Differences Between US and European Smart Cars
The Smart Car company was formed by Daimler-Benz and Swatch in 1993, and began to produce micro-cars from its Biel, Switzerland, plant in 1998 with the aim of selling compact, fuel-efficient and ergonomically useful cars for the city drivers of Europe, and then the world.
Other People Are Reading
-
The Smart ForTwo USA
-
The Smart ForTwo is as it sounds, a coupe designed for two passengers in a tiny, ergonomically designed and surprisingly comfortable space.
In the U.S. market, the Smart ForTwo comes in five versions (Pure Coupe, Passion Coupe/Passion Cabrio, BRABUS Coupe/Cabrio) all with the standard 1.0L 70hp, 3-cyl engine and a smart shift transmission. The starting MSRPs range from $11,990 to $20,990 as of October, 2010.
The Smart ForTwo Europe
-
In Europe, the main appeal of the Smart ForTwo is the tiny size of the car, a feature that allows drivers to park nose-in on public streets thus finding a spot where for others, there is none.
The European version of the Smart ForTwo is available with a 1.0L 3-cyl, micro-hybrid gasoline engine with 71bhp, a 54bhp turbo-diesel and a turbo petrol engine only available in the BRABUS model. Interior options are in line with those of the U.S. version. The MSRP in E.U. nations ranges from about $12,100 to $22,620 as of October, 2010.
-
The ForFour
-
A second, larger version of the Smart was sold in Europe from 2004 to 2006 before being pulled from the market due to low sales.The Smart ForFour has not yet been brought to the U.S. market, although the company has announced plans to do so in the 2013-2014 model year. The new version of the ForFour will have a new body style and should be available with a full electric engine.
-
References
- Photo Credit small_car image by Marc Dubus from Fotolia.com
