on a UK passport. No hassles, just a lot of travellers to be processed.
Check in to Super 8 at Whitehall, MI and the desk clerk says, "I'll put you on the second floor. The bikers are all on the third floor. They'll all come back drunk tonight and trash the place". We didn't hear a peep. Only evidence of bikers we saw in the morning is shown below.

Daily Distance: 625 km Fuel Cost: $12.98 CDN, $12.50 US.

Smart car goes electric

2010-07-15T22:36:00.002-04:00

100 Smart Fortwo Electric Drives are being leased to people in London and the west Midlands, part of a larger government scheme that will see 340 electric vehicles loaned out and data on their usage collected.

Read and see more here.
With thanks to Peter F.

MINI Minor City Car to Rival Smart Fortwo, Toyota iQ?

2010-06-13T19:47:00.003-04:00

After introducing a new crossover at the top-end of its lineup, MINI now appears to be readying a new entry-level model – reportedly referred to as the MINI Minor by BMW officials. Designed as a true city car, the new minier MINI would be built to compete against the Smart Fortwo and Toyota iQ models and would be comparible in size. In fact, this would give the car roughly the same footprint as the original MINI Cooper.
According to a report by AutoCar, MINI has long wanted to introduce a more compact model but struggled with how to make it profitable. Solutions to those problems may be had by looking at BMW’s upcoming Megacity car. Similar to the Megacity, the MINI city car would use traditional technology (rather than carbon fiber bodywork). It’s existence may also be the result of BMW’s push to develop three-cylinder engines. Reports have suggested the next generation of MINI Cooper models would use 3-cylinder engines, which could then also be used in a MINI city car, keeping development costs low and helping reduce production costs through economies of scale.
An inside source at the company told AutoCar that the mini car project hasn’t been given the green light just yet, but that a concept model could be shown in the next 12 months.
View source.

Ticket cancelling manual released

2010-06-09T07:10:00.003-04:00

Once-secret guidelines explain possible escapes from that parking fine
By Robyn Doolittle - Urban Affairs Reporter
If you are old, have a medical condition and are religious you have a good chance of beating a parking ticket in Toronto.
The excuses that work with bureaucrats were made public Tuesday night when city council voted to release the holy grail of how-tos: the Parking Ticket Cancellation Guidelines.
According to the previously confidential report, city staff can cancel tickets for drivers on compassionate grounds, especially if they live more than 100 kilometres from Toronto.
Other potentially acceptable excuses are that the driver was attending worship, confused over which side of the street to park, or got multiple tickets for the same offence in a 3-hour window.
The 18-page report details exemptions for fast-food delivery, nursing agencies, tour buses, taxicabs, disabled drivers and delivery vehicles, among others.
Like police, fire and ambulance services, city councillors on “city business” can have tickets cancelled for virtually any infraction.
So why did city council make public some of its deepest secrets?
“Myself and Councillor Moscoe have been trying to get it released for a long time, and staff have constantly been saying ‘It’s confidential, it’s confidential, it’s confidential,” said Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong.
Read full story here.

Motorola brings hands-free driving campaign to cities

2010-06-06T07:24:00.003-04:00

by Caroline McCarthy

NEW YORK--Motorola has gone into high gear for National Safe Driving Month, and if you live in one of four U.S. cities you might even be seeing them on the roads.
Earlier this week, Motorola launched a free mobile app to decipher the country's various laws about cell phone calling and texting while behind the wheel. This weekend it's kicking off its "Get Smarter" campaign on the streets in New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, and San Francisco where locals will be offered lifts in super-compact Smart ForTwo cars where they can get a product demo of Motorola hands-free gadgets like the H17txt, a headset that reads your text messages out to you in real time and lets you set an auto-response to let your contacts know that you're driving. (Interested customers can follow @motomobile on Twitter to find out where they might be able to hitch a ride.)
On Thursday evening, a company rep picked me up in one of the logo-wrapped Smart cars and gave me a lift downtown, encouraging me to check out the H17txt in the process. We couldn't use it on my iPhone, unfortunately, because the "Motospeak" technology that powers it is only compatible with Android and BlackBerry devices. But on the Android phone that Motorola had brought for demonstrations, the headset clearly read out my test text message of "all your base are belong to us."
The funny irony is that by choosing to launch this campaign in cities like New York, Motorola may actually not be reaching its target market. The situation isn't this extreme in Chicago, Minneapolis, or San Francisco, but in many parts of the New York metro area people just don't drive very much. Paying for a parking space by the month is exorbitant, traffic is reliably horrible, and the subway system is good enough so that it's often faster to take the train than to catch one of the city's (many) taxicabs. Here, typically, when you hear about regulating the use of electronics behind the wheel, it's referring to taxi drivers, who have been banned from using cell phones, and even hands-free headsets, on the job since January.
But distracted driving remains a problem in New York. Nick, the Motorola rep driving me from midtown to Tribeca in a Smart ForTwo, said that in a single day behind the wheel he'd "already seen one accident."

