The Cupertino Courier
News
Big debut for little cars set Aug. 24-25 in Cupertino
By Crystal Lu
The Smart Fortwo, an extra-small car invented in Europe, will make its debut in Cupertino Aug. 24 and 25 with demonstrations planned from noon to 8 p.m. at the Whole Foods store on Stevens Creek Boulevard.
Smart cars, which have a length of 8.8 feet and get 40 miles per gallon, are being shown around the United States as part of the "Street Smart Road Show," a national tour sponsored by smart USA, the car's American distributor. The cars are due to hit the market in the United States in January.
The Smart Fortwo will be the smallest car in the U.S., according to Ken Kettenbeil, director of communications for smart USA. He said the company picked Cupertino as one of 50 stops on its road show because of the city's convenient location, easy freeway access, and "demographics that are very much aligned with the Smart Fortwo."
Four Smart Fortwo vehicles will be in Whole Foods' parking lot for media and consumer test-drives on a closed course. There will also be a mobile smart exhibit with interactive displays and virtual safety demonstrations.
"The Smart Fortwo is a solution to urban congestion," said Kettenbeil. "Many people's lifestyle just needs a car to take them to work, to the gym, to do shopping. They don't need a back seat in the car."
Kettenbeil said the two-seat car offers superior gas mileage of 40 miles per gallon.
The Smart Fortwo is already sold in 36 countries. It's 8.8 feet in length, and 5.1 feet tall and wide. Its lowest-priced model will start under $12,000. More than 750, 000 Smart Fortwo vehicles have been sold since its introduction.
The invention of the Smart Fortwo began in the early 1990s with a joint venture between Mercedes-Benz and Swatch, the makers of Swatch watches. Nicolas Hayek, the inventor of the Swatch watch, brought his ideas for an "ultra-urban" car to Mercedes-Benz.
The Smart Fortwo debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1997 and production began the following year in Hambach, France.
The challenge of the Smart Fortwo design started with the approach to safety, given the car's small size. Its manufacturer's answer was the tridion safety cell, a hard shell that surrounds the vehicle's occupants with an energy-absorbing system.
Other innovations include the selection of energy-efficient and recyclable materials, removable door panels allowing the owner to change the color of the car, and a high driving position for great visibility in a small car.
Smart USA, a division of Penske Automotive Group headquartered in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is the exclusive distributor of the cars in North America and Puerto Rico.
