FiestaST
Honorary Master
Should You Buy a Smart Roadster? (Test Drive & Review) - High Peak Autos
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Question of the Day: Main reasons you wouldn't get an EV?
New Smart fortwo & forfour
- Thread starter FiestaST
- Start date
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
I Fixed My Dead Car For Free Using A Jumper Cable And A Crowbar
The little Smart Fortwo now runs and drives once again!
A few weeks ago, I told you the story about how one of my many Smart Fortwos seemingly died after sitting for over a year caked up in Tennessee mud. I’m now happy to say that it not just starts and runs, but it drives! I fixed it with desperation and whatever I had laying around. In this case, that happened to be a crowbar and a jumper cable.
My mechanic and I were a bit lost on what stopped my car from starting. The engine turned over by hand just fine. It had fuel, it had air, and it most likely had spark, too. New parts included an alternator, starter, belt tensioner, belt and engine mounts. We replaced or otherwise mended anything that could stop the engine from starting, yet it still didn’t start.
Further confusing things was the car’s starting sequence. We bench tested the starter using the car itself. When you turned the key, the starter turned. It just didn’t seem to turn very fast — certainly not fast enough to turn over the engine.
The only idea we had was to try an OEM starter. But before I resigned myself to paying ridiculous Mercedes-Benz part prices, I decided to try anything in desperation. I tried resetting the transmission. I tried resetting the ECU. I even tried hooking up my STAR diagnostic computer, which didn’t give me any insight. I thought I was doomed to spend way too much money.
Then a little plastic box in the battery well caught my attention. Inside of that box is a 200-amp fuse, and the cable it’s attached to goes straight to the starter.
jalopnik.com
The little Smart Fortwo now runs and drives once again!
A few weeks ago, I told you the story about how one of my many Smart Fortwos seemingly died after sitting for over a year caked up in Tennessee mud. I’m now happy to say that it not just starts and runs, but it drives! I fixed it with desperation and whatever I had laying around. In this case, that happened to be a crowbar and a jumper cable.
My mechanic and I were a bit lost on what stopped my car from starting. The engine turned over by hand just fine. It had fuel, it had air, and it most likely had spark, too. New parts included an alternator, starter, belt tensioner, belt and engine mounts. We replaced or otherwise mended anything that could stop the engine from starting, yet it still didn’t start.
Further confusing things was the car’s starting sequence. We bench tested the starter using the car itself. When you turned the key, the starter turned. It just didn’t seem to turn very fast — certainly not fast enough to turn over the engine.
The only idea we had was to try an OEM starter. But before I resigned myself to paying ridiculous Mercedes-Benz part prices, I decided to try anything in desperation. I tried resetting the transmission. I tried resetting the ECU. I even tried hooking up my STAR diagnostic computer, which didn’t give me any insight. I thought I was doomed to spend way too much money.
Then a little plastic box in the battery well caught my attention. Inside of that box is a 200-amp fuse, and the cable it’s attached to goes straight to the starter.
I Fixed My Dead Car For Free Using A Jumper Cable And A Crowbar - Jalopnik
A few weeks ago, I told you the story about how one of my many Smart Fortwos seemingly died after sitting for over a year caked up in Tennessee mud. I’m now happy to say that it not just starts and runs, but it drives! I fixed it with desperation and whatever I had laying around. In this case...
jalopnik.com
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Smart EQ ForFour ends production ahead of Concept #1 SUV launch
Geely joint venture set to replace four-door supermini, which has been removed from UK sales lists
Smart has removed its EQ ForFour electric supermini from sale in the UK, ahead of the expected launch of the road-going Concept #1 SUV later this year.
The EQ ForFour had been on sale since 2017, when it was launched as the ForFour Electric Drive. It was given a facelift as recently as 2019, although its 80bhp electric motor and 17.6kWh battery remained unchanged, giving it an uncompetitive 70 miles of range - significantly less than rivals such as the Renault Zoe.