CCTV car will clamp down on school parking

2010-06-04T22:18:00.002-04:00

By Tom Patterson
SCHOOL run problem parkers in South Tyneside will be put in the picture later this month – and face hefty fines.
A CCTV camera car is being wheeled out to catch parents who create a danger outside the borough's schools.
The Smart Car, fitted with CCTV cameras, is to undergo a two-week test programme at problem areas over the next few weeks and be fully introduced in June to enforce keep-clear zones outside schools and, later, bus lane restrictions.
The vehicle is being provided by APCOA (UK) Ltd as part of the company's contract to enforce parking regulations in South Tyneside.
Coun Jim Perry, South Tyneside Council's lead member for environment and transport, said: "Parking outside schools in the morning and at home time is a major problem.
"It creates a dangerous situation for children. Our road safety team has been working with headteachers to identify schools where there are serious parking concerns.
"These will be the first to benefit from this enforcement.
"The primary aim of the Smart Car is to improve road safety around our schools.
Read full story here.

Business smarts 44: Easigrass

2010-05-26T20:45:00.004-04:00

Easigrass - artificial grass company based in London, England.
Photo: Colin Marsh.

Nissan's new Leaf sells out in US, Japan: Ghosn

2010-05-25T20:30:00.002-04:00

The first year of production of Nissan's new electric car Leaf has been sold out, the head of the Japanese automaker, Carlos Ghosn, said Tuesday.
"We have 13,000 orders in the US and 6,000 orders in Japan," Ghosn said at a news conference in Detroit, the US auto industry capital.
Ghosn said that all of the US orders had come from individuals and not from government entities, whereas some orders in Japan were for municipal fleets.
"I don't think we're going to have a problem marketing and selling these cars for the first two or three years," the Nissan president and chief executive said, adding that tax incentives had made the car very popular in California.
The Leaf -- an acronym for Leading, Environmentally Friendly, Affordable, Family -- is billed by Nissan as the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle with zero emissions.
The first deliveries are set in December in the United States and Japan.
The car, which has a top speed of more than 90 miles (140 kilometers) per hour and is powered by a lithium battery, will go on sale in Portugal and the Netherlands in December, and in Britain and Ireland in February 2011.
Read full story here.

Miles ahead

2010-05-24T10:33:00.004-04:00

My sister in Seattle spotted her neighbour taking delivery of one of these:
Miles ZX40S
From their website: "At Miles Electric Vehicles, we believe in the power of positive change and are working to make a sustainable difference that will benefit the environment today and for generations to come.
Not only are our zero emissions all electric, low speed vehicles ideally suited for fleet and neighborhood driving, but they also set the category standard for safety, comfort, quality and value. For the average commuter, MILES is developing a highway speed model, the MILES XS500, which will meet most daily transportation needs while preventing CO2 emissions."

Go Ape II!

2010-05-23T15:48:00.008-04:00

Colourful Ape spotted outside the Cafe Bistro Charisma in Mayen, Germany.

Isetta

2010-05-19T07:12:00.003-04:00

This Brighton, Sussex built Isetta was spotted at the 32nd edition of the Sandwell Historic Vehicle Show in the West Midlands.

Business smarts 43: Sandwell College, West Midlands, England

2010-05-16T14:38:00.009-04:00

Sandwell College

Business smarts 42: Ring Events, Nurburgring, Germany

2010-05-15T08:13:00.004-04:00

29 fuel-efficient cars face first big test

2010-04-25T09:28:00.004-04:00

Competition to construct a 100-mile-per-gallon car cuts to chase next week at a Michigan speedway

Joe Knycha - Special to the Star

The 100-mile-per-gallon, real-world car has long been the stuff of science fiction, cartoons and comic books – but no more. Its day in the sun is coming, and fast.
Cars that can travel 100 miles per gallon on gasoline (or the equivalent thereof using other fuels and power sources) are not only possible but are being built now.
On Monday, 29 teams from around the world — including as many as three from Canada — will gather at Michigan International Speedway near Jackson to compete for $10 million in cash prizes in the Progressive Insurance Automotive X Prize.
Their goal is not only to achieve 100 miles per U.S. gallon (120 mpg per Imperial gallon, or 2.35 litres per 100 km), but also to do so in safety, comfort and at credible, real-world speeds.

