Automobiles, like people, come in all shapes and sizes. We have big ones, little ones, fat ones and skinny ones, and they all have a certain appeal to them. This weekend I found myself driving around in a car that I never thought would fit someone who’s 6′4" and 235 pounds. It was a Smart ForTwo diesel that was all tweaked up by Brabus, the crazy German tuner that takes mild-mannered Mercedes and turns them into super cars. When I first got a glimpse of this thing I was really was stunned at how small it is. I mean, it’s SMALL. However, looks can be deceiving, very deceiving.

The Smart is basically an egg on wheels. Interior room is actually quite impressive as I fit in there with no problems. The cockpit is laid out to provide you with everything you need and nothing you don’t. A big speedo with integrated fuel and temperature gauge are right in front of you, while a tachometer and clock are positioned in the middle of the dash in separate external gauge pods. The Smart also comes with a basic stereo, climate control and power windows. Again, simplicity at its finest. Seats are four-way adjustable and really don’t offer any support. Anything more than a 40 mile trip means you’ll be hurting.

Continue reading after the jump.

Continue reading "Pint Size Play Toy: Brabus Smart Car" »

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

With gas prices and the economy being what they are, we reckoned this year’s SEMA would be pretty much overrun with microbots. Sure, there’s more smarts than you can shake a stick at, and since this is the first year the smart has been available in North America, SEMA builders have been having a field day with it. Still, the smart is after all one of those cars that pretty much is its own punchline, and since a lot of the goofier treatments (like Batmobile and John Deere) are drawing almost entirely on the novelty factor for their effect, we’re guessing the car will seem stale by the time next year’s show rolls around. So where are all the microcars, then? One issue is really that there are no small cars, and while we’ve certainly seen a smattering of Fits and Yarii, even subcompacts these days are decidedly blimpy. I guess we’ll have to wait for the new Fiat 500, Chevy Beat, and Ford Fiesta to drop before we see a true micro-mini invasion at SEMA. Stay tuned!

Continue reading "SEMA Top Ten Trends: Small Cars? What Small Cars?" »

By Katherine Helmetag

AKA atomicalex

The SEMA show floor is dotted with plenty of Smarts. Some of the more outrageous examples include one decked out like a John Deere tractor, a green and bubble-print Rennsport piece on display at Razzi Wings, and this, err, interesting BatSmart. Complete with trailer hitch, fake exhaust pipes, and Joker graphics, and courtesy of Vertical Doors.

Continue reading "Smarter Than the Average Bat" »

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

I ran into the Ed Hardy smarts that Ryan blogged back in August over in the wheel and tire hall. Pretty freakin’ hilarious. More pics after the jump.

Continue reading "Ed Hardy Smarts at SEMA" »

So, a bunch of smart owners got together and actually dressed up their tiny rides in costume for Halloween. Something about the whole scene kind of reminds me of people who dress up their dogs for the occasion, but hey—it takes all kinds, right? Check out some of the best (or worst) smarts in costume below the jump, and browse the whole wacky gallery at the Smart Car of America forum.

Continue reading "Scary Smarts" »

Californians have always thought about the future, and this November, citizens will vote on whether to spend some—ok, a lot of money—on developing a bullet train that will travel between Los Angeles and San Fransisco. The trip would take about 2.5 hours, which seems reasonable for a $55 dollar fare. Please California? Please? Anyway, here’s the news:

• After 166 days, reckless lead-foot Nick Hogan has been released from jail. Apparently, he returned home to a "thumping" party, and I’m sure he’s relieved to be out of the clink. Meanwhile, the friend he injured during the crash that sent him to jail is still a vegetable. Maybe I should have written a whole blog on this, but even I’m sick of this story. TMZ
• Is there a show that’s the opposite of America’s Dumbest Criminals? Maybe something like America’s Most Lovable Outlaws? Because if there is, I’d like to nominate the Utah crook who escaped the cops in a modified golf cart. MSNBC
• Personally, I think car sharing is a pretty cool idea, and I think smart is being pretty "smart"—sorry, had to do it—by launching its own program. While it’s currently testing in Germany, a stateside version would probably attract customers who just want to get behind the wheel of the micro-machine. Motor Authority
• While the industry has been buzzing about a possible merger between GM and Chrysler, it’s not like nothing’s happening over at the Blue Oval. Kirk Kerkorian—Ford’s largest private investor—has just dumped a bunch of the company’s stock. And he might not be done yet. Freep

No one has to tell me that the smart car is a big deal—I already know that. But for those that need an eye opener to the history of smart, this is your book!  You’ll learn that the smart is not just a new car that sprouted up because gas prices have shot up. The smart has been in the works since the 70s, the first prototype was punched out in 1992, and the production smart recently turned 10 years old. And no, the smart car is not electric… yet! If and when you get bored reading about the history of the smart, the book is also packed with owner photos and sketches from the smart design studios.

