smart fortwo Features in A Good Year

Text & Photos edited by F. de Leeuw van Weenen Source: DaimlerChrysler AG 10-26-2006 This year’s fourth big screen outing for the small city car

It played Clouseau’s cop car in “The Pink Panther,” provided Tom Hanks with a quick getaway in “The Da Vinci Code” and was a perfect vehicle for Garfield’s “owner” Jon Arbuckle in “Garfield 2”. Now the smart fortwo gets to play Cupid: the two-seater brings the lovers together in Ridley Scott’s new film “A Good Year.” Oscar-winner Russell Crowe plays a career-obsessed investment expert who rediscovers the love and simple life in Provence. “A Good Year” starts in German cinemas on November, 9th.
Life is turned on its head for Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) when he travels to France to sell a vineyard he has inherited from his great-uncle. Max’s travels through Provence in a smart fortwo mark the start of a new life. But the usually successful businessman doesn’t recognize it until much later. First he has to struggle with the navigation system and almost runs over an attractive young Frenchwoman, Fanny (played by Marion Cotillard), without noticing. But the smart fortwo brings about a reunion: Fanny recognizes the car outside the vineyard – and love gets a second chance. Then Max is offered a partnership by his boss. He has to make up his mind. Should he turn his back on the London business world?

NOTE: Author of this piece omitted Scoop starring Woody Allen, released earlier this year, in which Allen drives a smart fortwo in London.

Miller eyes parking lot tax

Mayor floats possible surcharge as one way to use city's new taxing powers to fulfill his green agenda
Nov. 27, 2006. 10:12 AM
JIM BYERS
CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF
Mayor David Miller, freshly armed with new taxing powers by Queen's Park, is considering the possibility of parking lot surcharges in downtown Toronto and North York's city centre.
And newly elected Toronto councillor Adam Vaughan said the city could perhaps go further, charging for city parking permits according to the size of the car you're driving.
"If you think about it, why should someone who drives a Hummer pay the same for a parking permit as someone who drives a Smart car?" Vaughan asked.
"You could have a system where owners of cars that give off higher emissions pay more for parking permits."
Read full article here.

Spotted in England III

Opel Ascona



Perfect parking for purplish fortwo.

Club smart car gathering in High Park

It was foggy and cool as we rolled into the parking lot of the Grenadier in High Park on Saturday morning to meet some fellow smart car owners and enthusiasts. Glenn & Barry were already there and we were soon joined by Pat, Gary, Ivor, Brian, Estelle and Ariane. Our friend Clive, a Jeep owner, joined us for brunch too. There was lots of great conversation on diverse topics at the table. The sun was shining and the smart cars were attracting much attention when we returned from the restaurant.
Thanks to all who came - especially those who drove in from out of town.

Spotted in England II

Morris Minor Traveller, Spalding, Lincolnshire

smart roadster, Spalding, Lincolnshire

Spotted in England I

On our recent "Bonfire Tour" to England (October 17 to November 14, 2006) we snapped photos of several interesting vehicles, including smart cars. Over the next few days, I'll post some of these pictures.

Fortwo with Canadian flag sticker, Lewes,East Sussex

Nissan Figaro, Lewes, East Sussex

New Smart-car sales projected

44,000 possible in 2008 when Daimler releases minicar in United States

DaimlerChrysler AG may be able to sell as many as 44,000 of the two-seat Smart minicars each year in the United States when the vehicle goes on sale in 2008, said CEO Roger Penske of United Auto Group Inc., which will distribute the model in the world's largest market.
About 4,000 Smart cars were sold in Canada in the model's first year there, and the U.S. market is 11 times larger, Penske said in an interview late Thursday in Stuttgart, Germany, where DaimlerChrysler presented a new version of the Smart. No incentives will be offered on the car, which will start at about $11,000, he added.
DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche reiterated that Smart will break even next year.
Zetsche aims to capitalize on demand for fuel economy as the cost of gasoline hovers above $2 a gallon in the United States. The car gets more than 40 miles per gallon and has a range of about 400 miles, Zetsche said at the presentation Thursday night.

Read full story here.

‘Gas guzzlers’ to face charge hike

By Chris Wickham
Groundbreaking proposals to slam higher charges on residents with gas-guzzling' cars to park outside their homes have been proposed by Richmond upon Thames Council.
The borough would be the first in the country to charge more for residents' parking permits for those with cars that produce higher CO2 emissions and less for the least polluting cars.
The council will decide on November 6 whether to approve the plan which will see those with the lowest emitting vehicles pay nothing to park outside their homes with a sliding scale for higher emission vehicles.
Under the plans cars which emit less than 110 grams of CO2 per kilometre they drive, such as the Honda Insight petrol electric hybrid, would pay nothing.
Cars such as the Smart car with a 0.7 litre petrol tank or the Peugeot 107 hatchback would get a 50 per cent discount while a BMW X5, Jaguar X type or Porsche 911 driver is set to pay twice as much as before.
Read full story here.