Read full article here.

Business smarts 41: EW Tours

2010-04-24T20:29:00.004-04:00

EWTOURS.TRAVEL is the brainchild of its founders, Kiran Rajdev and Herbert Wolf. After having acquired extensive experience in the travel industry over more than two decades each in separate careers, we jointly envisioned a travel service that would specialize in fully customized travel experiences for our clients. Our dream became a reality with the launch of EWTOURS.TRAVEL in 2006. Since then our goal has been to make your travel dreams come true.

Business smarts 40: G Force Training

2010-04-24T20:02:00.003-04:00

Onsite Personal Training with Toronto’s G Force Home Training Inc.

Throw away the last of your good excuses. G Force makes it easy to get into the best shape of your life with our spirited team of certified personal trainers who bring the gym to you. Armed with fitness equipment and motivation, our fitness professionals arrive at your home or office on your schedule.

Business smarts 38: Hot Wings Grill and Rib House

2010-04-18T08:32:00.002-04:00

Hot Wings
563 Queen Street West,
Toronto, ON M5V 2B6

416-359-8860

Remos, Smart car kick off airshow

2010-04-14T07:05:00.004-04:00

By Sarah Brown

The two pilots peered out of the side of the Remos GX, looking for their counterparts on the ground. They were scheduled to make a low pass over Lakeland Linder Regional Airport[Lakeland, Florida] in perfect synchronization with a Smart car racing down the runway—a grand finale for the Road and Runway Rally, and a kickoff for the Sun ’n Fun airshow—but the Smart car was nowhere to be found.
Pilot in command Alyssa Miller and her co-pilot Jason Paur continued toward the field for its pass over the grass to the right of the runway. They finally spotted the car on short final, and soon they were neck-and-neck with the Smart car, which had been there the whole time: The roughly 9-foot-by-5-foot vehicle had been nearly invisible from a distance, swallowed by the circle in the "9" of the 8,500-feet-by-150-foot runway. The Smart car kept pace with the Remos for a bit until the airplane climbed and went around for a landing.

After four days of flying and driving adventures, the four contestants in the Road and Runway Rally arrived at Sun ’n Fun in style. Along the way, they met circus performers and pilots-to-be, tested their driving skills at the Grave Digger’s lair, and compared the size of the Smart car to everything from the Mercury capsule to a monster truck tire. Each team got two days in the Smart car and two in the Remos—which, by the way, weighs less than the tiny Smart car. The winners? The jury’s still out. But one thing’s for certain: Both teams had a whole lot of fun

Read full story here.

Renault-Nissan and Daimler to cooperate on new cars

2010-04-10T06:53:00.004-04:00

Franco-Japanese Nissan and German giants Daimler form partnership to develop new cars and share engines.
By Andrew English - Telegraph.co.uk

A common replacement for the Renault Twingo, the Smart Fourtwo and a new four-seat Smart model will be the first results of a cooperation and share-swap deal signed by the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Daimler this week.
They will swap a symbolic 3.1 per cent stakeholding in each other to seal the deal, which will see the joint development of small cars as well as diesel and petrol engines.
At the top end of the model ranges Daimler will give Nissan's Infiniti prestige brand access to its four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines, but both companies stressed that the deal will not dilute the image of their brands. Infiniti's efforts to launch itself in Europe have been hindered by its lack of turbodiesels.
"Each brand has its own identity and its own kind of products and its own cost and price level," said Carlos Ghosn, Renault-Nissan chief executive. "We need to keep each brand very different from the others."
Read full story here.

What is this car?

2010-04-04T18:37:00.003-04:00

The picture on the left accompanied a story "Behind the wheel of the plucky Think City electric car" on the CTV website. The article describe the Think City electric car as a two-seater. Why then four doors?
The photo on the right is a Think City car from the Norwegian manufacturer's official website. Sure don't look like the same car to me. Question is, what is the car on the left?

