European Tribune - Comments - Monday Open Thread

Monday Open Thread | 149 comments (149 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Ultimately either they'll need to be made here, as we're seeing with Priuses (Prii?), or the import quotas will need to be dropped if the hope is to make it a mainstream car, as I think it might very well become (again, with city-dwellers who aren't lugging kids and groceries around). In any case, I hope Smart will roll out a lot of them.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 01:18:21 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

You might be surprised how much stow-away space there is in Smart. There is definitely enough space for groceries, though not for kids. However, they are now also building bigger models, for 4 people.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 01:25:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

There is a 4-door Smart with a back seat.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 01:31:53 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

There ya go. They don't show one on the Smart website, or at least they didn't back when I looked at it. A four-door with something approaching similar mileage would be a huge hit.

Conservatives want live babies so they can raise them to be dead soldiers. - George Carlin

by Drew J Jones (myfriends@thisispancakes.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 01:40:20 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (4.00 / 2)

The Smart ForFour (geddit) was right at the top of my list when I had to replace my car last summer. But the emissions aren't impressive compared to the two-seater-or to other cars in its class.

According to this, the emissions for the 1.3 litre petrol version are 138g CO₂/km. That wouldn't even qualify for the
UK tax break for low-emission cars, which kicks in at under 120g/km.

The 1.3 litre Yaris diesel I bought instead emits 117g/km. As much as 60mpg on a carefully driven long run. It isn't, of course, fair to make a direct comparison between petrol and diesel. But I had a wide choice of small cars under the 120g/km threshold.

by Sassafras on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 02:20:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (4.00 / 2)

I've had a Yaris diesel for 2 1/2 years, Great car.

Hey, Grandma Moses started late!

by LEP (rafifoon@yahoo.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 02:50:04 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

Best of the near-dozen I drove :)

by Sassafras on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 03:11:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 0)

I learnt to drive in a Yaris and really loved it. I'd love to have one but it wasn't in my price range, so it's hello Clio for me.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 03:28:36 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

Mine isn't new... :)

by Sassafras on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 03:31:34 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

I couldn't find any second hand! Didn't have long to look though.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 04:01:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And, one more time.. (4.00 / 3)

...the Toyota Yaris is also manufactured in France, near Lille. Darn, we're.so.doomed...

Europeans think a hundred miles is a long way. Americans think a hundred years is a long time.

by Bernard on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 04:05:00 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (4.00 / 2)

Fortunately, my old car had the grace to give up in the school holidays. I tracked the Yaris down on the internet, but it took some time. There was just one for sale, the age I could afford and the engine I wanted, within a 100 mile radius.

Fortunately, it was "only" about 30 miles away...

by Sassafras on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 04:16:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 1)

I am happy with my SEAT Arosa, which I now had for 5 years.

by Fran (fran at eurotrib dot com) on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 03:26:30 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And (none / 0)

The Arosa, along with the Twingo and the Cinquecento are the three cars that keep catching my eye, even though I'm not in the market for one. And maybe the Suzuki Alto.

Our knowledge has surpassed our wisdom. -Charu Saxena.

by metavision on Mon May 12th, 2008 at 06:09:15 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Monday Open Thread | 149 comments (149 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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