Production of the electric ForFour reportedly concluded at manufacturing partner Renault's Slovenian Novo Mesto plant in December, although the Renault Twingo Z.E with which it shares much of its underlying hardware remains on sale in many European markets.
The EQ ForTwo is now the only Smart model on sale in the UK, in hard-top and convertible forms.
That is set to change later this year when the production version of the Concept #1 SUV arrives. The compact electric SUV, which was revealed at last year's Munich motor show, will become the firm's first bespoke EV. It will also be the first model launched with cooperation from Geely, which now owns 50% of the Smart brand.
Under the terms of the partnership, Mercedes will continue to lead the design and styling of future Smart models, while Geely will lead the engineering.
www.autocar.co.uk
Geely joint venture set to replace four-door supermini, which has been removed from UK sales lists
Smart has removed its EQ ForFour electric supermini from sale in the UK, ahead of the expected launch of the road-going Concept #1 SUV later this year.
The EQ ForFour had been on sale since 2017, when it was launched as the ForFour Electric Drive. It was given a facelift as recently as 2019, although its 80bhp electric motor and 17.6kWh battery remained unchanged, giving it an uncompetitive 70 miles of range - significantly less than rivals such as the Renault Zoe.
Production of the electric ForFour reportedly concluded at manufacturing partner Renault's Slovenian Novo Mesto plant in December, although the Renault Twingo Z.E with which it shares much of its underlying hardware remains on sale in many European markets.
The EQ ForTwo is now the only Smart model on sale in the UK, in hard-top and convertible forms.
That is set to change later this year when the production version of the Concept #1 SUV arrives. The compact electric SUV, which was revealed at last year's Munich motor show, will become the firm's first bespoke EV. It will also be the first model launched with cooperation from Geely, which now owns 50% of the Smart brand.
Under the terms of the partnership, Mercedes will continue to lead the design and styling of future Smart models, while Geely will lead the engineering.
Smart EQ ForFour ends production ahead of Concept #1 SUV launch | Autocar
Geely joint venture set to replace four-door supermini, which has been removed from UK sales lists
www.autocar.co.uk
FiestaST
Honorary Master
The EQ Fortwo takes the number 1 spot:
These are the 10 cheapest electric cars currently on sale today
From Mazda to Mini, Vauxhall to Volkswagen, these are the EVs to buy on a budget
www.topgear.com
These are the 10 cheapest electric cars currently on sale today
From Mazda to Mini, Vauxhall to Volkswagen, these are the EVs to buy on a budget
These are the 10 cheapest electric cars currently on sale today
From Mazda to Mini, Vauxhall to Volkswagen, these are the EVs to buy on a budget
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
What's the best electric car for parking?
The Smart Fortwo has never been the smash hit its makers hoped, but it’s great for small spaces
It’s one of the things that we motoring journalists like to say about an electric car – best suited for urban exploits, or some riff along those lines. It’s not usually that you’ll particularly enjoy throwing the car about the tightly packed streets of whatever endless suburban sprawl you happen to call home, but rather it’s often a euphemism for short range.
Sure, buy your teensy batteried electric trinket, but don’t stray out of the city limits, because you’ll only have to stop and charge up again. Towns are brilliant for electric cars, mainly because they aren’t very big (the towns), and besides, you don’t need to use much power when you’re sitting at red lights or stuck in traffic jams and cursing the day you arrived into the world.
There are a few electric cars ideally suited to life in the big city – a nice Fiat 500, perhaps, or a Volkswagen e-Up. Small, but with big ambitions. Or if you wanted to strike out a little more upmarket you could opt for the retrotastic Mini Electric or Honda e. Both a little pricey, but they’ll imbue you with an ineffable cool.
www.topgear.com
The Smart Fortwo has never been the smash hit its makers hoped, but it’s great for small spaces
It’s one of the things that we motoring journalists like to say about an electric car – best suited for urban exploits, or some riff along those lines. It’s not usually that you’ll particularly enjoy throwing the car about the tightly packed streets of whatever endless suburban sprawl you happen to call home, but rather it’s often a euphemism for short range.
