Dallas Smart Car Dealer

The Smart fortwo BRABUS ED Hits The Streets

admin — Fri, 08 May 2009 22:28:44 +0000

It’s 11pm and I’m in London. A quiet night, few cars out and as I cross an empty street on the way to a pub, I hear an almost inaudible whirring sound. Next thing I know a car is barely 5 feet its horn blaring and a pissed off driver telling me to “get my bloody arse off the street”.
Sheepishly I crossed not before I heard the driver (a woman) mutter “wanker” at me. I was dumbfounded. Not because of the insult but rather because I’ve just seen my first Smart fortwo BRABUS ED or electric drive.
Couple of minutes later, I parked a few feet away from the pub I see the ED that almost ran me down. On closer inspection I see that the wider door frames, a melon green paint job, Monoblock light alloy wheels and what can only be daytime running lights. On the inside I noticed the color scheming has improved. There’s new upholstery in matte green and the instrument panel/cockpit is accentuated in matt silver and brown leather.
Available this year in Europe and 2010 in the US, Smart fortwo BRABUS ED customers can choose between a cabriolet and coupe. Powered by a 30 kilowatt magneto-electric motor, the ED has a top speed of 75mph and a maximum range of 70 miles on a single charge. A recharge of its lithium-ion batteries takes between 2-4 hours and full charge is achieved in 8 hours when plugged into a standard 220 volt socket. Quicker than its gas powered brother which has twice the horses under the bonnet, the ED can go from 0-30mph in 6.5 seconds.
The ED has no manual transmission to speak of. There are 3 positions on the selector level- N for Neutral, R for Reverse and D for Drive. In reverse mode, the polarity of the motor is simply, well, reversed.

Is it really smart to get a Brabus?

admin — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 04:36:20 +0000

The latest flagship of Smart, the Brabus is a fortwo that got a makeover. An extreme makeover. Sure its 1.0-liter 3-cylinder Fortwo remains unchanged at 70 hp but it did get these:
Outside
Improved 5 speed automated manual transmission
BRABUS sports suspension
BRABUS “Monoblock VII” alloy wheels (front tires: 175/55 R 15; rear tires: 215/35 R 17)
Tire pressure monitoring system
The double “B” BRABUS emblem on the fuel fill door
BRABUS name on the door frame
BRABUS front skirt and side skirt
BRABUS sport exhaust system
Inside
Electric Power Steering
Dashboard instruments
Heated leather seats
BRABUS sports pedals in matte brushed aluminum with rubber surface
BRABUS velour floor mats
Tachometer
Locking fuel filler door
Trip Computer
The Smart Brabus Coupe even comes with a glass panoramic roof. The new sports suspension system lowers the car by 10mm. This coupled with its sports exhaust system gives the Brabus a sportier look and sound. Perhaps the most important addition or improvements are the upgrades to the 5-speed automated manual transmission which improved shift quality.
On a whim, I took the BRABUS cabriolet and I found it a definite improvement to the regular Fortwo however the ride was a bit hard, most probably due to the ultra low profile tires. Speaking of tires, in tight turns, the wider sets of tires at the rear gave an additional feeling of stability and control as compared to the “regular” Passion.
The BRABUS comes out in two versions. MSRP for the 2009 smart fortwo BRABUS coupe starts at $17,990 and the BRABUS cabriolet is at $20,990. So is it really smart to get a BRABUS?

