autocross a smart car?

[draxcaliber]

i was driving around today, and i actually saw 2 smart cars within 5 minutes of eachother and i started thinking about how they would do at autocross?

they are small, light, mid-engined and rear-wheel drive, and i think they would be very manuverable. sure they lack a true manual transmission, and the stock engine is weak (but the ones with suzuki hayabusa engine swaps are awesome). but they are so narrow the gates would be so wide for them, they could probably take some really tight lines that regular width cars couldn't.

so does anybody know someone with a smart car that might wanna come autocross? i think it would be something to see.

[awptickes]

Even in a Smart ForTwo with a real manual transmission they'd suck. The one I drove while in Germany didn't handle well at higher speeds, sure, at low speeds it was a dream, it just doesn't have the precision that autocross requires.

Three-lug wheels = no replacements.

The tires in the fortwo's size that are DOT kinda suck = no traction.

All that said, I'm sure there's someone who loves their ForTwo and would autocross it. I'd even put my camera in/on their car so we could analyze their runs.

[echan]

The Mercedes Club had a Smart car driven by the their Driving Chairman, Joe Wosney, last year.

I don't know if it was just a one time thing or it's driven regularly at their autocross events.

[hepcatz]

I think it would be great. That would be run what you brung! The unusual cars give a lot of charcter to the events and require really good driving skills to do well. I've seen several that have kicked my ass in time in a vehicle that should normally plow over all the cones. A Smart car would be the ying to Wade's yang with his beast of a car. =)

[saint_foo]

I don't see why not....

[Beepbeep]

I don't see why not....

Wow! That definitely brings a different flavor to the track, but I would run the hazard lights if that was me driving .

[wrathe74]

wow..it looks lost on that huge road!

[hepcatz]

Kick ass photo Ed. i can see it being used for those motivational art prints. Something like: "You are only limited by your dreams" or "Limitations are only for those who set them" lol

[draxcaliber]

well, there are some three lug wheels, i know i saw a set on tire rack, though they were fairly ugly, but there should be some tire options for them, even if they come off go-karts or something.

also, since they are only 3 cylinder engines, they could be a competitor in the small bore series right?

[awptickes]

Yes, I don't see why not, but remember the weight multiplier. Heh.

[saint_foo]

Yes, I don't see why not, but remember the weight multiplier. Heh.

weight multiplier = 1.5

[Gonz]

a co-worker friend of mine owns one of these things. It's orange. I always expect a circus clown to come out of it, not a fifty something year old, very conservative, engineer type.

Anyway, he told me that it wasn't that light. I don't recall the figure, but no lighter than a 1980's CRX or early Civic. Apparently all the "safety equipment" adds up to a lot of heft for the puny size.

PS> I trust that track photo is just a parade lap. Otherwise they all missed the apex by three car lengths

[draxcaliber]

from what i pulled up, it weighs 1600 pound curb weight, so it is under a ton. but it probably feels heavy with that tiny 3 cyl mitsubishi engine only making 71 bhp.

[david.valeri]

Top Gear did the Mercedes A-Class back in 1998. The previous version of the car that they mention was actually featured in a book I read on car suspension design as one of the worst designs ever. It ranked right up there with the swing-axle.

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/top-g ... 1346507301 about 1:15 in.

They have run one of these small cars on the test track more recently, but I can't find the video anywhere. It was slow.

Check out the weight multiplier on this one.

I can't get over how much Top Gear has changed over the last 11 years.

[ButtDyno]

Kick ass photo Ed. i can see it being used for those motivational art prints. Something like: "You are only limited by your dreams" or "Limitations are only for those who set them" lol

Or a demotivational print.

"Live your dreams, but try not to injure your arms giving point bys"

[hepcatz]

That was funny!

[eage8]

yeah, I imagine the smart is too top heavy and it's suspension is probably far too soft to be decent at auto-x.

and edmunds says the curb weight is 1808 lbs. which is decently light, but not amazingly so.

[hepcatz]

Speaking of Smart car, saw the funniest thing on 7 commuting home yesterday. A lady in a blue conv. smart car with a large toy wind up key on the back that turned, very fitting and I laughed so hard. Also a good idea for a beetle or mini.

[milkmandan]

[KennyRogers]

I dont really think a smart car is capable of driving in an autocross. I know its a very efficient car but its not suited for that kind of driving.