Sure, buy your teensy batteried electric trinket, but don’t stray out of the city limits, because you’ll only have to stop and charge up again. Towns are brilliant for electric cars, mainly because they aren’t very big (the towns), and besides, you don’t need to use much power when you’re sitting at red lights or stuck in traffic jams and cursing the day you arrived into the world.
There are a few electric cars ideally suited to life in the big city – a nice Fiat 500, perhaps, or a Volkswagen e-Up. Small, but with big ambitions. Or if you wanted to strike out a little more upmarket you could opt for the retrotastic Mini Electric or Honda e. Both a little pricey, but they’ll imbue you with an ineffable cool.
What's the best electric car for parking?
The Smart Fortwo has never been the smash hit its makers hoped, but it’s great for small spaces
FiestaST
Honorary Master
New Smart #1 electric crossover confirmed for 2022 launch
Munich concept will evolve into urban EV brand's first SUV, with platform supplied by co-owner Geely
Smart is embarking on a radical product strategy under new 50% co-owner Geely, and will soon reveal the production version of the Concept #1 it showed at the Munich motor show, which has been officially named the #1 ahead of its market launch later this year.
Shown in its production body in official testing images, the #1 looks to have evolved very subtly from last year's concept.
It is the first in a wave of models planned under Smart's rebirth as "a premium all-electric automotive technology brand", each of which will adopt a # nameplate in a reflection of the brand's ambition to recapture its historic image as a "trendsetter".
The testing programme has revealed that the #1 has a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd, which Smart says is "a top-ranked achievement" in its segment. Concealed door handles, an active grille shutter and heavily curved edges help to minimise air resistance – thereby enhancing efficiency.
Smart said, even in temperatures of -40degC, the battery control system "maintains the optimum working condition for the battery", suggesting the car's range will not be dramatically affected by extreme conditions.
www.autocar.co.uk
Munich concept will evolve into urban EV brand's first SUV, with platform supplied by co-owner Geely
Smart is embarking on a radical product strategy under new 50% co-owner Geely, and will soon reveal the production version of the Concept #1 it showed at the Munich motor show, which has been officially named the #1 ahead of its market launch later this year.
Shown in its production body in official testing images, the #1 looks to have evolved very subtly from last year's concept.
It is the first in a wave of models planned under Smart's rebirth as "a premium all-electric automotive technology brand", each of which will adopt a # nameplate in a reflection of the brand's ambition to recapture its historic image as a "trendsetter".
The testing programme has revealed that the #1 has a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd, which Smart says is "a top-ranked achievement" in its segment. Concealed door handles, an active grille shutter and heavily curved edges help to minimise air resistance – thereby enhancing efficiency.
Smart said, even in temperatures of -40degC, the battery control system "maintains the optimum working condition for the battery", suggesting the car's range will not be dramatically affected by extreme conditions.
New Smart #1 electric crossover confirmed for 2022 launch | Autocar
Munich concept will evolve into urban EV brand's first SUV, with platform supplied by co-owner Geely
www.autocar.co.uk
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
Electric Smart #1 for 2022
Remember Smart? Well, an all-new electric Smart #1 is due to launch in 2022.
Smart #1. That’s the new naming convention being ushered in by the revamped Smart brand which is a result of a joint venture between German powerhouse, Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automotive juggernaut, Geely.
Smart dropped off South African new car listings in 2019 and while the Smart ForTwo city car and slightly more practical Smart ForFour had charm and loads of cuteness, they were pricey and never really won the hearts of local car buyers.
In 2018, Smart made its intentions known to become an Electric Vehicle (EV) brand and in 2020 the $849-million joint venture was announced with Mercedes-Benz being responsible for design while Geely champions engineering and production in China.
The Smart #1, therefore, represents a new start for Smart and the #1 is expected to be fully revealed later this year.
