2013 Smart Fortwo Passion on 2040-cars

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New Smart Fortwo and Forfour teased in promo video

Smart is just about ready to launch the all-new generations of the Fortwo and Forfour. It might be hard to get excited for a car with such a mixed reputation, but the company has high expectations for the updated models. In a new video, Smart teases some nearly final prototypes during arctic testing in Sweden.
Both new vehicles share a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive platform with the new Renault Twingo in Europe. The models in the video look quite tiny, and that isn't an optical illusion. Both cars are reportedly smaller than their predecessors. Even the already minuscule Fortwo is supposedly about six inches shorter than the original.
Both of them are rumored to go on sale sometime later this year, and even the Smart chief engineer in the video says, "The car is ready to be launched." Unfortunately, we probably won't get both models stateside. While the new Fortwo will come to the US, the Forfour likely won't make it here. Scroll down to get an early look at the next generation versions sliding around in the snow and ice.

Car2go San Diego's latest 'update' is to shut the whole thing down

Not enough people in San Diego like sharing cars. Or, at a minimum, they don't like sharing Car2go Smart Fortwo vehicles. That's why the five-year-old point-to-point, short-term car rental service is shutting down at the end of the year. So, sorry, but if you're looking for a way home from your New Year's Eve party, the Car2go you drove there won't be available. Daimler's Car2go car sharing service launched in San Diego back in November, 2011 and changed from an all-electric fleet to gas cars this past March. Despite the shift, drivers didn't show up. As Car2go put it, "unfortunately we have not seen enough adoption of our unique one–way carsharing service here to continue operations at this point." Car2go's services in other cities (like Seattle and Columbus) remain in operation, and anyone with an account in San Diego will (as before) be able to use vehicles in those cities. There are 42,000 Car2go members who were using 255 vehicles in San Diego, but the company needed more to make it work. Car2go said that, "We truly hope that as more people around the world like you adopt carsharing and embrace all its economic and environmental benefits, we might one day resume our service here." You can read the announcement email below. Car2go - Important Service Update by AutoblogGreen on Scribd This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Smart ForTwo owner misses point, swaps in big block V8

He's not actually a Smart ForTwo owner - he's a guy who built a custom chassis with a Chevrolet big block at the front that can fit a ForTwo body. And yes, there's almost nothing under that diminutive skin except a tube frame, an engine and a seat - the driver's helmet can't be more than a few hairs away from the back glass.
YouTube user Keith Pufahl shot video of white lightning at No Limit Raceway in Morocco, Indiana. In the video comments Pufahl says the builder is still dialing it in so he didn't set any records, but neverminding the run, did we mention there's a Smart ForTwo with a Chevy big block in the video below?