cars new audio

I've been reading and checking the Ebay motor auctions. It seems that the first batch of cars are fetching some coins. A loaded cabrio went for $24,000 and a loaded Passion coupe (with comfort package) went for $19,000.

This bodes well for the fortwo. If this is any indicator, the resale value of the smarts will hold up well. The only uncertainty is the state of our economy in the next few months. With a looming recession, it will be interesting to see if smarts will continue to be impulse buys for those looking for 3rd and 4th cars or will it be for the frugal who want to save on gas and parking.

I just read that City share plans to have 2 fortwos for the SF Metro area.

Read: Link

Smart US President David Schembri suggests to parents that the new fortwo is perfect for teenagers.

Pitching the new Smart ForTwo as the ‘perfect’ car for a concerned parent’s teenager, David Schembri, president of SmartCar USA, noted that since there is no rear seat in the new compact 2-seater, there will be no hanky-panky going on in your kid’s car. Speaking at the Automotive News World Congress, Schembri said, “After all, what better car to have for your teenager than one without a backseat.”

American magazines are finally making their full reviews (prior writings have mostly been first drives).
Road and Track covers the fortwo in it's March 08 issue available online here

And this is their conclusion if you want to skip to the chase:

So, is the U.S. ready for the smart? Definitely. In fact, 30,000 people have already plunked down $99 to get a spot in line to buy one. But do us a favor. Test drive one first.

Jalopnik takes the Smart for a test drive and guess who the car belongs to? It's Nick Goddard's car which we have been covering.

On Monday, we got a call from our friend Nick, who - thanks to a Blackberry and a spirit of adventure - is the first U.S. customer to take delivery of his very own Smart. The company even gave him a plaque to commemorate the occasion. It credits him in part with, "Initiating a revolutionary change in the way Americans think about transportation."

Jalopnik is a great auto web type blog that I read everyday and it was surprising to see this same red cabriolet featured.

link: Jalopnik

In blog land, Nick Goddard got the scorn from fellow enthusiasts after he listed his smart cabriolet on ebay.
What ticked people off was the fact that he was taped in a podcast; praising the virtues of the smart and how he was "over the moon" with it.


The Truth About Cars (who initially interviewed Nick in the podcast) followed up on his ebay auction.

Well that didn't last long. TTAC reader Nick Goddard's claims his love affair with the first official U.S. smart car is still hot and heavy, but four days after taking delivery he's put it up for sale on eBay. When I contacted him by phone, the 25-year-old owner was more than a little cagey about his motivation for the sale, claiming that he didn't really want to sell the car. He's just "curious to see what people are willing to pay."

Is Nick getting defensive? This is what he had to say in his ebay Auction when someone asked him why he was selling it:

Q: Why are you selling the car. is it that bad or you just dont like it? Jan-21-08
A: Neither--I actually LOVE this car. It is perfect for Manhattan. Just perfect--it is so much easier to find parking spaces in this car that you can consider it a high-performance car for city needs. Anywhere you go, you can park. I've gotten used to the transmission (and like it too), the car gets lots of positive attention, and it is inexpensive to run. Plus, its by far the most interesting car you can get in its price range. I also love that the roof goes down at any speed--it makes it so much easier to enjoy a convertible. If you slow down and are in the sun--top down. If you speed up and go into the shade, top up. It's fantastic. Its just that I'm not a car collector, and I figure the very first smart should go to someone who places significance on things like being "the first." I'm going to be getting another spot on the waiting list, that's for sure. Also, I live several miles closer to work at this point than I did when I reserved the car a year ago, and ride my bike to work about 2/3 of the time. If you can get to Manhattan and are considering bidding on the car, we can get together and I'll show you the car. I think you'll find it hard not to love.

Read: Truth About Cars

I found this to be a funny turn of events.

On The Truth About Cars, Nick Goddard is all over giddy about his new cabriolet.

Judging from our interview and the number of exclamation marks in Nick's original email, the man is over the moon with both the car and smart Prez David ("I don't share a first name with Farago") Schembri's personal service.

Yet, as of today, I see Nick's car already on ebay. Item number: 270205476556


There is nothing wrong with that. I suppose if someone gave me a few grand above what I paid, I'd sell it too.

A few cars have been delivered to their new owners.
This week, the media is covering the owners with their new cars.

Links: Freep
Detroit News
News Observer

The Detroit News suggests (and Consumer Reports thinks) this may be a passing fad,

David Champion, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports, said its diminutive size would be a drawback in a country where light trucks account for more than half of the market. "It feels vulnerable to be in, especially if you're next to a semi," he said.

"I think it will sell well to begin with to people who want to be seen in it in crowded areas such as L.A. and New York," he said. "I don't think it's going to catch on."

www.smart451.com/
has a nice write up on a custom dash Tom Tom GPS install.




I think it looks pretty good. More here
smart451.com

I got my notification from my dealer. Early reservers (club 1173 numbers) have reported being contacted by dealers. Some people even have VIN numbers. Expect to see smart cars near you in the next two to three weeks. Hooray, it is finally coming true. 'Official' Smart cars have arrived to the USA.

Stay tuned folks.
This is the only the start.