The images you see here show the 5-door, all-electric Smart #1 crossover wearing a colourful camouflage but they provide enough detail to imagine what the final production version might look like. The Smart #1 is based on the Concept #1 which was shown at IAA in Munich, Germany, in 2021 and measured 4 290 mm long, 1 910 mm wide and 1 700 mm tall, which is comparable to the size of a Mini Countryman.
www.cars.co.za
Remember Smart? Well, an all-new electric Smart #1 is due to launch in 2022.
Smart #1. That’s the new naming convention being ushered in by the revamped Smart brand which is a result of a joint venture between German powerhouse, Mercedes-Benz and Chinese automotive juggernaut, Geely.
Smart dropped off South African new car listings in 2019 and while the Smart ForTwo city car and slightly more practical Smart ForFour had charm and loads of cuteness, they were pricey and never really won the hearts of local car buyers.
In 2018, Smart made its intentions known to become an Electric Vehicle (EV) brand and in 2020 the $849-million joint venture was announced with Mercedes-Benz being responsible for design while Geely champions engineering and production in China.
The Smart #1, therefore, represents a new start for Smart and the #1 is expected to be fully revealed later this year.
The images you see here show the 5-door, all-electric Smart #1 crossover wearing a colourful camouflage but they provide enough detail to imagine what the final production version might look like. The Smart #1 is based on the Concept #1 which was shown at IAA in Munich, Germany, in 2021 and measured 4 290 mm long, 1 910 mm wide and 1 700 mm tall, which is comparable to the size of a Mini Countryman.
Electric Smart #1 for 2022
Remember Smart? Well, an all-new electric Smart #1 is due to launch in 2022 and will be sold in Europe and China.
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
The Smart SUV's Name Will Make You Loathe Social Media Even More
The Smart #1 is named to chase your favorite Twitter trends.
As 2022's calendar advances seemingly ever so slowly, Smart has released more morsels of information about its electric SUV. The vehicle, set to launch later this year, will be called the Smart #1, and yes it’s named after social media hashtags.
(Editor’s Note: Here at Jalopnik, we never use the “#” to denote a number, instead opting for “No.” But this is the unfortunate name that Smart has chosen for its vehicle, and therefore I must break with style guide tradition. — Elizabeth Blackstock)
Smart’s latest release on its upcoming electric SUV still doesn’t reveal anything too important, but we get another look at what it looks like as well as a few new bits of information about it.
Let’s start with that name, because it’s a doozy. Smart’s new SUV will be named Smart #1. Why? Well, I’ll let Smart take it away:
With combination of the “#” symbol followed by a number, smart has defined a recognizable family name for its new generation of all-electric vehicles. Now often used to indicate the hottest topics in social media, the “#” symbol is evocative of trendsetting in the digital era - fitting, because ever since its first production car unveiling at IAA in 1997, smart has been striving for innovation and remained a trendsetter in the automotive industry.
jalopnik.com
The Smart #1 is named to chase your favorite Twitter trends.
As 2022's calendar advances seemingly ever so slowly, Smart has released more morsels of information about its electric SUV. The vehicle, set to launch later this year, will be called the Smart #1, and yes it’s named after social media hashtags.
(Editor’s Note: Here at Jalopnik, we never use the “#” to denote a number, instead opting for “No.” But this is the unfortunate name that Smart has chosen for its vehicle, and therefore I must break with style guide tradition. — Elizabeth Blackstock)
Smart’s latest release on its upcoming electric SUV still doesn’t reveal anything too important, but we get another look at what it looks like as well as a few new bits of information about it.
Let’s start with that name, because it’s a doozy. Smart’s new SUV will be named Smart #1. Why? Well, I’ll let Smart take it away:
With combination of the “#” symbol followed by a number, smart has defined a recognizable family name for its new generation of all-electric vehicles. Now often used to indicate the hottest topics in social media, the “#” symbol is evocative of trendsetting in the digital era - fitting, because ever since its first production car unveiling at IAA in 1997, smart has been striving for innovation and remained a trendsetter in the automotive industry.