Continue reading "Smart: Small Car, Big Deal" »

Now, I’ve never actually operated a set of vertical doors, but I must admit that they have always been in the back of mind. So now I have a set of Vertical Doors kit sitting in my apartment, but I’m getting cold feet. The girlfriend says she won’t be seen in it with them, I’m not entirely convinced I’d want to be seen in it for longer than a week, and I don’t know if I have the energy to install them. What should I do?

My favorite blogger right now is a bike blogger–the hilarious, anonymous fixie-riding BikeSnobNYC. Recently, our buddies at 0-60 Magazine challenged BikeSnob to a race from Brooklyn to Madison Square Park. The full writeup can be found in the latest issue of 0-60 Magazine, but I can tell you that the BikeSnob, who ran red lights, bunny hopped curbs and weaved through pedestrians, managed to win by over three minutes. Be sure to watch the video.

Aydar has done a lot of work to his smart, and he’s also put together one hell of a page. Now, it’s clear the dude knows how to take a photo, and he’s posted a ton of great shots, but I think the one below is my favorite. Seriously, does his smart look ready to tangle with that dino or what? Congrats, man!

Anyone who has been in smart car can tell you that the 3-cylinder engine sounds almost like a diesel. At first it’s cute, and yeah it sounds like a car from The Jetsons, but after a while I wanted a car that was quiet. Sean from SoundDomain suggested I look into sound deadening the interior to cut down on the vibrations caused by the loud 3-cylinder engine, and to cut down on the noise making it into the car through the plastic door skins.

To start the project off we loaded up on a number of products from Second Skin Automotive Insulation. Everything from Damplifier Pro, Spectrum Sludge, Luxury Liner Pro, OverKill Pro, and Heat Wave. At the beginning of this project I didn’t know what a single one of these things was meant for, but after reading some simple tutorials and throwing on some work clothes, I was ready to go. I decided to start with deadening the floorpan and trunk/engine area. Check out my ride page to see how my Diamplifier Pro install went.

With over 20,000 smart cars delivered in 2008, it’s not surprising that more of them are starting to be involved in wrecks. Well, I’m sure I’m gonna disappoint some of you guys when I say that I feel pretty damn safe in my smart. What do you think?

Continue reading "The Ford Focus is No Match for the Smart" »

CarDomain member Aydar knows how to make the most of a photo op, and has a ton of hilarious pics on his smart fortwo’s ride page. In addition to a bunch of shots of it toting his surfboards, he’s got the tiny ride mugging alongside things like rider mowers and giant plaster dinosaurs. He’s also done some nice mods on the smart, and has more planned, including a cold air intake and tweaks to his ECU. Check out his page!

If you’ve seen the ride page for my 2008 smart fortwo, you know I’ve made it pretty clear that my car is different than the rest.  And while I’ve tried to make my ride as uninviting as possible, I still get flocks of people telling me it’s "cute."

Well, it looks like I’m not the only smart owner trying to banish the thought of cute. Ed Hardy and 4SMARTCAR.com have teamed up to create a limited edition smart fortwo, and needless to say, it isn’t for everyone. "Project Tattoo" is designed for the customer that wants to flaunt what they’ve got, and along with the loud paint job and system, it comes with a pretty loud price. Hey, they don’t want everyone to be able to afford it! Check out more pics on the Project Tattoo ride page.

Smart has issued its first recall. At issue are 43 of its fortwo vehicles that apparently got sprayed with a bad batch of paint. The caustic coating can apparently compromise the adhesive used to attach the fortwo’s roof and windshield, leading to separation of one or both at speed. Hmm, maybe they should be using something more than airplane glue to hold the roof down! More at edmunds.