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smart has led the way with many innovative features that match the unique look of their vehicles. The engineers took the time to choose and design the vehicle with the best recyclable and most energy efficient materials in mind. There is also the raised driving position that allows for improved visibility as well as making it easier to get and get out of the vehicle. The many color choices available is a popular consumer feature.
The top speed of this micro car is 90 miles per hour. One of the biggest advantages of the smart car is its fuel efficiency. The 2008 EPA fuel economy rating for the smart fortwo is 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.
After the original smart fortwo vehicle received such rave review, the company has expanded their line to now include a fun loving cabriolet model. There were plans for a smart forfour car and roadster. These plans have now been canceled worldwide. A fully electric rechargeable model is in the works and will be released in the UK by a separate company as a lease vehicle on a trial basis in 2010.
The challenge of the smart car
The challenge for any micro car is safety. For Mercedes-Benz’s engineers, the tridion safety cell was the answer to the problem. It was important for the vehicle to attain the highest safety standards. This safety shell is actually like a hard nut shell that totally encompasses all occupants of the smart fortwo vehicle. The design has steel bumpers at both the front and the rear that are bolted to shell’s longitudinal beams by slip tubes. A bump of less than 2 miles an hour won’t affect this crash box. In an up to 10 miles an hour crash, the tridion cell transfers the impact over the entire surface to dissipate the energy. If the vehicle is involved in an severe impact, the fuel supply to the engine is stopped and the doors are automatically unlocked. After this initial design, electronic stability control and ABS brakes were added to make the vehicle even safer.
The short wheelbase is another safety design feature. In the event of a side impact, the wheels and tires are connected to axles that help to displace the crash energy or longitudinal structural members. Both doors have a side brace installed to further protect the occupants.
smart History
The original idea for this vehicle came from an unlikely source. In the 1990’s, Nicolas Hayek, the inventor of the Swatch watch, approached Mercedes-Benz with his ideas for the ‘ultra-urban’ car. Mercedes-Benz picked up the challenge and this smart fortwo was the result. This original concept smart car made its entrance to the automotive industry at the 1997 Frankfurt Motor Show. The timing was right for such an original vehicle and the interest it received set the foundation for future sales. In 1998, production of the smart fortwo started in Hambach, France.
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