smart fortwo

patrickc

I was on the M9 carlow bypass this morning in a line of about 3 cars on the inside lane, when a smart fortwo overtakes us all at approx 140k

how is it possible for one of these to do such speeds:eek:

and would you feel safe doing it? it was a little windy and theres no way I'd go so fast in it.

It had L plates on it, and I thought young driver but it was a well dressed late 30's man driving it.

Mr Benevolent

They're more stable than they look, and safer too. No excuse for that type of driving though.

Owen

They're not stable at all. I hired one in Dusseldorf 2 years ago because it was the only car left in the airport. Mine was the Diesel, and it's top speed was about 140kph too. I was on the Autobahn, and a 6 series shot past at at least double my speed, but when the wake tubulence of thee 6 series caught up with the Smart, I thought it was all over. I've never had to control a car that much before at speed, and it was a new underpants moment.

Stainless_Steel

Confab wrote: »

They're more stable than they look, and safer too. No excuse for that type of driving though.

:rolleyes: 140 kmph is hardly warp speed now is it?

patrickc

Stainless_Steel wrote: »

:rolleyes: 140 kmph is hardly warp speed now is it?

nope but it looked like it was for that, struggling to overtake us ..

stealthyspeeder

Is there a brabus edition of that? could it have been that?

And 140 km/h? I wouldnt be getting excited seeing anything doing that speed!

fryup

patrickc wrote: »

It had L plates on it, and I thought young driver but it was a well dressed late 30's man driving it.

so, who's to say he wasn't a learner driver

anyway not surprised, smart cars have mercedes built engines in them

Mr Benevolent

PaintDoctor wrote: »

They're not stable at all. I hired one in Dusseldorf 2 years ago because it was the only car left in the airport. Mine was the Diesel, and it's top speed was about 140kph too. I was on the Autobahn, and a 6 series shot past at at least double my speed, but when the wake tubulence of thee 6 series caught up with the Smart, I thought it was all over. I've never had to control a car that much before at speed, and it was a new underpants moment.

To be fair, it'd be the same if you were driving a Punto or Fiesta. Shoulda taken the wake turbulence effects into account

Is there a brabus edition of that? could it have been that?

There is indeed.

patrickc

fryup wrote: »

so, who's to say he wasn't a learner driver

anyway not surprised, smart cars have mercedes built engines in them

not saying he wasnt just expected it was a young learner driver in one of those..

heres one crashing at 70mph ,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssx4uQnDcV8&feature=PlayList&p=661359FE9B2380F5&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=16



defo wouldnt fancy my chances in that ..

Owen

Confab wrote: »

To be fair, it'd be the same if you were driving a Punto or Fiesta. Shoulda taken the wake turbulence effects into account

It was taken into account. A larger car like a fiesta has a much longer wider wheelbase than a Smart. I've had a similar situation happen to me in a clio in Italy, and the car gave a little wiggle. The Smart car in Germany nearly killed me. Big difference.

unkel

PaintDoctor wrote: »

They're not stable at all. I hired one in Dusseldorf 2 years ago because it was the only car left in the airport. Mine was the Diesel, and it's top speed was about 140kph too. I was on the Autobahn, and a 6 series shot past at at least double my speed, but when the wake tubulence of thee 6 series caught up with the Smart, I thought it was all over. I've never had to control a car that much before at speed, and it was a new underpants moment.

I can only imagine. It's bad enough in any (small) car, I wouldn't want to find out in a Smart.

Mr Benevolent

unkel wrote: »

I can only imagine. It's bad enough in any (small) car, I wouldn't want to find out in a Smart.

Agreed. I considered buying one until I saw the crash test video.

woody33

I saw that crash test recently, they were surprised how well the passenger compartment held up, but they said you would be killed by the deceleration anyway.

Busta Hyman

Confab wrote: »

Agreed. I considered buying one until I saw the crash test video.

to be fair its 70mph to 0 into a concrete barrier! wonder how my transit / wifes focus would fair in the same test?

Alanstrainor

I think that video shows just how well it holds up in a crash. 70Mph into a concrete barrier, i mean i wouldn't expect the likes of a fiesta, punto, or any "super mini" to come out as well. That being said, you're certainly dead in that crash seeing that you go from 70mph to 0 in less than a second. Inertia sucks!

vw4life

great fun little cars to spin around in,especially with a gixer 1000 engine fitted:D

fryup wrote: »

anyway not surprised, smart cars have mercedes built engines in them

far from a merc engine,jap jap jap all the way;)