What is the Smart fortwo Brabus?

admin — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 03:07:41 +0000

The Smart fortwo Brabus is the flagship of the fortwo line. There are two versions, the coupe and cabriolet. Brabus, long time partner of Mercedes, has now teamed up with Smart to produce the Smart fortwo Brabus Exclusive.
A standard base Passion Coupe has an MSRP of $13,990. The Brabus Coupe starts at $17,990 while a Passion Cabriolet’s MSRP is $16,990 and the Brabus version starts at $20,990. So what do you get for the extra 4,000 clams? Imagine a Passion Coupe or Passion Cabriolet that got an extreme makeover.
It still has the 3 cylinder, 12 valve 1.0 liter but Brabus gave it a new engine management system which increased the Passions’ power from 71hp to 98hp. Brabus also installed a sports suspension system that lowers the car by 10mm, sports exhaust system, front, rear and side skirts in the cars’ exterior color. You also get Monoblock VII 6 spoke alloy wheels (the rear wheels are 2 inches wider than the regular coupe and cabriolet).
On the inside, heated leather seats, a 3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with steering wheel shift paddles with a leather gear knob and sports pedals in matte brushed aluminum with rubber surface. Sadly there still isn’t a spare tire.
Top speed is regulated at 95mph and 0-60mph in 9.9 seconds. That irritating jerk between gear ratios is still there but I noticed that if you take your foot of the throttle between shifts you get smoother transition. Definitely no S class here folks. The ultralow profile tires and the sports suspension system gave it a more firm to the point of hard ride.
Overall, the extra power is great but I’m still undecided if I’d dole out the extra cash just to make my Passion cuter.

Cheapest Car On The Market?

admin — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 15:01:47 +0000

Kind of low on the budget but really want a new car? At $11,590 MSRP, the Smart car is probably the cheapest on the market.

Now having said this, don’t expect the luxury of a Beamer or an MB.

The Smart is a tiny 2 seater powered by a 1.0, inline 3 cylinder engine that produces a mind boggling 70 hp.

It has 4-wheel ABS traction and stability control, it does not have a satellite radio, nor does it have a head airbag or satellite navigation or a trip computer or compass. Hey what did you expect?

On the good side, it is a head turner-it’s cute.

Fuel economy is over the top at 33 city, 41 highway and 36 combined. You get 282 miles on a full tank. It’s good enough in traffic and from getting from point A to point B and that’s about it.

Parking the Smart is easy and the seats are very comfortable.

Ride wise, shifting gears is verrry slow and you and your passenger will know it or rather feel it. Handling leaves a lot to be desired and I wouldn’t take it out on an open road with crosswinds much less take it up to its max speed.

Overall, you get what you paid for. It’s good for in city use and that’s just about it.

What is Smart?

admin — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 23:44:46 +0000

Smart is a joint venture between Mercedes Benz and Swatch (yes the watch).

It started way back in the 90’s and here in the US the first Smart car was offered to the American public in January of 2008.

Currently there are three models available for sale: the smart fortwo coupe, the smart fortwo passion coupe and the smart fortwo passion cabriolet.

All three models are equipped with the same 3 cylinder, 12 valve 1.0 liter 70 horsepower engine.

The same 5-speed automated manual transmission and the same 9 spoke alloy wheels. Gas consumption is also identical-33mpg for city driving and 41mpg highway.

The differences lie in the level of appointments of each model.

For example, the roof: the Pure has a Solid roof, the Passion a Panorama roof and the cabriolet a fully automatic convertible top.

The Pure doesn’t have a radio but does have a provision for installing one.

The Passion comes with a Smart radio while the Cabriolet comes with a factory installed Smart premium radio and Smart sound system.

Overall, for simply just getting from point A to point B in the city, it will serve its purpose.

See one today at your local Smart Car dealer

The Smart Car is well worth the wait

admin — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 19:30:29 +0000

Daimler Mercedes-Benz has received more than 30,000 reservations for its Smart Car.

The Smart car is used widely throughout Europe, and was recently introduced into the American market.

It gets 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.

The 8 gallon capacity gas tank goes a long way.

The 1,800 pound car has a steel safety cage and four standard air bags to protect passengers.

It has received the highest rating of good in front-end and side-impact testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Bumper to bumper, it’s 104 inches long. A Cadillac Escalade, by comparison, measures nearly 223 inches long.

With a waiting list more than 30,000 reservations the Smart Car landed on forbesautos.com’s “Most Coveted” list.