Zap Xebra

The fun, compact, and affordable electric vehicle.
Speed:Up to 40 mph (65 km/ph) Range: Up to 40 miles (65 km) Charger: Onboard 110 Volt AC Motor: DC. Seating: Up to 4 (Max 500 lbs.) Battery: Lead Acid Classification: 3 wheel motorcycle (Zero Emission Vehicle) Dimensions: 10 Length (290 cm) x 4.66 Width (142 cm) x 5.05 Height (154 cm) Options: Upgraded Radio/CD, Color, Leather Seats Colors: Ocean Blue, Zebra Flash, Kiwi Green, and Lipstick Red
For more go to www.zapworld.com

Chinese Smart Car Copy May Hit European Markets Soon

Corporate losses stemming from copyright fraud in China have been estimated in the tens of billions. The latest replica, an electric Smart Car set enter the market soon, has stirred up legal controversy in Europe.
Last month, 13 million illegal videos and CDs were destroyed in China as a symbolic rejection of copyright violation. But now it seems that copying has been taken to the next level.
A duplicate version of the Smart fortwo has been produced by the Chinese company CMEC in the city of Suzhou and has already appeared in Hungary and Great Britain. Starting in 2007, it is to be sold for 4,200 euros ($5,250) under the name City Smart.
"When we designed the car we were aware that we might be opening ourselves up to legal action," said Jerry Chen, sales manager for CMEC, which is usually involved in importing and exporting machine tools. "That's why we've imitated the outside but concentrated on making the interior look different."
The major difference, however, is not the car's appearance but its engine. It has an electric motor that can only propel the vehicle up to 55 kilometers per hour (34 miles per hour), hence the name City Smart.
German Smart Car manufacturer DaimlerChrysler is trying to stop CMEC from selling the copycat vehicle and has demanded that its external appearance be changed.
Chen said that alterations have already been made to the front end and trunk. He added that "the entire impression is now very different," though photos that have popped up in recent weeks on Internet forums and Smart-fan sites reveal that the Chinese City Smart is practically identical to its European twin.
Whether or not CMEC's electric Smart will be released on the broader European market will depend on whether or not they are deemed legal. DaimlerChrysler's lawyers are currently looking into what legal steps can be taken.
DaimlerChrysler plans to introduce its own Smart fortwo successor in March 2007. After heavy losses recently, the Smart Car division hopes for a financial recovery with the more comfortable two-seater.
View source.

Coming to America

The Brazilian-made Obvio! will either be the little green car that could or, as one blogger put it, just 'roadkill.'By Mac Margolis- Newsweek
Oct. 2, 2006 issue - When automotive enthusiast Ricardo Machado made his play for the U.S. car market last year, no one paid him much mind. Machado, a lawyer and real-estate broker in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was by his own admission a stranger to the global automobile industry. What's more, the vehicle he unveiled at a July custom-car fair in Los Angeles—a whimsical, hybrid-fuel three-seater called the Obvio!—had yet to hit the road in America, or anywhere else for that matter.
But in just a few weeks, the Obvio—which Machado's designers modeled after an old Brazilian buggy—started getting second looks. Maybe it was the green-and-tangerine finish, or the trendy Brazilian Havaiana flip-flops glued to the gas and brake pedals. The engine—built to burn gasoline, ethanol or even natural gas—surely helped. "We had to rope it off at the San Francisco auto show" last November, Machado says. It wasn't just idle gawking: by fall 2007, the first batch of a total of 50,000 Brazilian Obvios (some models fitted with electrical engines) will hit the United States. A separate deal to send another 100,000 to Japan and Europe is also in the works.
View source.

Car or fashion accessory?

Photo: Body panel display at Smartville by ALT 2001

In the consumer society that offers something for everyone, there's now a way to coordinate your purse and your heels with your wheels before heading out for a night on the town.
The Smart car -- originally designed by Mercedes-Benz and Swatch -- can be purchased with optional, exchangeable body panels.
Just as Swatch consumers can swap out sections of their watches to suit their color preferences on a given day, Smart car owners can switch their car color by popping body panels off and on. No mechanic required.
"If you are going out to some event for which you would like to have a red car, you can re-skin the Smart in 25 minutes," said Tom Markides, owner of Prestige Imports in Randallstown and the first Maryland distributor of Smart cars.
A full set of panels for a Smart car costs about $900. But fashion -- on the roadway or the runway -- has never been cheap.
- Linda Strowbridge - Arbutus Times

