Happy Birthday Smart Car

Smart Car

Smart Car has been on sale in the US for one year!  This nifty car was originally introduced at the Paris Motor Show in 1998 developing from initial sketches and design studio efforts in 1993.   Smart production began with the watch people Swatch who ultimately need the cooperation, guidance and capital of Mercedes Benz to bring the project forward to today. 

There are many great photos that show this ultimate small vehicle in all sorts of places that you would not expect.  Smart is about the size of a typical golf car but it can travel with freeway traffic and gets a lot of miles per gallon.  It is also a definite smile statement type of vehicle.  Maybe it is the size, maybe color coordination between body panels and safety frame, or maybe a statement about being concerned for environment and society.

Smart 50 City Tour

Automotive great Roger Penske brought the Smart Car to the US and the car went on sale a year ago.  Penske’s United Auto Group is handling matters and has about 70 dealers across the country.  Bringing the Smart to the US was a business decision that seemed to make sense several years before in the planning phase.  Smart was introduced across the US in a novel 50 city road show.

Smart does get good fuel mileage.  Reference to the Federal fuel economy site  www.fueleconomy.gov reveals the smart gets an average EPA MPG of 36 combined between 33 city and 41 highway.  Smart provides a lot of MPG for the money along with a lot of smiles.  If you are really into fuel mileage and spend some extra time on the fuel economy site you will find there is a link for Market Class which expands into 14 categories.  Smart is found under Small Cars and in the automotive dictionary Smart will be found in the Micro Car category

Happy Birthday Smart USA

Web site information -- www.fueleconomy.gov - USDOE - USEPA