Autoblog

If this doesn't strike you as a sign of the times, you may need to get your eyes checked. The only HUMMER dealership in Las Vegas, the city that invented excess and bling, is shutting its doors. Towbin HUMMER is actually one of the largest HUMMER dealerships in America. So what will they be selling instead? Well, you already know because you saw the headline at the top of this post: SMART cars. Talk about one extreme to the other.

Dan Towbin owns several dealerships in Sin City, where he sells Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, Infinitis and Dodges. He says he'll bring in another GM dealership alongside the SMART store to replace the HUMMERs, which have been selling slow on account of high gas prices and increasing environmental conscience among consumers. Towbin's will be the eighth HUMMER dealership to close this year so far, a trend which may make it even harder for the General to sell off the brand.

[Source: Wall Street Journal via Kicking Tires]

In Europe, it's common to see several smart cars sharing a single parallel parking space, with their diminutive front bumpers against the curb and the rear facing traffic. Try that in New York city, and you'll likely get towed. Instead, smart fortwo owners can take advantage of Meyers Parking's half price offer: 50% off daily and monthly parking rates in the city.

In a press release (available after the jump), Mike Carolan of Meyers parking said, "We are excited to offer smart owners a discount, as it seems only appropriate that smart owners pay half price since they only take up half the space."

We agree you shouldn't be charged for a full space when you only have half a car. With the cost of parking in the Big Apple, this deal alone could move a few more of the colorful little two-seaters.

[Sources: Gadgetell via Fashion Funky]

Thanks for the tip, Yash!

Click above for high-res gallery of the smart fortwo

Of all the possible reasons that a vehicle could be recalled, a poor paint job doesn't at first seem all that newsworthy. After all, cars could theoretically be recalled for exploding gas tanks, runaway engines or any number of horror-inducing problems. Bad paint? No harm, no foul -- just take it back and have it repainted properly. Unless, of course, that paint problem could lead to the loss of your windshield or roof while driving. This is exactly the worry that the NHTSA has with 43 smart ForTwo's, all sold in 2008. It seems that some adhesive was laid over the problematic paint, and if the paint lets go... so does the glue. While it's never happened to us personally, we tend to agree with the NHTSA's assessment that the sudden loss of either the glass in front of you or the ceiling protecting your dome could potentially lead to a crash. Anybody who's concerned can contact their dealer, assuming that they haven't already been notified of the problem.


[Source: Next Autos]

One of the cooler aspects of the Woodward Dream Cruise is that its completely open and unmoderated. It's the ultimate "run what you brung" event. Hundreds of thousands of people sit along the edge of the road and watch everything from bikes to trucks go by and the juxtaposition can be fascinating. Seeing a giant yellow high riding pickup truck with the front end of a Chevy Kodiak bearing down on a custom vinyl wrapped Smart is definitely an interesting sight.

Click above for a high-res gallery of the smart fortwo Limited 2.

A very limited car is now available in a new limited edition. The smart fortwo Limited 2 is the sequel to the 2006 original. The only significant mechanical change from a regular passion Coupe or Cabrio is the addition of six-spoke alloys with 15-inch rubber. The rest of what makes this city car "limited" is cosmetic. The pale blue metallic paint changes color depending on the angle of the light and the interior is swathed in a cognac brown leather meant to impart luxury on this tiny machine. If all that isn't enough, buyers can add electric power steering, an upgraded audio system and locking glove box. The 71-hp three-cylinder engine retains a 59 mpg highway mileage rating. The Limited 2 coupe has a starting price of $18,363 while the open top model pushes that to $22,100. Those prices both seem a tad steep for a car of such limited capability. UK buyers can pick one up while they last after Labor day.

All the details are available in the press release below the fold.

Click image to enlarge

The Cannonball Run that takes place every year in Europe dpesn't have much in common with the Hollywood comedy it takes its name from. In fact, the goal of the modern-day race is not to finish in the least amount of time possible, but to finish with a specific average speed; 61 miles per hour, in the case of the 2008 event. So, while it may be initially shocking to hear that this year's race was won by a BRABUS smart fortwo, it actually makes sense considering that the smart was able to run the entire race averaging 35 miles per gallon. Therefore, while the other high-powered competitors were constantly stopping to refill their gas tanks, first-time competitors David Ward and Adrian Hull of the U.K. were able to motor along and wave as they gingerly passed them by. Score one for efficiency!

[Source: smart via AutoblogGreen]

Standing seven feet and one inches tall and weighing in at 375 pounds, Shaquille O'Neal is one big dude. Must drive a big 'ol car then, right? Umm, not exactly. The Phoenix Suns star center has recently been spotted in his newest automotive purchase, a smart fortwo. Seriously. And, surprisingly enough, he fits! Don't believe us? See above for photo proof. Well, so he sorta fits. It's a good thing that Shaq opted for the convertible, as his head comes up several inches over the top of the windshield. Oh, and we can find no real proof that the door has ever completely shut with Shaq inside. Just sayin'.

[Sources: TMZ via MyRide.com]

When it comes to increasing fuel economy, turbochargers are the replacement for displacement. The combination of highly efficient snails and smaller engines provides the power people expect, while reducing the overall weight of the vehicle. Like other automakers that have realized that forced induction is a suitable stop-gap for improving fuel economy, Mercedes-Benz is in the process of developing turbo'd engines that will proliferate throughout its lineup in the next two and a half years.

Thomas Weber, a Daimler board member in charge of research and development told Automotive News, "All our vehicles will have turbocharged engines in series production by the end of 2010 at the latest."

Mercedes is joining BMW and Audi by investing heavily into forced induction, primarily to cope with new fuel economy standards in the U.S. and Europe. But turbos are only going to take them so far. Mercedes plans to introduce hybrids into its lineup towards the close of the decade, beginning with the S-class sedan in 2009. According to Weber, zero-emission vehicles are the automaker's long-term goal and Daimler intends to push heavily towards fuel-cells and electric-powered vehicle in the future, including an electric smart fortwo which will go into production sometime in 2010.

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

The already fuel efficient Smart fortwo will soon become even more stingy with the petrol when start-stop technology is employed fleet-wide beginning in October. The start-stop technology, which is called "micro hybrid" by Smart, works by cutting off the engine during braking when the vehicle speed drops below five mph. According to Smart, the engine restarts immediately when the brake is released and the technology will result in a fuel savings of 8 percent, bringing consumption in the US EPA cycle to about 44 mpg on the highway and 36 mpg in the city. CO2 emissions will also be reduced by 9g/km, now netting 103g/km. The technology will also be available on the CDI Smart when it hits production next year, but as of right now, the diesel fortwo isn't coming Stateside.

[Source: Autocar]

Click for a hi-res gallery of the Koenigseder Smart ForTwo

"Wide-body" is a relative term. An SUV or a supercar decked out with a wide-body kit? Pimpin'. But a smart ForTwo? Well, it's wider, sure.

Koenigseder is known for modifying big SUVs, but with this kit it's gone decidedly smaller. The Austrian tuning house's package for the diminutive Smart car widens the body by over an inch, which we're not sure is so Smart for a vehicle designed to park sideways in tight spots. The kit also includes 17" rims, which look positively monstrous on such a tiny car, plus Eibach springs, an aero kit, some subtle floral decals and even environmentally-friendly floor mats. Check the action out in the gallery by clicking the thumbnails below.

[Source: Koenigseder via Inside Line]