New-car sales dip in Europe

Oct. 13, 2006. 10:20 AM - AOIFE WHITE- ASSOCIATED PRESS
HELSINKI — Renault and GM lost the most ground as new-car sales in Europe fell 2.6 per cent in September, though Fiat, Toyota, BMW and Volkswagen saw sales grow, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association ACEA said Friday.
France's Renault SA saw the largest drop, slipping 14.9 per cent in September compared with the same month last year. It sold 104,815 cars in Europe in September.
Detroit-based General Motors Corp. sold 9.1 per cent fewer cars at 141,551.
Sales of PSA Peugeot Citroen SA cars fell four per cent, while DaimlerChrysler AG only slipped slightly with a one per cent decline with flatter sales of Mercedes and a sharp drop at its Smart car unit. Ford Motor Co. was down just 0.5 per cent, selling more Ford models and fewer Volvos, Land Rovers and Jaguars.
Read full article here.

Business smarts 24: Pond's Foto Source, Guelph

99 Wyndham Street North, Guelph,ON - 519 823-5610
292 Stone Road, Guelph, ON - 519 822 7179

Pond's is locally owned and operated by Terry Leahey who is known in Guelph, and throughout the photographic industry, for staying ahead of trends with the latest equipment and supplies. Terry is also a founding member of the Foto Source group of stores - Canada's largest organization of independent Photographic stores with over 300 locations from coast to coast .

The Smart EV

We admit it, we kinda like the Smart Car in all its forms, which is why we picked up on this piece of news that the Merc-owned company is trialing an electric version of its micro car. The website says:
Think of a fortwo. Then think of an electric socket concealed behind what used to be the fuel cap. Picture the complete absence of exhaust fumes, so no CO2 emissions from the rear. Close your eyes and hear… no sound at all coming from the engine. Imagine no engine oil, no road tax, and no London congestion charge and you’ll start to get a sense of what really makes the new smart ev tick.
Powered solely by electricity, the smart ev can achieve the equivalent of 300 mpg – that amounts to a saving of up to 80% in fuel costs over the already highly economical smart fortwo. The ev can travel up to 71 miles between charges, which typically take around 5 hours – ideal for charging at work between your morning and evening commutes.
Smart Car are leasing their first 200 smart EVs to blue chip companies who are happy to meet Smart's requirements to power the cars using only renewable energy sources. When we say zero emissions, we really mean it!
Top speed: 70 mph!
smart.com - the smart EVView source.

smart Credit Card

In association with DaimlerChrysler Financial Services and HBos Card Services, smart has launched a new credit card for owners or enthusiasts. The card offers 0% pa on both balance transfers and purchases fixed for the first six months, free online Fraud Protection and an APR of 14.9% on the Platinum Card.
There's a green theme to all this too. The card itself is made from plastic PETG, which has minimal chlorine or other toxic chemicals contained in standard PVC credit cards.
On top of that, thanks to a partnership between smart and the Woodland Trust, every cardholder who activates their card will generate the planting of five new trees, offsetting the 1091kg of CO2 a smart fortwo coupé is assumed to generate during 6000 miles of motoring.
The smart card has been launched to over 60 smart dealers throughout the UK. Applications can also be made online at www.smart.com/uk, or by calling 0808 000 8080.
Source: http://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/2006/october/09/11608.asp

Beat goes on for tiny Japanese imports

Cute little kei-cars are fun and frugal Legal in Canada under 15-year rule
Oct. 7, 2006. 01:00 AM
Michael Banovsky - Special to the Star
Hooray for loopholes. How else would I be driving a 660 cc, three-cylinder, 60-odd-horsepower Japanese micro-car through the truck-infested streets of Vaughan?
The ride in question was a bright yellow Honda Beat roadster, the type of vehicle originally designed to woo Japanese ladies into using a small car instead of a scooter for their shopping trips. In Japan, it's a kei-car: a maximum length of 3.2 m, maximum width of 1.4 m, and a maximum displacement of 660 cc.
Most enthusiasts know about the 15-year rule here in Canada: if it was not originally sold in Canada or faced import restrictions when new, in most cases that vehicle will be allowed into the country after 15 years.
Earlier this year, Wheels writer Laurance Yap extolled the virtues of the Nissan Skyline GT-R, a legend in Japan and on Gran Turismo discs the world over.
Now, thanks to Eric Mojilever, owner of Shrink My Ride — and a few other Toronto players — you, too, can downsize your transportation without driving an egg.

Read full article here.

Citroen Considers Selling Cars in Canada

By William DiemWardsAuto.com, Oct 5, 2006 8:46 AM
PARIS – Automobiles Citroen may use Canada as its beachhead into North America.
“If we can homologate our cars in Canada, it’s a potential,” says Frederic Banzet, vice-president-international sales. “We’re looking at it.”
Canada’s rules on automotive homologation are not as strict as those in the U.S., and cars such as the Smart Fortwo and the GM Daewoo Auto & Technology Co.–built Chevrolet Epica and Optra are sold there but not in the U.S.
The Canadian market absorbs about 1.6 million light vehicles per year, of which a little more than half are passenger cars, the sector in which Citroen would compete. The French auto maker won’t have a cross/utility vehicle to sell until next year.
Well-established generalists that don’t manufacture in Canada, such as Volkswagen AG and Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., sell about 30,000 units a year in the country.
Read full story here.

