Jalopnik: Smart

This Is Not A Smart Car

Patrick Frawley — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:30:00 EST

Car ownership is supposed to be a matter of some self-identity and pride. A good ride is an extension of your personality, a face to show a mechanized world. Add in a personalized license plate and you expect your car to speak your truth. More »

Smart Hauls A Tiny Pickup Truck Onto The Detroit Auto Show Floor

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST

This is the "truck" that will save Smart in America. Stop laughing. Yes, it's just a concept car, but the Smart For-Us stands to recast the American standard pickup truck as an urban, green vehicle for fun couples. Seriously, stop laughing. More »

This Smart car may be the world's smallest food truck

Justin Berkowitz — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EDT

Austin, Texas — home of the University of Texas, Matthew McConaughey, and the world's largest urban bat colony — may now add to its accolades that it hosts the world's smallest food truck. More »

Watch two Smart cars play a giant game of Pong

Justin Hyde — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 13:40:00 EDT

What more perfect illustration can there be of the non-usefulness of the Smart EV than Smart's own Frankfurt Motor Show display with two cars designed to be the paddles in a giant game of Jumbotron Pong? More »

Your ridiculously not-awesome matte black Smart is here

Justin Hyde — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 14:30:00 EDT

Matte black paint and wrap jobs can make high-end sports car look ominous. The same techniques applied to a Smart ForTwo falls a little ... flat. Hat tip to Tentacle! More »

Smart car, dumb Mel Gibson create best celebrity photo ever

Justin Hyde — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:30:00 EDT

In this episode of "True Hollywood Stories," Oscar-winner Mel Gibson revives his career by stumbling outside a Malibu restaurant into an instant iconic pose for a paparazzo. Cheers to you, Mel. Have a glass of Manischewitz on us. More »

Kobe Bryant's Chinese Smart Car crime-stopping adventure

Justin Hyde — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 16:00:00 EDT

L.A. Lakers star Kobe Bryant hasn't come close to Michael Jordan's record of corporate endorsements, but as this Chinese ad for Smart shows, he's honing the necessary skills, such as Beijing-quality stunt driving and one-handed nailing of art thieves. More »

Smart Forspeed Concept not actually for speed

Matt Hardigree — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:30:00 EST

The new Smart Forspeed Concept's a tiny electric car incapable of going faster than 75 mph and accelerates to just 37 mph in 5.5 seconds. Forspeed? More like forshame. More »

L.A. Design Challenge: Your Future Electric Rickshaw Awaits

Justin Hyde — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:30:00 EDT

For the annual design challenge at this year's L.A. Auto Show, nine automakers were challenged to design a four-passenger vehicle of the future weighing 1,000 lbs. or less. Here's the rickshaws automakers think next-gen light cars will look like. More »

Smart to sell rebadged Nissan Micra in the U.S.

Ray Wert — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 09:40:00 EDT

Speaking of not-so-smart small car brand bastardization... Smart's going to sell a rebadged Nissan ~~Versa~~ Micra in the U.S. [AutoWeek] More »

This Is Why People Think Smart ForTwo Drivers Are Asshats

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EDT

The Smart Fortwo is small enough to park two to a space, which makes a ForTwo taking up two spaces in Portugal a particularly exceptional example of asshattery. This tiny car may be driven by the biggest asshat yet. More »

When In Rome, Keep Your Smart Crocheted

Peter Orosz — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EDT

We’ve come a long way from Pope Benedict XVI’s Ferrari Enzo. Photographed in Vatican City, this crocheted Smart is more Rastafari than Catholic. Which doesn’t make it uncool. At all. Photo Credit: StartTheDay More »

IIHS: Small Electric Cars And Minitrucks Suck In Crashes

Matt Hardigree — Thu, 20 May 2010 11:00:00 EDT

Small vehicles like the GEM e2 and Tiger minitruck advertise low cost and efficiency, but the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety thinks they shouldn't share the road with regular vehicles. Here's the dramatic test footage to back up their point. More »

Yeah, This Isn't Very Smart

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 04 May 2010 15:30:00 EDT

There are many problems with the US-spec Smart Fortwo. Barely hitting Honda Civic-level fuel economy and trash can interior storage space are two. This driver solved that little problem with a car topper not fit for the car. (Thanks Michael) More »

