While Rob and the rest of the CarDomain staff were moving offices this weekend, I shot down to Los Angeles for the smart Center Beverly Hills one year anniversary.  The event was a blast and there were about 90 or so cars.  We drove some of the best roads in SoCal and ended the event at the Petersen Museum with a short banquet and raffle–more pics below the jump!

What did YOU do this weekend?

Continue reading "What Did You Do This Weekend?" »

Everyone knows that the economy has fallen on hard times, but things must be really bad when even Wayne Industries is downsizing the Bat Fleet. One of the screwiest vehicles we brought you from last year’s SEMA show, the BatSmart designed by custom legend George Barris, is on the block over at eBay. Take a look!

Via Autoblog.

I knew one would come in if I blogged it! I got my first 2009 calendar in the mail yesterday from the guys over at Al & Ed’s Autosound in Southern California.  Check out some of their crazy rides after the jump!

Thanks Gabi and Elie!

Continue reading "My 2009 Calendar" »

While Rob was out at Detroit partying it up and having a blast I told him that he had to do one thing for me.  I made him promise to check out the smart fortwo ED or simply said, the electric smart car.

In reality the smart fortwo ED won’t be much of a change from my smart but I’m crossing my fingers that the transmissions works a little smoother.  For those of you who don’t know the smart’s tranny feels about like a 2-speed powerwheeel but either way the smart rocks! I think every CarDomain member needs one!

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.