New peek at next SMART fortwo

Source: www.autoblog.com
Posted Sep 25th 2006 6:01PM by John Neff
Mercedes-Benz has decided to provoke our curiosity once again over the next generation SMART fortwo. We've already seen a sand sculpture of it, as well as some mysterious detail shots that promote Coke, but today SMART has released a pair of brand new renderings ahead of the Paris Motor Show at which the car will not debut. Word is it'll launch on its terms at a special event held later in the year. While little information is given about the new fortwo, SMART does say that it will be do everything the current fortwo can do – but a little better. That sounds to us like it will grow a smidge in a few key dimensions and feature a more powerful and efficient engine lineup. That is the trend these days, no?

Toronto smart car Meet

Date & Time: Thurs Oct 5, 2006, 6:30 pm
Place: Kelsey's Bar & Grill Address: 636 Dixon Road, Etobicoke
(401 & 427 - near Pearson Intl. Airport) Phone: 416-240 6932 Menu :http://www.kelseys.ca/full_menu_2006.pdf
To RSVP:http://www.clubsmartcar.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5899

Mercedes unveils 100% recyclable car

An "Eco-Roadster" from the Mercedes Advanced Design Studio in California will be one of the highlights at the LA Autoshow '07 competition.
The Mercedes-Roadster is named the "Recy" and looks like a wood carving. The car would be made out of wood, alloys, glass and rubber to make it 100 percent recyclable.
The form is to transfer the style of the legendary SL into the future. However the two-seater has only two peaks behind the passengers instead of a convertible top. A roof is not intended.
The goal with this competition according to the organizer was to make the vehicle and its driver experience a deep feeling with the environment and help protect it. Therefore the presented concepts consist of recyclable raw materials. The winner will be announced on November 30 at the LA Auto Show
View source.

Business smarts 23: Shlegel's Gymnastics Centre

Schlegel’s Gymnastics Centre Incorporated is committed to the provision of quality programs. Providing solely recreational programs to all age groups, Schlegel’s facility, curriculum and philosophy cater specifically to the recreational athlete.

Schlegel's Gymnastics Centre Inc.
220 Wyecroft Road, Unit 52
Oakville, Ontario L6K 3V1
Phone: 905-842-ELFS (3537)
Fax: 905-842-3539

Fuel-sipping Smart cars may rival hybrids:

Tiny vehicles carry driver, one passenger, a few grocery bags

Oct 01, 2006 (Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Business News via COMTEX) -- If everyone drove Mercedes' Smart cars, the line of vehicles at traffic lights would be only half as long and parking lots would hold twice as many cars.
A two-car garage would become a four-car garage. If you're still pressed for space, you could park one of these tiny cars on the front porch.
With fuel economy of about 50 to 60 miles per gallon, Smart cars could give hybrids a run for their money. And, unlike the hybrids, there are no expensive battery packs that eventually have to be replaced.
Now back to reality. While two of the micro cars could be squeezed into one parking space, there's only room inside for the driver, one passenger, and a few bags of groceries.
The Smart car is an odd vehicle. It's like a replacement for a motor scooter, but you're protected from the weather, said David Thomas with Cars.com, a Web site for automobile enthusiasts.
Read full article here.

Business smarts 22: Richard Shorney, REMAX Broker

Richard Shorney, Broker RRS
Aboutowne Realty Corp, Brokerage
67 Lakeshore Road West
Oakville, Ontario L6K 1C9

905 338 9000

Second Annual smart Centre Mississauga Meet

Edward Garcia and Justin Sookraj worked their magic with the weather and the crowd yesterday to host a very successful customer appreciation event at Hilton Falls Conservation Authority near Milton.
The 46 smart car owners and their kin enjoyed barbequed hotdogs -- including Yves Baverian the king of veggie dogs--soft drinks and freshly picked local apples. Lots of smart stuff was given away in their draw. Thank you Ed and Justin for making your smart customers feel valued.

Mercedes-Benz won't sell small car in U.S.

