can't really trust the PR sheet as gospel sadly... Zappy has been saying that for quite some time... and then in Germany they say there's no way in hell that they will work with Zap, even if Zappy won in court against Daimler, do you think that this is really going to happen? And if it does actually get smart cars over here, will ZAP change their name from Zero Air Pollution to SAP (some air pollution)?

True... Smart Cars on the ground in the US at several ZAP authorized dealers, now being sold to consumers. There is a lot more to ZAP than the Smart Car. See our latest news at www.zapworld.com and stay tuned.

~ Alex Campbell, ZAP

Ok folks, here's the skinny.

Yes - Some Smarts have been sold in the last few weeks, some meaning 5 or so. Apparently, some are going to people that put a deposit down on them several years ago. This info is from confirmed sales in New Hampshire. The cars being sold, reportedly, are 2003 models, all modified for the US. People say some of the interior mods are very annoying and are removing them. The price for them is not anywhere near the lowball 15K. Reported prices are in the 25K-30K range. This price includes the very hefty charge of importing and converting them.

I have been wanting this car for years and am very excited that it’s finally happening.

Please open a dealership in Los Angeles soon ZAP!

Damien

I actually saw a SMART car in Hollywood last fall. It looked like the "fortwo" model. It was parked outside an apartment building...

Driving home on 280 in the SF Bay Area today, and I saw your regular car carrier semi driving along with a lone car on top -- looked like a SMART.

Smart cars are getting extremely popular in the East, especially in big cities like Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong, etc. It is very energy-effective and conserves a huge amount of fossil fuel. My grandfather has one very similar to this Smartcar, though it's just a prototype, and cannot be driven down the road. I believe that Smart Cars would be used more frequently in the near future.

I'm in the UK and have been driving my Smart car for almost 4 years. I love it! And all I can say it's about time that the US were introduced to them. Post~modern Ironic statement to the Hummer? Who cares?! Smarts are eco-friendlier, mostly recyclable, cheap to run and fun to drive. Why have they taken so long to cross the Pond?

I live in Prague in the Czech Republic where many autos are manufactured and sold in the local area. Smart cars are not a hot item here. You get very little car for the price and the average Czech person desires a car that will seat at least 4 persons. Local Skodas are the car of choice and offer the best value for the price. And the gas mileage for them is not that much worse than the Smart Car. Currently, fuel is averaging about $5.00 per gallon.

What the U.S. market really needs is a small 4 seater utility car that can run on battery power for the first 50 to 75 miles supplimented by a small bio-diesel engine which will kick in when the battery gets low.

Where is the list of dealers on ZAP's website?

I thought that Daimler had lost a ton of money on the Smart, and was going to sell it or end production. Anyone know?

**Author's response**

Frances, you're right, DC has lost tons of money, but they're sticking with Smart, for now:
DaimlerChrysler to persist with Smart car

-CD

This media release is incredibly misleading.

"Smart Automobile LLC" is NOT the parent company of the smart brand. Smart is a division of the Mercedes Car Group, which is a unit of Daimler-Chrysler.

Daimler-Chrysler has yet to make an official annoucement on whether the smart fortwo will be coming to the USA, and when such an announcement is made, it will be for the redesigned 2007 model coming in April of next year.

U.S. customers should be very wary of ZAP and "Smart Automobile LLC". There is currently no parts and service infrastructure in the USA for smart cars. Since ZAP is not officially distributing the cars for Daimler-Chrysler it seems to me that they may not be able to get their hands on qualified technicians and parts very readily.

Just to clarify, here's some of the fine print from ZAP's press release:

"ZAP is not affiliated with, or authorized by, smart gmbh, the manufacturer of Smart automobiles, or the smartUSA division of Mercedes-Benz LLC, the exclusive authorized U.S. importer and distributor of those vehicles. ZAP purchases its vehicles from non-affiliated direct importer smart-automobile LLC."

We rented a 4-door Smart while in Italy last year. I was surprised how comfortable, quite and fun it was to drive! oh yeah, and it was way gas-friendly. Can't wait till I can buy one here in Texas.

Compare the cost and performance of this with my Prius. I'd take the Prius anyday: 44mgp in San Francisco (very hilly), $21,000 MSRP, 4-door sedan. There's no contest. Why bother?

Maybe I'm missing something.

I saw a black and silver fortwo in Salt Lake City last night. Very cool.

I'm surprised that the smart doesn't get better mileage though, a stock Corolla gets 38 mpg and is a much larger car.

Great ideas; though I think that

Zap is not telling the truth about Smart Cars. They have nothing to do with the converstion and they do not have a 425 Million dollar line of credit. They have not sold 200 Smarts.Watch for the legal actions that is about to unfold.

The Smart car is not very "Smart". A vehicle that small is a driving nightmare in the States. Good luck going up against an SUV. I'd like to know how they would do on a side impact at 50 MPH. Would it fly through the air with the greatest of ease or would it just collapse in on itself. Get real people, this car is not worth 15,000 dollars. You would be safer in a Toyota Corolla with the same MSRP.

I consider the car a slightly more comfortable and protected motorcycle - and it costs the same. It is great for European city driving, where you can park in odd places, roads are narrow, and speeds are low. It's a great NYC car, as you can park on the street in places no other car (except a MINI) could fit.