Ice-Road Truckin' In A Smart ForTwo

Paul Shippey — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:00:00 EDT

Paul Shippey drove a Smart ForTwo across Canada's Dempster Highway, one of the roads featured in Ice Road Truckers and the only all-weather road into the Arctic Circle. This is his crazy story, which originally appeared on Wired.com. —Ed. More »

Get Smart for $18,000

graverobber — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST

Are you smarter than a 5th grader? Well, if you think so, Nice Price or Crack Pipe wants to know if a renegade roadster will make the grade. More »

New Smart Marketing Mini-Site Weird, Occasionally NSFW

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:00:00 EST

What do a naked man, a bloodhound, two guys dressed as hot dogs and the Smart Fortwo have in common? They're all on a new Smart mini-site that is anything but normal. More »

Jalopnik's Worst10 Cars Of The Decade

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST

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As we approach the end of the decade, it's time to look back. To start, say hello to Bad: Unless you hate yourself, hate your money, or simply enjoy life too much, here's ten cars you shouldn't be driving. More »

Ten Worst Cars To Have Sex In

John Krewson — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:30:00 EDT

Earlier this week, the masculoids at Ask Men released their list of the ten best cars to have sex in — complete with positions. After careful deliberation we're prepared to warn you off these ten worst, complete with reasons. More »

Greek Wildfires Claim Lives Of Numerous Cars

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 16:00:00 EDT

Amazingly, there have been no deaths in the wildfires that erupted on the outskirts of Athens, Greece. The only casualties so far have been automobiles, but we still weep. Can you help us identify the bodies below? More »

The Right Way to Drive a Smart Car at the Woodward Dream Cruise

Peter Orosz — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:00 EDT

While the Smart is a road car, the Woodward Dream Cruise is definitely not where it was designed to travel. There is, however, a way to pull off the most unlikely trick of cruising in one here. More »

Latest Dutch Craze: Tossing Smart ForTwos Into A Canal

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:30:00 EDT

Thought you and your friends in high school were funny when you turned old Mr. Johnson's Beetle sideways in its spot? Well brother, you have nothing on the hooligans tossing defenseless parked Smart ForTwos into Amsterdam's canals. More »

Smart ForTwo EV Going On Sale In UK, Testing In Other Euro Cities

Ben Wojdyla — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:15:00 EDT

The Smart ForTwo EV has made it through fleet testing and because of the popular response will now be available in limited numbers for public sale. It's still tiny and expensive, but now even slower! More »

Smart To Offer U.S. Buyers Incentives For First Time

Ray Wert — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:15:00 EDT

With low sales due partly to relatively lower fuel prices, Smart plans to offer U.S. ForTwo buyers incentives for the first time, starting with 4.2% financing for loans of up to 60 months. Next they'll try free fuzzy dice. [AutoNews] More »

Stillborn Smart "ForMore" SUV Concept Found In Shed

Wes Siler — Mon, 04 May 2009 17:45:00 EDT

Ever wondered what the SmartUV would have looked like? Well here it is. Luckily, Smart chose to stick with making crappy small cars instead of crappy slightly bigger ones. More »

Brabus Roadster Coupé: The Daily Driver of the Man Who Designed the McLaren F1

Peter Orosz — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:00:00 EDT

The REVA G-Wiz is tiny indeed but not very cool. How about something a hair larger but with a lot more style and power. Like maybe the Brabus Roadster Coupé. More »

What’s the Point of Urban Microcars?

Peter Orosz — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 09:30:00 EDT

Remember the REVA G-Wiz pitted in an uneven fight against the Ariel Atom? The Atom may be the cooler car but when it comes to parking, the G-Wiz triumphs. More »

IIHS Small Car Test: Three Gruesome Slow-Motion Crash Videos

Ben Wojdyla — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 17:00:00 EDT

This morning's IIHS report on the shocking finding that little cars don't take well to colliding, at speed, with bigger cars? Now we have the crash videos. Let's take a look at all three below. More »

Daimler car2go Smart Car Rental Program Launching In Austin This Fall

Ben Wojdyla — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EDT

Daimler has announced plans for a short term rental program hitting Austin, Texas in the fall called car2go. Users will get street-side or reservation access to parked Smart ForTwos. More »

The BatSmart Is As Silly As It Sounds

Ben Wojdyla — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EDT

"Hey, why not make a Batmobile out of a Smart ForTwo?" This obviously inspired-by-narcotics statement is what created this: The BatSmart. More »

Tesla To Supply Battery Packs For The Smart EV

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST

We've just learned Tesla will support its troubled business by building 1,000 Smart EV battery packs and chargers for Mercedes. More »