PARIS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler's premium brand Mercedes-Benz won't sell a small car in the United States even though consumers in the world's biggest car market are clamouring for fuel efficiency, a top Mercedes official said.
"In the U.S., Mercedes is perceived as a luxury car," Mercedes Car Group sales and marketing chief Klaus Maier told Reuters at the Paris car show, stressing his group did not want to dilute the brand by moving too far down market.
Maier said a 6-cylinder C-Class Mercedes-Benz -- a posh car in Europe -- was seen as an entry-level model for the brand in North America.
Exchange rates also play a role in the company's calculations. Mercedes originally dropped plans to market its German-made B-Class car in North America because the strong euro made sales there unattractive.
"You have to consider very carefully whether the investment to introduce the B-Class (in North America) would pay off," he said, pointing out that the car, launched in Europe last year, would be two years old by the time it reached America.
Mercedes does not sell its even smaller A-Class car in North America, although it will launch its two-seat Smart car in major U.S. cities in 2008.
Chrysler, the U.S. arm of the world's fifth-biggest carmaker, has been suffering from U.S. consumers' sudden aversion to inefficient light trucks and sport utility vehicles, on which it depends for the bulk of its sales and profits.
Chrysler has been negotiating with potential partners to build a subcompact model that it cannot afford to develop on its own and a decision is due by year's end.
It also is launching more fuel-efficient models in a bid to capture consumer demand and compete with Asian rivals whose more economical cars are in favour.
Maier ruled out selling a Mercedes-Benz model under the Chrysler brand in North America.
© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Car buyers get smart at Randallstown dealership

Baltimore Business Journal - 2:44 PM EDT Monday
by Stephanie Wentworth, Staff
Baltimore got a little smarter over the weekend.
Prestige Imports, a car dealership that focuses on imported and specialty vehicles, received its first shipment of so-called "smart cars" Sept. 23. Prestige is one of the first dealerships in Maryland to sell the tiny egg-shaped cars that have been popular in Europe since the late-1990s.
The Randallstown dealership said Monday it had received 30 smart cars that are selling for $27,900. The small two-seat vehicles are 8 feet long and 5 feet wide and resemble golf carts. The cars average 60 miles per gallon of gasoline, according to a news release.
Prestige Imports sold its first two cars to Neil and Deni Tabor, owners of Ashley Custom Homes in Hampden. The couple plans to have their company's logo and Web site painted on the car doors.
Daimler Chrysler began selling 30,000 smart cars in the United States during the third quarter. Company officials told Edmunds.com Inc., a vehicle information service, the car maker plans to increase production by 60,000 vehicles per year after its smart car debut.
View source.

smart car Helps Brampton Bloom

City of Brampton wins the 2006 National Communities in Bloom competition.

The civic pride and beautification competition isn't just about flowers. Communities are judged in a wide range of areas: tidiness effort, urban forestry, landscaped areas, floral displays, turf and groundcover areas, environmental awareness, heritage preservation, and community involvement. The annual spring and fall cleanups earned marks, as did the city's biodeisel fueled buses and Smart car/hybrid fleet for bylaw officers.

View source.

Media Release#: 06-057For Immediate Release - April 04, 2006
Little Blue Cars Help Keep Brampton Clean And Green
BRAMPTON- The City of Brampton this week has introduced the first of 16 Smart cars and hybrid vehicles driven by By-Law Enforcement officers and aimed at conserving fuel and reducing emissions.
“Local municipal governments must take a leadership role as the importance of climate protection escalates,” said Brampton Mayor Susan Fennell. "By using Smart cars and hybrid vehicles, the City of Brampton will avoid producing up to 32,000 kilograms of CO2, and ultimately save the taxpayer $13,000 in fuel cost savings this year alone."

Read full article here.

String Isetta

Hi Annette,
We're just back from a break in France - had a beautiful cottage in the Tarn, about 45 min from Toulouse. Went to Albi last Saturday where the attached was taking part in the Fete de la Patisserie - don't ask, but there was a huge amount of free cake!
The vehicle was charging about through the crowds. It has a cord-laced wirebody on a steel frame, and the driver sits outside, high at the back, and pedals and steers. At one point he had three large kids inside and two women on stilts sitting on the roof (again, don't ask), and was happily pedalling away, no sign of a sweat!
Great break, very restful, now back to a serious Rocket groundrush . . .
best wishes,
Peter

Sneak peek: 2007 smart fortwo

For more photos go to Leftlane News.
If you speak Dutch, read more on smartforum netherlands.

Business smarts 21: TransGlobe Property Management

TransGlobe Property Management is dedicated to property management with integrity. To us, that means providing all our clients with personal assistance, a professional atmosphere and a superior total property solution. We bring this dedication to all our dealings — and with more than a decade of management experience, and a portfolio that includes 16,000 apartments and over 4.5 million square feet of commercial space, that adds up to a lot of satisfied clients.

Push it to the limit

Photo by Ashley Camara
The Mississauga News
Suresh Joachim pushed a Mercedes-Benz smart car around Lake Aquitaine on the weekend in an attempt to break the world record for fastest time for pushing a vehicle one mile. He set a new mark of 35 minutes and 40 seconds. He also set a new world record, pushing the car more than 21 kilometres over a 24-hour period. Joachim, the holder of several unusual world records performed his latest stunt in Meadowvale to help promote this year's Terry Fox Run.