Tuk-tuk driver takes web road to success

2010-04-04T13:26:00.005-04:00

AMRIT DHILLON-SPECIAL TO THE STAR

CHENNAI, INDIA—Many proud auto rickshaw drivers cover the back seat with fancy fabrics such as faux leopard fur, hang tassels and fringes on the side or decorate them with deities or pictures of their favourite Bollywood actresses.
Samson (he goes by only one name) in Chennai has no time for such low-tech practices; he is probably the only driver in India with a website dedicated to his trusty steed and service.
Auto wallahs lead hopeless lives. Every day, they struggle with chaos, honking, aggression and pollution. Their income is meagre. Home is one room in a slum. Between rides, they smoke or snooze. Some cannot even name their prime minister, much less understand the Internet.
Though a school dropout, Samson, 38, turned out to be different. The auto rickshaw stand he operated from was located in front of the Taj Coromandel hotel in Chennai, patronized by foreigners. Some years ago, a regular customer, a Japanese woman, asked him to take her, as usual, to an Internet café.
Read full article here.

Business smarts 39: Classic Towing and Storage

2010-03-31T20:13:00.005-04:00

First U.S. site for Smart car2go concept is Austin, Texas

2010-03-28T16:34:00.002-04:00

By MICHAEL TAYLOR
It might be the oil-rich state, but Texas will be the first U.S. home for Daimler’s innovative, environmentally aware car2go pay-as-you-go city-transport concept.
The concept has just moved from the pilot phase to a full-time business for the 120,000 residents of Ulm, Germany, and Daimler has announced that 200 car2go Smart Fortwos will flood downtown Austin this fall.
This isn’t the first car-sharing scheme in the United States, but it might be one of the simplest, and it’s backed by the auto industry’s oldest name. Daimler’s idea for car2go is to make driving through traffic-clogged cities as cheap as talking on a mobile phone.
Loosely based on Paris’s noted Velib city bicycle system, Ulm dwellers or visitors can drive away in any car2go vehicle for 19 cents a minute by showing the car a chip attached to their licenses.
“The idea is that when you want a car, you just take it, and when you’ve finished with the car, you just leave it,” car2go project manager Robert Henrich, said. He said it’s a free-flowing system and you never have to return the car to where you picked it up. “So if you want to cross the city, you just take a car, cross the city and then leave it.”
The Austin trial will start with 200 Fortwo Micro Hybrid Drives for city employees and, to make the system more environmentally friendly, they will use an automatic start-stop function to kill the engine when the cars are stationary.
Daimler hopes that the Austin version will develop like the Ulm project, which began with 50 cars for 500 employees in October 2008, spread to 100 cars for 1,000 users this February and now has 200 cars available for any resident to use any time.
With 750,000 people, Austin is much larger than Ulm, but Austin is known for its open-mindedness, its high cycling rates and its public transportation systems.
“We very much look forward to becoming the first international partner of car2go,” Austin Mayor Will Wynn said.
“Our city is known for its strong sense of environmental responsibility. The project has our full support,” he said.
Jérome Guillen, director of the Business Innovation department at Daimler that developed the car2go concept, said, “We deliberately chose a large American city. In the U.S.A., the car-sharing market has the highest growth rates in the world.
“Membership is free. We’ve taken a lesson from the mobile phone industry and you pay by the minute, which covers all the fuel and insurance costs as well,” he said.
Daimler eventually hopes to have cars within a three-minute walk of every city driver, with a fleet of cleaners keeping them pristine around city streets.
The automaker hinted that the system may upgrade from the fuel-sipping CDI Smart to a fully electric Smart that is being tested in London.
Source: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090326/carnews/903269997