The Smart SUV's Name Will Make You Loathe Social Media Even More - Jalopnik
As 2022's calendar advances seemingly ever so slowly, Smart has released more morsels of information about its electric SUV. The vehicle, set to launch later this year, will be called the Smart #1, and yes it’s named after social media hashtags.
jalopnik.com
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
New 2022 Smart electric SUV spotted ahead of world premiere
First Smart designed in co-operation with Geely is snapped testing on European roads wearing a disguise
The new Smart #1 has been pictured testing on public roads in Europe ahead of its world premiere on 7 April.
A prototype of the upcoming electric small SUV was snapped by spy photographers wearing a black-and-white pattern, obscured further by a black sheet.
One image shows the rear of the #1 with its sheet removed, meaning the entire back end of the car, including its lights, rear window and spoiler are on display. It also features a panoramic sunroof and frameless doors.
Other features, such as the touch-sensitive light panels used to open the doors and the LED light clusters, were covered.
Smart released its own official ‘spy’ pictures back in February this year, where it detailed some of the model’s measurements.
The SUV measures 4290mm long, 1910mm wide and 1698mm tall, making it almost the same size as the Mercedes-Benz EQA electric crossover - a radical departure from Smart's previous offerings, which were all notably compact.
Technical details meanwhile are yet to be revealed, but Smart confirmed the car will sit on a Geely-developed EV platform, which the firm says will offer “the highest level of dynamic handling and passive safety”.
www.autocar.co.uk
First Smart designed in co-operation with Geely is snapped testing on European roads wearing a disguise
The new Smart #1 has been pictured testing on public roads in Europe ahead of its world premiere on 7 April.
A prototype of the upcoming electric small SUV was snapped by spy photographers wearing a black-and-white pattern, obscured further by a black sheet.
One image shows the rear of the #1 with its sheet removed, meaning the entire back end of the car, including its lights, rear window and spoiler are on display. It also features a panoramic sunroof and frameless doors.
Other features, such as the touch-sensitive light panels used to open the doors and the LED light clusters, were covered.
Smart released its own official ‘spy’ pictures back in February this year, where it detailed some of the model’s measurements.
The SUV measures 4290mm long, 1910mm wide and 1698mm tall, making it almost the same size as the Mercedes-Benz EQA electric crossover - a radical departure from Smart's previous offerings, which were all notably compact.
Technical details meanwhile are yet to be revealed, but Smart confirmed the car will sit on a Geely-developed EV platform, which the firm says will offer “the highest level of dynamic handling and passive safety”.
New 2022 Smart electric SUV spotted ahead of world premiere | Autocar
First Smart designed in co-operation with Geely is snapped testing on European roads wearing a disguise
www.autocar.co.uk
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
The Smart #1 EV has been testing ahead of its unveil next week
Check out Smart’s new electric crossover in some swirly camouflage
Smart is set to unveil its first all-new production car since it became an all-electric brand, with the launch of the inventively-named #1 pencilled in for 7 April.
You can see the Mini Countryman-sized #1 wearing some fancy camouflage in the testing images above. The overall shape does look quite similar to the Concept #1 we saw in September last year, doesn’t it?
Interestingly, the #1 is a result of a collaboration between Smart, Mercedes and Geely, with testing taking place in both Germany and northern China.
www.topgear.com
Check out Smart’s new electric crossover in some swirly camouflage
Smart is set to unveil its first all-new production car since it became an all-electric brand, with the launch of the inventively-named #1 pencilled in for 7 April.
You can see the Mini Countryman-sized #1 wearing some fancy camouflage in the testing images above. The overall shape does look quite similar to the Concept #1 we saw in September last year, doesn’t it?
Interestingly, the #1 is a result of a collaboration between Smart, Mercedes and Geely, with testing taking place in both Germany and northern China.