Honda Gets Smart With Scooter Ad

The Auto Insider — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:40:00 EST

A Miami ad student's created a print advertisement for Honda's 50cc Metropolitan scooter and we’ve got to say, it’s pretty smart. More »

2009 Green Car Of The Year Finalists Announced

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 14:40:00 EDT

What's a dog-and-pony show without some kind of award? At this year's LA Auto Show they'll be awarding Green Car Journal's fourth Green Car of the Year Award to one of five finalists. The competitors this year are the yet-to-be-unveiled 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the BMW 335d, Saturn Vue 2-Mode Hybrid, Smart Fortwo and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. The winner will be announced at a November 20th press conference, and we know which one we'll be pulling for - the 2010 Ford Mustang. Complete details, if you're into that kind of thing, below. More »

Gordon Murray's T25 City Car Revealed... Sort Of

Mark Arnold — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EDT

This is the first time we've seen the T25 city car from Gordon Murray Design in three dimensions, though we still can't really tell what it will look like, since it's been neatly wrapped up in a shiny package. It's no secret that Murray, the man behind the legendary McLaren F1, has been obsessed with creating a revolutionary micro car. Planned as a 2012 model, the T25 is clearly a return to a car that's truly small as it's comparable in size to a classic Mini or Fiat 500. By comparison, the modern BMW Mini and new Fiat 500 look absolutely massive. We'd be interested to see it parked next to a Smart ForTwo. More from the mastermind himself after the jump. More »

Lorinser Smart ForTwo Turbo Is Fun Until Your Friends Find Out

Mark Arnold — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 15:40:00 EDT

During our first drive of the 2008 Smart ForTwo we enjoyed its small size in the big city, but we would have really enjoyed some extra power. This Lorinser-tuned ForTwo may not be a sports car in the traditional sense, but with 101 HP from its turbocharged 3-cylinder, it's a nice improvement over the stock mill. However, even though the car weighs just 1700 lbs, 0-62 MPH still takes almost 10 seconds, likely due in part to the sluggish semi-automatic gearbox. Sure, you get a Lorinser body kit and some spiffy rims, but we'd still rather just build ourselves a 'Busa Smart. Humorous ESL press release after the jump. More »

Already-Revealed Electric Smart Revealed At Paris Motor Show

Ben Wojdyla — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:20:00 EDT

At the end of 2007, Smart leased 100 smart twofours equipped with electric drive in London for a pilot project to gain real-world experience with electric drive. But here, at the Paris Motor Show, is the first time Smart's brought it to the auto show stage. So, here it is — an electric drive Smart fourtwo that's almost commonplace on the streets of London revealed at an auto show for the first time. How's THAT for an exclusive? Hit the jump for the full press release and a picture describing how the electric drive works. If you think it looks familiar, it should — it's basically the same way the electric drive on a golf cart works. Heck, it's about the same size. More »

Electric Smart Fortwo Undergoing Real-World Tests In London

Matt Hardigree — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:15:27 EDT

Though not yet available to the public, Daimler has released a few copies of their electric Smart Fortwo to agencies and companies around Britain for some real-world testing. Don't be surprised if you're cruising around Islington only to find yourself apprehended by a bobby in a juiced-up Smart car, though you can try to escape by driving further than the car's 72-mile range. If you can get the cops to run out of power that'll give you an eight-hour jump on them. Drivers of the vehicles have access to free electricity in certain parts of the city and free or discounted parking in London. If it's good enough for Shaq it's probably good enough for some dude named Yorrick. Press release below the jump. More »

Having No Back Seats Can Be Smart

Mark Arnold — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 15:30:00 EDT

While we know firsthand that you can fit more than two people in a Smart ForTwo, there really isn't enough room in the back to sit comfortably... or hide discreetly. Smart acknowledges this, and sees it as a good thing. After absorbing the scare tactics featured in this banned commercial, we sort of agree. More »

Toyota iQ Spotted, Gary Sinise Hiding In Back Seat?

Mark Arnold — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:20:00 EDT

With gas prices the way they are, everyone's thinking about getting a car that's smart. But not everyone likes the Smart. So, for those seeking a Japanese alternative to Europe's favorite sub-subcompact, the super number one best awesome automaker from the Land of the Rising Sun has got just the car for you. These latest shots of the upcoming Toyota iQ show several passengers riding in the 3+1 seating configuration, and they actually look fairly comfortable. More »