2010 New York Preview: Are GM’s EN-V concepts the future or folly?

2010-03-28T16:21:00.002-04:00

Toronto Star - John LeBlanc
As a follow up to last year’s two-seat Personal Urban Mobility and Accessibility concept developed with Segway, Government Motors brought to last year’s New York auto show, the U.S. automaker has released details of a trio of new Electric Networked-Vehicles (EN-V) concepts for this year’s Big Apple show media days, scheduled for next week.
This time around, GM teamed with its Chinese manufacturing partner, Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. Group (SAIC), for its trio of show cars.
GM says “they represent three different characteristics that emphasize the enjoyable nature of future transportation: Jiao (Pride), Miao (Magic) and Xiao (Laugh).”
In addition to being shown in New York next week, the concepts will be showcased from May 1 through October 31 at the SAIC-GM Pavilion at World Expo 2010 Shanghai.
The EN-V concepts, two-seat electric vehicles—that weigh less than 500 kg and about 1.5 metres in length—were designed to “alleviate concerns surrounding traffic congestion, parking availability, air quality and affordability for tomorrow's cities.”
GM’s press release ominously predicts that “by 2030, urban areas will be home to more than 60 percent of the world's 8 billion people.”
GM’s Blade Runner-like projections aside, do you think the automaker, using our tax dollars, should be playing around with cars that won’t see the light of day for 20 years, if ever?
Or should GM stick to trying to make more competitive Chevys and Cadillacs?

smart drive kit for the iPhone: More safety and lifestyle

2010-03-27T11:28:00.003-04:00

smart is the first car brand to develop its own drive app for the iPhone. Together with the vehicle-specific smart cradle for the iPhone the popular phone becomes a multimedia trip computer that is optimised for the smart fortwo in terms of function and design.
The smart drive app for the iPhone has all the important features needed whilst driving: phone calls via hands-free system, your own extensive music collection, internet radio and a clever navigation system with a special smart touch. There are also smart extras – for example the Car Finder that will guide you back to wherever you parked your car. The new smart drive app for the iPhone boasts an outstanding design and is simple to operate thanks to extra large buttons. The new app makes urban mobility even easier and more fun - the declared ob-jective of smart's philosophy.

Read more here.

European car firms’ drive for alliance falters

2010-03-21T08:25:00.003-04:00

DAIMLER and Renault have been unable to resolve differences over valuations as the car makers explore a share swap that would bring Daimler into the Renault-Nissan alliance, two reliable sources said yesterday.
Daimler and Renault, which said in December they were in talks about jointly developing small cars, had also been discussing a share swap, the sources said.
Daimler is seeking a partner to improve profitability of its Mercedes A-Class and Smart cars by sharing development of vehicles and engines. The discussions were “more extensive and more advanced than realised”, Sanford C Bernstein analyst Max Warburton wrote in a report on Monday, citing “industry contacts”. An equity tie-up would bring “financial and strategic security” to Renault, the London-based analyst wrote.
“I struggle to see the will on both sides” for Daimler and Renault to swap stakes, said Philippe Houchois, an analyst at UBS in London who has “buy” ratings on Renault and Daimler shares. “There isn’t much scope for the companies to co-operate beyond small cars.”
Florian Martens, a Daimler spokesman, declined to comment on any share-swap negotiations with Renault. Daimler, based in Stuttgart in Germany, is discussing joint production of small cars with car makers including Renault, he said, repeating comments by Daimler CEO Dieter Zetsche. Simon Sproule, a spokesman for Renault-Nissan, said he had “nothing to add” to remarks by CEO Carlos Ghosn, who said on March 3 that there was no “particular prospect” of an equity tie-up for the alliance.
Renault, which is based in Boulogne-Billancourt, rose as much as 67c, or 2%, to à 34,24 and traded at à 34,22 before midday in Paris, valuing the company at à 9,7bn. Daimler gained 37c, or 1,1%, to à 33,70 in Frankfurt, giving it a market valuation of à 35,8bn.
Daimler aims to boost sales of small cars to lower carbon-dioxide emissions to meet tighter regulations. The company is also looking to double its offering of compact Mercedes-Benz models to four to attract younger drivers.
Mercedes drivers are 55,6 years old on average in German-speaking Europe, compared with 45,6 years for BMW and 47 for Audi, according to research firm Sinus Sociovision, of Heidelberg in Germany.
Daimler is building a new factory in Hungary as part of a à 1,4bn investment in compact models, which will introduced next year.
Source: Business Day

Electric two-seaters are traffic beaters

2010-03-20T08:17:00.002-04:00

By Michael Bettencourt - Globe and Mail

Almost invisible among all the flashy hybrid supercar concepts at this year's Geneva auto show was the Smera, a super-skinny electric car from French start-up Lumeneo that underscored a growing presence of such tandem two-seaters at major auto shows this year.
The Smera looks like a Smart given a giant squeeze from both sides - the passenger sits behind the driver, leaving a vehicle that's just a touch wider than a typical front seat.
The idea behind it is also an extension of the Smart's vision - that most cars typically carry only one person at a time, and therefore are much larger than they need to be for commuting.