Interesting to hear you're getting the smart car in the US. Can't imagine the attraction for the wide open road but they're brilliant in cities. They're very popular in London where parking is hellish.

Oh, and as to safety, the smart car has a reinforced steel cage that protects the central cabin, aswell as all the usual Merc safety features: crash boxes, ABS, EBA, ESP, etc. etc.

Do you know if the US is getting the Smart Roadster? My friend owns one and as well as looking soooo good its like being in a baby rally car. Now they are REALLY fun.

It seems fairly simple to me that American Auto makers are scrambling to keep SMART out as long as they can. I just returned from Europe , and they are everywhere. The Mercedes version gets 60mpg with a 5 gallon tank . The American version gets 40mpg witha 9 gallon tank! I think I'll take the Toyota Prius !!!

This car sounds like an interesting car but there is one thing im concerned about is the pricing. $15,000 - $25,000? Is this realistic? This car's pricing range should be below $10,000 or even under $8,000 - after all it is half the size of a normal car with no trunk ! Its not like its a hybrid car either. If its going to be an
economical car - then so should the pricing be economical. If it's also suppose to be economical wise in regards to the tank size, and as high as gas pricers are today, then so should the pricing of the car be also. Ok I am saving on gas money but I make up for that in the price of the car ! Come on now !! Its almost like the Yugo awhile back and that car was not very expensive either.
I say when it first arrives, there may be a mad rush for the car because of its looks and because it is something different. But after a while the sales will fall dramatically because of its body size and realism on the price being too high for such a small car. Don't get me wrong - I like the point that this car is a gasoline saver, but the corporate world sometimes takes advantage of consumers for the sake of the almighty dollar. If you ask me - there would still be a hugh profit margin and steady flow of sales on the car if it was priced from $8,000 to $10,000.

$8k to $10k? I think you need to look with more environmental eyes at what you are getting for your money. You’re not only paying for a car that is designed to be safe, comfortable and environmentally friendly but also for your ease of mind and the looks!
The size: perfect for cities, imagine if everyone drove that instead of an SUV…I doubt the term ‘traffic jam’ would be known. I’d rather drink my coffee in a café on the side of the street with SMARTs than big old SUV’s right? I could most likely see the “Hollywood” sign within 5 years with only smarts on the road…no more smog (well, a LOT less)
What is the average fuel consumption of the American household? If you cut that by 3 you probably have it when you buy a SMART and in the long run, $15,000 is actually an investment…
Furthermore, it’s an attention grabber! Just because of the way it looks and the hype its actually really awesome to have…you wont hear “what a dork” but “that’s pretty cool!”
If you are driving a long distance, on an interstate, I guess I would also prefer a larger car…
Its not for everyone, though I think that in a way we are stepping the in right direction. After all, I am not that greedy that I can live on this beautiful planet and now let my children’s children children enjoy the same thing, right?

For now: GO SMART, BE SMART…if you don’t have 2 or more kids older than 5 ;-)

The SMART Roadster? Well, I drove it about 4 or so years ago in Europe…its like a go cart on steroids…also that much more fun! I hope its coming to the US!

you peopple are nuts....
buy all the prius you want.
remember, youve got 2 systems to repair and maintain, electric and gas..
in canada the smart car gets 70 plus mpg, all air bags and other safety features , shares all highways as big trucks...
go ahead keep buying gas guzzlers,
but dont complain when youre buying our gas for $10 /gallon and always broke.
the usa is less than a tenth the worlds population but consumes/wastes most of its resources

I purchased the 2008 Cabriolet convertible in March. The first car I was sold, never left the dealer, as the top got stuck mid-way and even their Smart Car head mechanic couldn't find the problem. 2 Days later I was offered another that I tested and found it to be excellent. But the gas milage has be very disappointment. I've filled the tank 4 times. The best I had was only 32 the past 2 tanks were at about 27.5 mpg. The dealer and the president of Smart Car USA has told me that was not unusual. Huhhh?? Also I would have expected DRL - but not in these cars, who I feel need it more than any other for it's size. And here in NY we are required to have lights on during the rain. If I forget, I can get a ticket. Yet I enjoy that the wipers go on and off automatically as needed. And at the night the lights go on, but I feel like my SAAB and Acura they should always be on as all the Canadian and European models do. peterbra@mac.com Mt. Kisco, NY

I purchased the 2008 Cabriolet convertible in March. The first car I was sold, never left the dealer, as the top got stuck mid-way and even their Smart Car head mechanic couldn't find the problem. 2 Days later I was offered another that I tested and found it to be excellent. But the gas milage has be very disappointment. I've filled the tank 4 times. The best I had was only 32 the past 2 tanks were at about 27.5 mpg. The dealer and the president of Smart Car USA has told me that was not unusual. Huhhh?? Also I would have expected DRL - but not in these cars, who I feel need it more than any other for it's size. And here in NY we are required to have lights on during the rain. If I forget, I can get a ticket. Yet I enjoy that the wipers go on and off automatically as needed. And at the night the lights go on, but I feel like my SAAB and Acura they should always be on as all the Canadian and European models do. peterbra@mac.com Mt. Kisco, NY

I saw one at the store the other day.

i live in el paso texas and there is an older couple around here that has a smart car. They look so cute! I have seen them a handful of times on the road, so they must live close! If I ever see them out of there car I have wanted to ask them about the car!