So Saturday I have some time before leaving to go up north for the long weekend, and I went over to the Smart dealership on Eglinton Avenue East in Toronto.
The dealership is a separately-branded part of a building that also houses a Mercedes/Maybach dealership. There are several fortwos, Smart’s petite two-seater, in the parking area, one by the door, and four inside. I go in, ignoring the Mercedes part of the building.
The place is busy. There are only three people on staff, one cunducting demos while the others take questions. I look at the cars and listen to the explanations being given other customers. A man who is considering the fortwo as a commuter car to come into the city from the northern suburbs. It seems that, if you place an order for most models now, you will take delivery in February. :eek:.
However, certain cars are available. I make a selection and go to the desk to handle the payment. Some time later I leave… with a silver-and-black fortwo, with the glass roof and a blue interior. It’s all of ten centimetres long, a 1:33 scale model with a wind-up spring motor.
I am seriously thinking about taking a trip up to Toronto this winter to visit my brother and look in on the Smart car at that dealership-- I’ve been intrigued with the vehicle since Andy Rooney did his 60 Minutes report.
They look like fun little cars; I’d get one if it wasn’t for two things:
-I need more seats and luggage space
-They are rendered less safe by the size of other vehicles on the road.
Apart from that, I thnk they’re great - I used to own a Citroen 2CV and there’s something liberating about driving a small, rather low-powered, quirky car.
Keapon Laffin, an “I ain’t compensatin’!” banner across the top of the windshield would be great.
Askia, come on up to Toronto sometime. I’d be glad to be tour guide for a day. As for the handling in the one I bought, it’s pretty basic and straight-ahead.
well, isnt’ the point that they’re not for luggage and passengers. They’re for doing errands around town and commuting.
I saw a shit load in France. They looked great for getting around the city, say grocery shopping or video store, movies, restaurant, etc. Not something I’d want to take out on the interstate.
They certainly are rendered less safe by other vehicles, but so are a lot of vehicles. It’s a small consideration though. Most people go their entire lives without getting T-Boned at an intersection.
Yes, near the top of the hill leading down to the West Don River and Leslie Street.
[total hijack]I never thing as Mercedes as “Merc”–to me that means Mercury Marine, but maybe that’s because my aunt worked there for years before it closed in Peterborough…
And I almost forgot to mention… a week ago Saturday, I saw two fortwos behind glass in a shop window display outside the Manulife Centre at Bloor and Bay. Each car was supported by four Wedgwood china teacups, one under each wheel.
3.5L/100 km. (That’s the diesel version though.) It has a 22-litre tank and can go over 500 km on a fill. Which costs around twenty bucks.
[sub]67.5 miles/US gallon
(3.5 L/100 km = 0.035 L/km.
1/(0.035 L/km) = 28.57 km/L.
28.57 km/L x 1/1.609 mi/km x 3.8 L/US gal = 67.5 mi/US gal.
(The old Canadian gallon was not the same as the US gallon.))[/sub]