Read full article here.

Smart lauds winners of global customizing contest

2010-03-08T18:31:00.003-05:00

Under the heading of "It's about time!" comes Smart car's worldwide design contest, which finally has found a winner.
The guy who decorated his Smart car with the print job, above, will get 1,500 euros in prize money. Tamir Shefer of Jaffa, Israel, beat out 8,000 other entries. Not bad.
"The response to this competition greatly exceeded our expectations – in terms of both quantity and quality," says Marc Langenbrinck, managing director of the international Smart brand. More than 600,000 votes were recorded online.

You can see the top entries at:
www.styleyoursmart.com

Get it right, folks.

2010-02-28T20:37:00.006-05:00

Ever watch one of those slide shows your email host promotes and wonder why you bothered?
I viewed one titled "Wacky Cars" on Sympatico and marvelled at how lazy the dolt putting it together must have been. When you get past the missing captions and spelling and grammar errors - there are the glaring mistakes.
The description of this picture says, "There's no way to identify them precisely, but those were seen in England a few years ago. The two drivers are having fun behind the wheel of their electrical cars." Any microcar buff would be to identify the red car. It is a Peel Trident, made on the Isle of Man in the 1960s and is NOT an electric car.
Another slide erroneously states that this modified smart car was created for the Thunderbirds film. It was in fact made for the three part series Red Dwarf: Back to Earth which aired in April 2009.

Driving as far north as the gravel goes

2010-02-13T07:50:00.002-05:00

DAWSON CITY, Yukon - Lorraine Sommerfeld handed over the key to the Star's Smart car with a strange combination of reluctance and enthusiasm. She'd driven it from Kelowna, B.C., north into the Yukon as part of the Smart Winter Expedition, a rolling convoy of seven of the little cars headed as far north as the permanent road goes.
Here you are, boss," she told me when we met up for the handover in Whitehorse. "She's like me. Treat her with respect, and she'll treat you the same way, too."
Of course, at this point Sommerfeld had the distinction of being the first person in the convoy to have driven off the road, heading into a snow bank the day before when a truck forced her too far over from her lane. So I didn't expect much when I began the drive the next morning.
There were a dozen automotive journalists and writers on this leg of the journey, driving the Smarts from Whitehorse all the way north to Inuvik.
I paired up with a young journalist who once worked at the Star and the two of us loaded the back of the car with our small bags and large jackets.

Read full story here.

Smart Announces Edition Greystyle for Germany

2010-02-10T18:53:00.004-05:00

Smart has just launched the ForTwo Edition Greystyle, a luxurious, special-edition version of its commuter car only for the German market.
The special edition Smart features bright yellow highlights to offset the matte grey finish. The Greystyle features body-color, 6-spoke, 15-inch wheels. Yellow accents are found on the mirror covers, instrument bezels, and seat stitching. The Nappa leather used inside is the same grade found in premium Mercedes-Benz offerings.
The ForTwo Greystyle is available in both coupe and convertible form. Engine choices include 71- and 84-hp powerplants. The subcompact also features start/stop technology that shuts off the engine whenever the brakes are applied at less than 5 mph. Smart says the technology can improve fuel economy by as much as 20 percent.
View source.

New CO2 low for the smart fortwo city car

2010-02-09T07:34:00.003-05:00

The super small city car has moved back to the top of the ‘green’ charts with news that the engineers at smart have shaved 2g/km of CO2 off its official emissions figure so that the diesel engine now emits only 86g/km.
For several years the smart fortwo has been at the forefront of the emissions table, however with the latest generation of diesel engines sneaking up on the fortwo the engineers have been able to improve the cdi’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
A high level of environmental friendliness is an innate characteristic of the mart fortwo. The diesel model – the smart fortwo cdi – always underlined this claim with carbon dioxide emissions of just 88 grams per kilometre, the lowest figure worldwide for cars with a combustion engine. Now the smart fortwo is setting a new record with emissions of just 86 g/km, and fuel consumption of 85.6 mpg (combined cycle) in the manual “softip” mode which means that it keeps its title of CO2 champion.
The measures included an improvement in the vehicle’s aerodynamics. A reduction in ride height by seven millimetres, for example, resulted in improved rolling resistance characteristics.
Dermot Kelly, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Cars, said: “Our customers are proud to drive the vehicle with the lowest consumption worldwide, and we have been working hard to make our smart models even more environmentally friendly. “As a trendsetter we have to live up to the standards we set: the next level of sustainable drives is ready to go – the smart fortwo electric drive. From April this year, 100 drivers in London, the South East and West Midlands will be selected to take delivery of the latest-generation smart fortwo electric drive, and from 2012 the dream of motoring with no local emissions will become a reality for everyone.”
View source.