View source.

Ask Dr Z ? Not in Canada. Dreadful pity.

Is it Doctor Zee or Doctor Zed? Doesn't matter how you say it - he only takes questions from Americans. I visited the site and attempted to send a message but found when I tried to enter my address there is a pull down menu for "state" but not one for country.
You can watch the five commercials featuring DCX chairman Dr Dieter Zetsche and read "recent questions" but not ask anything unless you phreak it by entering a state and corresponding zip code.
The ad campaign launched July first of this year has been suspended as of September first.

Chrysler suspends Dr. Z ads; return in works Company will debut ten new vehicles as it braces for a $600 million third-quarter loss.
Josee Valcourt / The Detroit News
The mustachioed German pitchman that graced television screens as part of a two-month, $100 million Chrysler advertising campaign has been muted -- for now.
The Chrysler Group on Thursday suspended its Ask Dr. Z television and radio spots starring DaimlerChrysler AG Chairman Dieter Zetsche as it prepares to roll out new zero-percent financing offers for 72 months today.
The automaker is examining phase two of the brand-building Dr. Z campaign.
Well known in Detroit, Zetsche was introduced to the nation this summer in ads to tout to buyers that its cars and trucks have the best of American and German design and engineering.
The ads, which started airing July 1, generated plenty of discussion, both from those who liked the quirky commercials and critics who said they were ineffective or ill-conceived.
Read full report here.

Daimler Cuts Full-Year Profit Target on Chrysler Woes (Update7)

By Jeremy van Loon and Barbara Powell
Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) -- DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's fifth-largest carmaker, unexpectedly cut its full-year profit forecast because of a projected $1.5 billion loss at Chrysler in the U.S. in the third quarter. Its U.S. shares fell the most in more than four years.
For the full year, DaimlerChrysler will post an operating profit of about 5 billion euros ($6.3 billion) compared with an earlier forecast of more than 6 billion euros, the Stuttgart, Germany-based automaker said. Chrysler previously expected to lose as much as 500 million euros ($600 million) in the quarter.
-------------------
Zetsche, who starred in television ads as "Dr. Z.'' this summer to promote Chrysler vehicles, is also spending 3 billion euros to cut 15,000 jobs, including 8,500 at the Mercedes Car Group, which includes the unprofitable Smart car business. Mercedes lost its position as the world's largest maker of luxury cars to Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke [BMW] AG last year.
Read full report at source: bloomberg.com

ATV SMART Electric Vehicle in the UK

The AVT [Alternative Vehicle Technology] conversions include the robotized semi automatic gearbox and offer top speeds over 60 mph with a choice of three battery packs for different travel ranges. You can choose from two types of lithium ion battery packs or a lead acid pack: The smaller lithium ion pack allows you to drive for between 60 and 80 miles, the larger between 80 and 100 miles, or you can specify a lead acid battery pack for between 20 and 40 miles. With fuel prices currently so unstable now is the time to get smart and drive an AVT Smart EV.

VIDEO: Smart vs. Ferrari

Source: www.autoblog.com
Posted Sep 8th 2006 3:25PM by Damon Lavrinc
Peter Bee found the 60-ish horses available from his ForTwo inadequate for his daily duties (no, we have no idea what his duties entail) and sought the help of the British firm Z Cars to add a little boost to his compact commuter. Z Cars are the blokes that have the dastardly tendency of throwing R1 motors into classic Minis and they graciously accepted the challenge that Mr. Bee laid down. The result is a ForTwo equipped with a 180-hp GSXR1000 motor that can run the 1320 in 12.4 and reaches 60 in a few shakes above 4 seconds. What do you do with that kind of forward progression? Naturally you meet up with a Ferrari F430 and challenge it to a drag.

Go here to watch video of tuner smart car "Diablo" vs a Ferrari

2nd Annual ONE X ONE Benefit Gala hosted by Matt Damon raises millions

TORONTO, Sept. 11 /CNW/
- Founder of ONE X ONE, Joelle Berdugo Adler, announced today that the ONE X ONE Benefit gala last night was a resounding success raising over 2M dollars to financially assist earmarked charities.
Academy Award Winner Matt Damon hosted the 2nd Annual ONE X ONE with special guests Brad Pitt, Jeffrey Sachs, Penelope Cruz and many more.
As auctioneer, Matt Damon was able to raise $260,000 on one item - The Ocean's 13 Premiere in Los Angeles combined with an HP Home Entertainment package. Leveraging his friend Brad Pitt in order to create a bidding war, the sold out crowd of over 500 people from around the world were able to share in the excitement. Soon after, Wyclef Jean and the African Children's Choir wowed the crowd with Wyclef's own ONE X ONE improv set.
Another live auction item, a Smart Car signed by all the notables during the evening, was bid on and won by the auctioneer himself - Matt Damon. Live music performers played far into the night including Grammy Award Winner John Legend, ONE X ONE musical ambassadors and Juno Award winners Raine Maida and Chantal Kreviazuk, and Sam Roberts, to name a few.

