By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
The Mercedes Benz Smart Car at York’s of Houlton is making people take a second glance because of its unusual design.
Contributed photo
The Fortwo, a new “smart car” manufactured by Mercedes-Benz gets more than 40 miles per gallon on the highway. It can be viewed at York’s of Houlton.
Dick York purchased the black Fortwo (named because it is “for two” people) Smart Car in New Hampshire.
“We have never had one here,” said Emily Gardner, a sales manager for York’s of Houlton. “It is something a little bit different.”
The first Smart Cars originated in Europe in the 1990s and are a familiar sight on the Autobahnen in Germany. The Smart Car is only eight feet, two and a half inches long, less than five feet wide and about five feet tall.
“It’s very small on the outside, however, when you sit on the inside of the car, you would not believe you are actually sitting in something that small, as far as the dimensions,” said Gardner. “It is pretty roomy inside and this model has the panorama roof. It doesn’t open, but it makes it seem a bit more open.”
However, the car’s size is its strength.
“Fuel prices are on the rise causing people to kind of panic and want to get into a vehicle with better fuel economy,” said Gardner. “This is a good way to get into something that has some fuel economy.”
The Smart Car is powered by a three-cylinder 50 or 61 horsepowered engine. The 61-horsepower engine can go from zero to 60 miles per hour in about 15 seconds. The top speed for these cars is usually just over 80 miles per hour. It gets 33 mpg in the city and 41 mpg on the highway.
“On the highway, it’s hard to compete with the mileage unless you are looking at a Toyota Prius which is rated for 48 miles per gallon on the highway,” Gardner said.
The Smart Car comes in a several models with lots of options. The Fortwo comes in a coupe with a solid roof or a cabrio version with a retractable canvas roof like a convertible. Each body style has three different models: Pure, the base model to more luxury features in the Passion Coupe and Passion Cabriolet.
The Smart Car’s engine is located in the rear like a Volkswagen since there is limited space in the front and the interior is surrounded by a steel cage with plenty of energy-absorbing crumple zones to lessen impact in crashes, as well as a host of other safety features. The vehicle is rear-wheel drive and weighs around 1,500 pounds.
“This is nothing I would want to travel in on the highway,” said Gardner. “Believe it or not, it has received the highest rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal and side impact tests. As a brand of Mercedes Benz cars, the Smart Car benefits from the high caliber, expertise and experience of Mercedes Benz in the field of safety.”
The Smart Car received a five out of five star safety rating on side impact and a four out of five star rating on frontal crash impact.
“The car is really designed for more urban/city driving,” Gardner pointed out. “Because it is smaller, it is basically easier to park. It is easier to maneuver through traffic. That is really the concept of it.”
If a person drives up and down the highway and wants better gas mileage, Gardner suggests looking at other comparable models like the Prius versus the Smart Car.
“Obviously, it is not a family sedan,” she said
York’s of Houlton has had one serious inquiry on the car, with several others asking about it.
“It’s drawn a lot of attention,” Gardner said. “If you were just going to be jetting around town and you didn’t have kids to carry, it would be a great car for that type of driving. This car turns heads wherever it goes.”
The 2008 Smart Fortwo Car has 19,500 miles and is listed for $12,995. A new one can start at about $15,000.
For more information on the gas-saving car or to inquire about other vehicles, call York’s of Houlton at 532-6534.