Smart cars survive Arctic test

2010-02-06T08:16:00.002-05:00

Seven Smart cars survived an Arctic challenge this week, having driven on the Dempster Highway from Inuvik, N.W.T., through the Yukon.
Automotive journalists who were recruited to test drive the Smart fortwo coupes stopped in Whitehorse on Tuesday, and are now en route to Vancouver.
The tour through the notoriously rough Arctic highway was sponsored by Mercedes-Benz, the car company that sells Smart cars in Canada.
"The goal of the whole event, if you will, is to show that the Smart fortwo can tackle pretty much some of the harshest winter driving conditions imaginable in our country," Matt St-Pierre, a Montreal-based writer with Auto123.com, told CBC News on Wednesday.

Read more: CBC

TEST DRIVE: Kelowna to Whitehorse in a smart car

2010-02-02T19:51:00.002-05:00

WHITEHORSE, Yukon: This is the story about the little car that could.
Press launches of new vehicles are the lifeblood of auto journalism. Normally, the car companies pick scenic locations and roads that put their new offerings in the best light.
Because it takes time to get to these locations, it means actual driving time can be as brief as two hours, hardly a lot of time on which to base lasting impressions.
So when Mercedes-Benz called up to propose a drive in the dead of winter over 15 days from Kelowna to the Artic Circle and finishing in Vancouver, I was intrigued.
The event would be split into three legs: Kelowna to Whitehorse, Whitehorse to Inuvik (68∞ 22' North) and back to Whitehorse and finally Whitehorse to Vancouver. I was assigned to Leg One with a total distance of 2,480 km.
It would mean four days of driving about 500-700 km a day with no cellphone, sketchy internet and no radio.
And to get there Mercedes wasn't using its selection of robust SUVs or even its sedans with 4Matic all-wheel-drive.
No, they wanted to do this in smart cars.

Read more here.

Russia’s richest oligarch wants to launch a city car

2010-02-02T19:43:00.002-05:00

So you own the New Jersey Nets and you have a few billion in assets. And you’re Russian. What do you do next?
You start a line of $12,000 city cars designed to look sort of like the Smart car but more Slavic. The oligarch, Mikhail Prokhorov, is investing $141 million in the Yarovit Motors plant and will create a hybrid or electric vehicle.
From the images it seems you’ll be able to dock your phone into the car and use it as a read-out, something decidedly futuristic. However, considering the success thus far of Russian-made vehicles (the Lada comes to mind) I’d be worried about the generally salability of these things.
View Source: Crunch Gear

India shuns scooters as cars take over

2010-01-30T18:24:00.003-05:00

Production cut

The Bajaj scooter is an iconic Indian brand first launched in 1972.
Inspired by the Italian Vespa, these scooters captured the essence of a generation of Indians.
Entire families - husband, wife and two children - could be seen sitting on the Bajaj scooter, riding around small and big towns across the country.
They were so much in demand that there were waiting lists to buy one. Many sold at high premiums.
But as the country's economy grew rapidly, many people bypassed the scooter, instead buying fancy motorbikes or even cars.
So the parent company Bajaj has decided to do phase out scooter production.
After March 2010, the company, which is one of the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in the world, will stop producing scooters and focus on selling motorbikes.

Read full article by Shilpa Kannan at BBC News.

Car cram world record at Mall

2010-01-30T18:10:00.002-05:00

By Danielle Nicastri
AUSTRALIAN and New Zealand rivalry was on display inside a two-seater smart car at Warringah Mall on Monday.
A group of Aussies broke the Guinness World Record held by the Kiwis with 16 when they squashed 18 inside the car for an upcoming Channel Seven TV series.
The feat involved hours of strategic planning and sleepless nights for two coaches, one of them Sarah Josephsen who also participated.
``It is like tetris, everyone is excited,’’ she said. The group comprised men and women from 19 years to late 30s from a St Leonards rock climbing centre and gym. ``We got all the bendiest and smallest people we could find over five foot and 18 years,’’ Sara said.
``We had five at the back and 13 in the front. it’s just a matter of getting it all together on the day. Having Guinness medals around our necks and being on television were huge selling points and it’s something to show your grandchildren one day,’’ she said.
Source: The Manly Daily