Read full press release here.

What are all these fortwos doing in California?

Jalopnik reports that these photos, "were snapped, camera phone style, by reader Keith Cody of this Port Hueneme, CA loading dock".
What are they doing there? Are they ZAP imports or destined for Penske's UnitedAuto distributors?

AC/DC or sound business sense

Is this déjà vu all over again? I don't want to put the mockers on Project Kimber and their new AC smart sportscar, but haven't we been here before? A part of the world that is not known for car production [in this case Wales] is anxious to pony up taxpayers cash to attract a sports car manufacturer. Cue the Bricklin in New Brunswick, Canada. Cue the De Lorean in Northern Ireland. All we need is for the AC smart to be launched with gull-wing doors.
Project Kimber has only one chance to get it right. In short the existing smart sportscar failed because it looked a bit funny, lacked grunt and was too expensive. A bit of a hairdresser's car. We could add that Mercedes-Benz didn't really know what to do with it.
The new version needs to look drop-dead gorgeous, have more power and be priced more competitively from day one. For looks the Dodge Slingshot showcar would be a good place to start. Reports that the car will sell for £13,000 are encouraging but watch that price creep up as time goes by.
By the way does anyone remember the Gilbern? RLT

Roadster Re-launch

Project Kimber news 31st August 2006
STATEMENT ON PROGRESS FROM PROJECT KIMBER
Project Kimber is pleased to confirm that it has secured an exclusive option which will allow the re-branded and re-engineered smart roadster to be re-launched under the world-famous marque of AC.
This has been agreed with the owners of the AC sports car brand, Acedes Holdings, LLC, and provides a sub-licence for ongoing use together with the option of an acquisition at a later date.
If this option is triggered it will not affect the production of any product manufactured through Acedes Holdings, LLC, producers of classic AC models. The option is subject only to a successful closing of Project Kimber’s funding.
The Welsh Assembly Government announced at the London Motor Show in July that it had made a conditional offer "in principle" to Project Kimber of regional aid. A number of possible assembly locations in South Wales are now being studied. Wales's economic circumstances allow it to grant the maximum funding permitted under European Union rules for regional assistance.
Read full report here.

British Firm Converts Mini Cooper to Hybrid

Source: Treehugger [Sep 03, 2006]
SYNOPSIS: The PML Mini QED supports an all-electric range of 200-250 miles and has a total range of about 932 miles (1,500 km).
A British engineering firm has put together a high-performance hybrid version of BMW's Mini Cooper. The PML Mini QED has a top speed of 150 mph, a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds. The car uses a small gasoline engine with four 160 horsepower electric motors — one on each wheel. The car has been designed to run for four hours of combined urban/extra urban driving, powered only by a battery and bank of ultra capacitors. The QED supports an all-electric range of 200-250 miles and has a total range of about 932 miles (1,500 km). For longer journeys at higher speeds, a small conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) is used to re-charge the battery. In this hybrid mode, fuel economies of up to 80mpg can be achieved.

Penske

Ramona Home Journal & Julian Journal
By Johnny McDonald

The incomparable Roger Penske is a remarkable businessman. Maybe he should run for president.
I knew him well several years ago, talking to him at Riverside International Raceway in 1962 after he scored a controversial victory in a Canadian-American Challenge race.
The rules called for a two-seat body and his was more like a single-seat formula machine. He won that argument and has been winning somewhere ever since.
Most will identify him with his race cars, winners of 14 Indianapolis 500's. Away from the track, he is in partnership with General Electric and serves as chairman of United Auto Group Inc., a consortium of 173 U.S. car dealerships and 123 non-U.S. stores.
He tops all that off with a new venture, as an importer and U.S. sales chief for Daimler Chrysler's new two-seat Smart Car.
It's a far cry from his position along the Indy pit wall wearing headsets.
View source.