Considering the safety and economy features, even with the wait there is no reason to hold off checking out the Smart Car.

2009 Smart Car Changes.

admin — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:43:48 +0000

Less than a year has passed since the Smart ForTwo became available in the United States.
Approximately 14,000 smarts have been delivered to date.

The 2009 smart ForTwo is scheduled to arrive November 2008.

A small number of changes have been reported.

These will include two new exterior colors

Rally Red will be replacing the 2008 models yellow
Metallic Gray will replace the current “Red Metallic” option.

Smart will be offering a more intense red interior color option to match the exterior “Rally Red”.

Door storage areas will be netting that gives a more flexible and larger storage area.

A “Loose Gas Cap” indicator light has been added to the instrument panel.

You can now choose between the panoramic roof or a solid roof at no extra charge.

Prices for the 2009 Smart Cars have not yet been confirmed but expect a 2 to 3 percent increase.

Keep your eyes open for the 2009 Smart ForTwo.

Start Stop Systems on the Smart ForTwo

admin — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 15:34:36 +0000

Stop-start systems will be made standard on the Smart ForTwo range from September, with a diesel variant due next February. An electric version is planned for 2010.

Start/stop systems switch off the internal combustion engine if the vehicle is stationary—for example in traffic jams or at red traffic lights.

Since the start of production in 2007, Bosch has suppled half a million starter-based start/stop systems to BMW and MINI.

Additional vehicle manufacturers (including SMART) have decided to use this technology, according to Bosch, and are planning roll-outs within the next few months.

Depending on the vehicle concerned, start/stop systems save up to 5% in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and produce correspondingly less CO₂. In the urban part of the NEDC, the reduction in consumption and emissions is as much as 8%.

A specially adapted starter is the central component of the Bosch Smart Electronic Start-Stop System.

Get current pricing on Smart Cars.

A great car for what it was intended to do

admin — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:55:50 +0000

A great car for what it was intended to do

Pros: Comfy seats, Safety features, easy parking in urban areas, handling
Cons: no remote start or cruise control available, 91 octane gas requirement

Ride is very tight on the bumps but corners remarkably well.
Roominess inside is suprisingly well thought out.
Not much room for cargo but plenty for a Six foot One Inch, 215 pound man.

The NASCAR cage design explains why it did so well in the crash testing
You can easily fit into the parking spaces that all the other cars will have had to have passed up on.
It is nice to have the option to drive it in manual mode when you want to.
Radio/CD player is decent but no bluetooth option on it for the cell phone.
Recommended options
Definately order one with the Heated leather seat/ lighting, etc. option. It is well worth the extra money.
Also order the fog lights and alarm from the factory since It is hards to find on the order form.
The huge glass sunroof and wide windows give you a fantastic view when driving and the excellent headlight design makes for easier night driving.
Overall, this car will exceed your expectations.

How Many Smart Car Models Are There?

admin — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:42:26 +0000

Intelligent Americans wanting fuel efficiency and environmental compatibility can immediately get a price quote on the Smart vehicle of their dreams. Qualified dealers are waiting to vie for your business and will provide you with free up-front and competitive smart car prices. These network partners will give you a fast cost quote on that new Smart Fortwo or other hard-to-find car.

All 2008 smart fortwos come packed with standard safety features that are more likely to be found in luxury vehicles.

The base pure model comes standard with these features

5-speed automated manual transmission with manual or automatic mode
central remote locking system
2-spoke leather steering wheel
radio-ready console

The Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe includes

Panorama roof
Alloy wheels
Air conditioning with climate control
3-spoke leather sports steering wheel with shift paddles
Power windows
Electric and heated side mirrors
AM/FM radio with CD player

The Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet

Smart Fortwo Passion Cabriolet has all the features of the passion coupe.

The main difference lies in the soft top with a heated rear glass window.

It also has an upgraded radio and sound system that includes an mp3 compatible, in-dash, 6-disk CD changer.