The Smart Fortwo car (Daimler Chrysler and Mercedes Benz Group) will hit the US auto market in early 2008, but will anyone buy such a small car?

Although it does get a great 40 MPG, I just can’t see anyone outside of NYC really buying it.

Could you imagine sitting at a stop light with a full-sized Lincoln Navigator behind you? They’d forget you were there and roll right over you.

This car if you can call it that is not much bigger than a typical golf cart and in my estimation if you get his by anything going faster than say 7 mph, you might as well kiss your ass goodbye.

However, I could see this possibly selling in Manhattan where parking is a bitch and having such a small car could definitely get you around a lot faster, but this thing will never sell in middle America. I don’t see “Billy Bob” trading in his F-350 diesel for a suped up go cart.

Here are some of the specs on it from their company website…

Standard safety features include four airbags, ABS and stability control. The U.S. Fortwo will have increased cabin and trunk space and a new 1.0-liter 3-cylinder engine making 84 bhp, mated to a refined semi-automatic transmission. Company executives claim the car will get about 40 mpg.

Three models will be available: The Pure with optional air conditioning starts at $11,000; the better-equipped Passion will cost $13,000 and the Convertible will be $15,000.

What are the exact dimensions?
The smart fortwo is small on the outside and big on the inside.
The smart fortwo that will be available in the United States will be:
8.8 feet long (you can usually fit two smart fortwos in an average parking space!)
5.1 feet tall (the smart still has as much headroom as most luxury vehicles!)
5.1 feet wide (two six foot, five inch plus people can sit side by side with plenty of shoulder room to spare!)

How fast does the smart fortwo go?
The top speed of the smart fortwo is approximately 90 mph.

What is the gas mileage of smart?
Engineering and testing continues to take place on the vehicle that will be produced for the United States. Gas mileage is expected to be 40 plus mpg combined for city and highway.

Is the smart vehicle safe?
The safety management system for the smart fortwo is comprehensive and sophisticated.

The highlight of the safety management system is the tridion safety cell. The safety cell is made from three layers of steel that are reinforced at strategic points. The cell is designed to keep occupants protected. The reinforced steel and the design of the car allow for the absorption of impact and redistribution of crash energy. Because of the size of the vehicle, most crashes will also involve one of the wheel bases which also absorbs energy.

Both doors are also reinforced with steel bars.

The smart fortwo, which will be for sale in the United States in 2008, will come standard with four airbags (two front and two side for head and thorax protection). Other safety features such as esp® (electronic stability program) and ABS brakes are also standard.

How much space does smart have for storage?
The smart fortwo has a trunk which will accommodate active lifestyles. This area can easily fit numerous bags of groceries, gym bags and other items that are commonly transported every day, including golf clubs!

The trunk can also accommodate many sizes of luggage making trips to the airport convenient.

The front passenger seat also folds down creating additional space for other items such as skis.

To find out more about the Smart Fortwo please visit their website at www.smartusa.com.