Smart car starts leasing deals after big sales slide

2010-01-24T09:36:00.004-05:00

Smart's new U.S. chief has only been on the job a few weeks and already change is afoot. It's needed, given how the minicar outfit has seen big sales declines. Now Smart cars will be available for lease.
The Smart ForTwo Pure coupe will lease for $169 a month. The lease term is 36 months, with allowance for 10,000 miles a year. You have to pay $999 down, a $595"acquisition" fee and first month's payment at the time of lease. The deal is good through Feb. 28.
Daimler Financial Services is handling the financing. Smart cars are made by Daimler - better known for the Mercedes-Benz - in France, but sold and now leased in the U.S. through Penske Automotive Group.
"Our new lease program allows customers added flexibility with financing options," said Jill Lajdziak [(pronounced La-Jek, picture left], the new president of Smart USA. It "allows Smart customers to enjoy leasing benefits such as low monthly payments, driving a new vehicle every two-to-three years and hassle-free vehicle turn-ins." Who is Smart's new chief with the hard-to-spell name?:
She came to Smart from General Motors, where she had headed the Saturn division -- now shuttered -- and replaced Dave Schembri, who got Smart started in the U.S.
"We have continued confidence in the brand based on the volume of vehicles sold since the Smart ForTwo went on sale and two years of residual value data to offer a lease option."
The recession, relatively stable gas prices and a not-exactly stellar record for reliability have hurt Smart sales. Sales fell 40.7% last year, Autodata reports.
Source: USA Today

Driving home in a future winner?

2010-01-24T09:23:00.004-05:00

Less wheels,less size and gasoline free – at least somebody is thinking outside the box

By Mark Richardson

Is this the future of personal transportation?
The Triac electric commuter, seen here at the Detroit auto show, is the brainchild of Mike Ryan, president of California-based Green Vehicles, a two-year-old company with 15 staff so far.
It's a three-wheeler, which classifies it as a motorcycle and so gives it automatic access to almost every High Occupancy Vehicle lane. So it's a speedy commuter.
(I say "almost" because the Ontario Ministry of Transportation refuses to accept its mistake and still prohibits motorcycles with a single rider in the HOV lanes. I believe it's the only jurisdiction in the entire world to be so dumb.)
Being officially a motorcycle also means that there's no crash testing needed, which saves Green Vehicles a pile of start-up cash.
But because the driver is completely enclosed, the West Coast states of California, Oregon and Washington don't require its operators to wear a crash helmet or even have a motorcycle licence. After all, it has a steering wheel and pedals for the power and brakes.
Ryan wasn't sure about laws in the other states, or Canada.
The two-seater, $25,000 Triac can travel at up to 130 km/h for up to 160 km on a five-hour charge.
There are four on the road now and 16 more spoken for. Ryan wants to make 1,000 a year. Don't look for them in Canada anytime soon.
Source: http://www.wheels.ca/

Tango: Trade Your Boredom for Freedom

2010-01-17T18:54:00.002-05:00

The revolutionary Tango combines the speed and agility of a motorcycle with the security of a high-performance sports car.

The Tango's ability to maneuver through traffic is second to none. Being 5" narrower than many motorcycles, it can get through traffic like no other car in history. Where lane splitting is permitted (i.e., driving between lanes of stopped or slow-moving traffic), the advantage can be staggering. In extremely heavy traffic, a Tango or motorcycle can travel in 20 seconds the distance that cars travel in 20 minutes.

Official website.

Impossibly Cheap, Tiny Car Coming To American Market

2010-01-16T15:11:00.001-05:00

By Laura Northrup

Back in the early '00s, I saw Smart cars zipping around my neighborhood in France and thought, "Europe is so weird! They'd never sell those in the US." But I was wrong. And the relative success of tiny cars like the Mini Cooper and, the Smart fortwo has led to the inevitable. The world's cheapest car, India's Tata Nano, is coming to America and Europe in about three years.

The Nano sells for about $2,500 USD in India, and will be more robust and safer before it shows up on the American and European markets. But it'll still be tiny, and cheaper than a base-model Hyndai Accent, currently the cheapest new car on the US market.

Read full story here.