The Smart #1 EV has been testing ahead of its unveil next week
Check out Smart’s new electric crossover in some swirly camouflage
FiestaST
Honorary Master
FiestaST
Honorary Master
New Smart #1 is 268bhp spearhead for brand's all-EV relaunch
Mercedes styling and Geely underpinnings for the first in a wave of all-new electric Smart models
The reinvention of 28-year-old Smart as a style-led electric mobility brand is officially under way, with the production version of the #1 arriving to take on a raft of established rivals in the burgeoning EV crossover segment.
Entirely unrelated to the previous Smart Fortwo and Smart Forfour EVs, it's the first new model from the brand since Chinese automotive group Geely came on board as a 50% stakeholder, taking half of the company from founder Mercedes-Benz, in 2019. It's also the first all-new car to wear a Smart badge since 2014 and is described by the firm's Europe CEO, Dirk Adelmann, as "the nucleus of all things to come".
Barely altered visually from the concept shown at last year's Munich motor show, the first model in a wave of new Smart EVs is a premium-oriented crossover with dimensions and technical figures that line it up as a rival to the Renault Mégane E-Tech and Kia Niro EV. Importantly, however, Smart emphasises that a focus on maximising interior space results in a cabin comparable in size with that of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
It is the first Europe-bound EV to use Geely's new SEA electric vehicle architecture – as first deployed on the Chinese-market Zeekr 001 shooting brake and soon to provide the basis for an entry-level electric SUV from Volvo. The German and Chinese companies sharing management of the Smart brand have already outlined their respective responsibilities: Geely will supply the fundamental architectures and Mercedes will take care of design.
Mercedes chief design officer Gordon Wagener calls the new design language 'Sensual Product', adding that it is "grown up, cool and embodies beauty with smart solutions".
Certainly, the crossover's yet-to-be-homologated efficiency and range figures stack up agreeably against its competitors. Power is stored in a 66kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery that's good for a maximum range of 273 miles, while 150kW rapid-charging capacity means a 10-80% top-up can be completed in less than half an hour.
www.autocar.co.uk
Mercedes styling and Geely underpinnings for the first in a wave of all-new electric Smart models
The reinvention of 28-year-old Smart as a style-led electric mobility brand is officially under way, with the production version of the #1 arriving to take on a raft of established rivals in the burgeoning EV crossover segment.
Entirely unrelated to the previous Smart Fortwo and Smart Forfour EVs, it's the first new model from the brand since Chinese automotive group Geely came on board as a 50% stakeholder, taking half of the company from founder Mercedes-Benz, in 2019. It's also the first all-new car to wear a Smart badge since 2014 and is described by the firm's Europe CEO, Dirk Adelmann, as "the nucleus of all things to come".
Barely altered visually from the concept shown at last year's Munich motor show, the first model in a wave of new Smart EVs is a premium-oriented crossover with dimensions and technical figures that line it up as a rival to the Renault Mégane E-Tech and Kia Niro EV. Importantly, however, Smart emphasises that a focus on maximising interior space results in a cabin comparable in size with that of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
It is the first Europe-bound EV to use Geely's new SEA electric vehicle architecture – as first deployed on the Chinese-market Zeekr 001 shooting brake and soon to provide the basis for an entry-level electric SUV from Volvo. The German and Chinese companies sharing management of the Smart brand have already outlined their respective responsibilities: Geely will supply the fundamental architectures and Mercedes will take care of design.
Mercedes chief design officer Gordon Wagener calls the new design language 'Sensual Product', adding that it is "grown up, cool and embodies beauty with smart solutions".
Certainly, the crossover's yet-to-be-homologated efficiency and range figures stack up agreeably against its competitors. Power is stored in a 66kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery that's good for a maximum range of 273 miles, while 150kW rapid-charging capacity means a 10-80% top-up can be completed in less than half an hour.
New entry-level Smart #1 trim slashes price by £5000 | Autocar
Prices now start at £31,950, undercutting rivals such as the Hyundai Kona Electric and Jeep Avenger
www.autocar.co.uk