2012 Smart Fortwo Passion on 2040-cars

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The Smart ForTwo hits the streets for the NYPD

Members of New York's Finest will soon have 250 shiny new police cars for patrolling the Big Apple. Rather than intimidating Chargers or Tahoes, the NYPD ordered up some police-spec Smart ForTwos. Though they aren't likely to instill fear when they appear in your rearview mirror, they're a smart (sorry) choice for the city streets and will likely be welcomed by the officers who will drive them. You see, these ForTwos are replacing some enclosed, three-wheeled motorcycles that are used for city patrols. The three-wheelers are pretty crude so the ForTwo is sure to bring a marked improvement in comfort, safety, and probably noise levels. The ForTwo's small size and 22.8-foot turning circle are sure to be handy on tight New York City streets. One big improvement is that these ForTwos have air conditioning, unlike the motorcycles. NYPD police officer Ralph Jefferson was quoted by Smart saying it's "spacious and agile and makes my job much easier." He also said that people find it to be cute. They're not wrong. Smart doesn't do much to bring the ForTwo up to police-spec. The company adds blue flashing lights on top and a police radio inside. Smart also gives the ForTwos the NYPD's iconic white and blue police livery so that it's instantly recognizable. So far, Smart has delivered 100 of the little police cars, with the rest due later. They may not be as exciting as Dubai's collection of hypercar police vehicles, but they should serve their purpose well. Related Video: Featured Gallery NYPD Smart ForTwo Image Credit: Daimler AG Auto News Weird Car News smart Coupe Police/Emergency police car fortwo new york police department

Smart Fortwo successor spotted wearing new nose

Judging by the numerous concept vehicles from Smart lately, we can pretty much already tell what the future has in store for the brand's growing lineup. Still, these new spy shots give us our first look at the next Fortwo being tested with what looks to be a production-ready nose.
Although this mule still uses cobbled together pieces from a Renault Twingo that we've seen in previous spy shots, the camouflaged front end shows a likeness to recent concepts like the Fourjoy and Forstars. This includes the short, flat nose, an enlarged grille and the headlight shape, but one noticeable difference is the addition of marker lights positioned just below the main beams. From what we hear, the next-gen Fortwo will be unveiled early next year at the Geneva Motor Show, and it will be slightly bigger than the current model.

Car2go carsharing service will debut in Rome in mid-March

When in Rome, folks can start using Daimler's Car2go car-sharing service. The Mercedes-Benz parent says its car-sharing fleet of Smart Fortwo two-seaters will be available in the Italian capital starting mid-March. Upon the debut, about 300 cars will be available, with another 200 added by April. Lessons in Italian driving gestures will not be included. Still, the service appears to have been well-received in Italy, as Car2go made its Italian debut in Milan just this past August. The Rome service, which is technically a joint-venture between Car2go and Europcar, covers about 40 square miles and costs 29 euro cents (about 40 cents US) per minute. The company says it will provide the city's first car-sharing service in which the vehicle can be picked up and dropped off at different locations. With Rome on board, Car2go is available in 26 global cities, including London, Berlin, Vienna and Munich. Car2go has a fleet of 10,500 vehicles (including 1,200 Smart Fortwo ED electric vehicles) and services more than 600,000 customers worldwide. Car2go debuted in Ulm, Germany in 2008 and started US service in Austin, Texas in the fall of 2009. The service became available in Montreal last October. Check out Car2go's press release on its Rome chapter below. car2go starts in Rome Launch in mid-March with initially 300 out of a total of 500 smart fortwos in a business area of around 100 square kilometers Possibility of access to traffic-calmed downtown With Rome, car2go is now present in 26 European and North American cities Ciao Roma! car2go launches in Rome: car2go, the pioneer and market leader in the field of short-duration A to B car rental, is launching its service in the Italian capital in mid-March with 300 smart fortwos. car2go, the pioneer and market leader in the field of short-duration A to B car rental, is launching its service in the Italian capital in mid-March with 300 smart fortwos. An increase to 500 vehicles is already scheduled for April 2014. Following the great success in Milan, Rome is car2go's second city on the Italian market. Rome is the fifth European capital to benefit from flexible car-sharing with car2go. "Rome is the city of the smart and the perfect place for the compact two-seater. With car2go, we are bringing the success story of flexible car-sharing to Rome," comments Thomas Beermann, Managing Director of car2go Europe GmbH, enthusiastically on the new launch.