Canadian light vehicle sales rise 7.8 per cent in August to 153,638

TORONTO (CP) - Light vehicle sales in Canada rose 7.8 per cent in August to 153,638 from 142,537 in same month a year ago, according to data compiled by DesRosiers Automotive Consultants.
Sales of passenger cars improved 4.2 per cent to 82,245, while purchases of light trucks, including minivans, sport utility vehicles and pickups, grew 12.3 per cent to 71,393. "August quite frankly surprised us," Dennis DesRosiers wrote Tuesday in his monthly commentary on auto sales."August sales of 153,638 units was by a long shot the most vehicles ever purchased in August ... the previous record was August 2002 when sales were 148,100 units."
Ford of Canada (NYSE:F) clawed back market share as it sold 21,266 cars in the month, up 28.6 per cent from a year ago when it sold just 16,531. The U.S. automaker also increased its year-to-date market share to 14.7 per cent, up from 13.7 per cent in 2005.
DaimlerChrysler Canada (NYSE:DCX) also increased sales 13.1 per cent to 20,252 units.
However General Motors of Canada (NYSE:GM) sales were down 4.5 per cent from 38,766 to 37,012 in August.
Toyota Canada, meanwhile, increased sales 16.2 per cent with 17,865, up from 15,372 a year ago. Toyota's year-to-date market share also improved to 11.6 per cent from 10.3 per cent.
Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, saw its sales increase 34.9 per cent to 1,001, up from 742 a year ago.
Meanwhile, GM's market share fell 2.8 percentage points to 25.9 per cent, according to DesRosiers figures. DaimlerChrysler slipped to 13.8 per cent from 14 per cent in 2005.
Honda sales were flat at 15,579 compared with 15,578 last year with a 8.4 per cent market share. Its premium Acura brand improved to 2,238, up from 2,103 a year ago.
Volkswagen Canada sales totalled 3,623, up 12.4 per cent from a year ago, while VW's premium Audi unit booked an 4.2 per cent gain to 663.
BMW sales were up 20.5 per cent at 1,755, Mercedes-Benz was up 18.5 per cent at 1,149 and Porsche was down 1.3 per cent at 157. Among other low-volume makers, Subaru gained 10.4 per cent to 1,438, Saab was down 15.6 per cent at 248 and sales of the tiny Smart car flat at 288.

New Smart ForTwo rises from the sand

Posted Sep 5th 2006 1:52PM by Damon Lavrinc
Many people maintain that each person is imbued with a talent that sets them apart from the rest. For Russian born Pavel Zasanyok, that gift has won him three sand sculpting world championships and when Smart wanted an inventive way to show off their newest ForTwo, DaimlerChrysler tapped him. Although Smart's newest city-car offering has been veiled in a cloak of secrecy, the sand architect got specifics from both the company and a matchbox-sized model. This, and other advertising ploys, is all in an effort to stir up excitement before the launch of the new ForTwo later this year.
While it may not be the most lightweight of materials, we can't help but wonder what our own hidden talent may be. Maybe we should reexamine this whole blog thing and explore our first love of Magnum P.I. inspired dioramas.

For more pictures go here.

Suzuki's Project Splash, Swift Sport headed to Paris

Posted Aug 14th 2006 9:08AM by Alex Nunez
Next month in Paris, Suzuki will be unveiling the Project Splash concept (they're calling it a "clinic model") , a modern-looking-tall-bodied hatchback based on the Swift subcompact. The Splash will show off a new 1.2-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine and seat five passengers.Suzuki is keeping the rest of the info about Project Splash to itself for the time being, though they did release a design sketch (above). With the big shield grille, wide, thin headlamps, and downward-sloping roofline, we're seeing what appears to be some Audi Q7 influences. The car offers us a peek at the direction Suzuki's taking with an upcoming model, so we're very interested in seeing the finished product.
For more read full post here.

Christine Wilcox's smart car looks friendly and is especially nice to your wallet

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian
Smart? That's the question Christine Wilcox's father wanted her to pose on her license plate after she bought a European-built, bread box-sized smart car. “But they don't do question marks on license plates,” Wilcox says.
So she settled for a plate that reads 𔄝 X 8,” the dimensions, in feet, of her tiny ride. It's so small the company that makes them doesn't even bother putting a capital letter on the car's name. That, evidently, would take up too much room.
First, the things a smart car is not:
- It is not a hybrid.
- It is not electric.
- You do not pedal it (as you do many of the modes of transportation offered by ZAP, the California company that imports smart cars and refits them to meet American standards).
- Oh, and it is not big.
But you figured that out already. Still, the two-seat interior of the eye-catching automobile is surprisingly roomy. And the gas-powered engine delivers 50 miles per gallon, an especially nice feature given Montana's high gas prices.
The 60-horsepower, three-cylinder turbo engine is mounted under the small hatchback area at the rear of the car. Wilcox, who is from Missoula, was just finishing two years of living in Spain when the smart car hit the European market in 1998. She instantly fell in love with the little thing. “People say it's so great, I'm being so fuel-efficient,” Wilcox says. “But the reality is I've wanted it forever. I'm not trying to be an environmental wonder woman. I got it because I wanted one.”
Read full article here.

Fun at the Phoenix & Firkin

Club smart car Toronto group met last night at the Phoenix & Firkin on Sheppard near the DVP.
Chatted about smarts, driving, market research and teaching over dinner. Discussed ways of encouraging more smart drivers to come out to Toronto events.
Above: Buttercup arriving in Fireball- photo by Spinner.