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Author Topic: Choices the designers made...  (Read 26902 times)

unmutual

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Choices the designers made...
« on: August 18, 2017, 07:58:16 PM »

So, after a few months of forfour ownership, I still find myself wondering what the bods at Smart were thinking when some of the plans went across their desks.  Why would they have thought mixing plastic and glass roofs would be a good idea?  And those silly little plastic windows in the rear doors?  So much of me wants to love the car, but daft design "features" are making this difficult (previously I've owned a number of British classics, so fully understand that stupid designs are everywhere, but some are endearing and some not!)...   :(
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Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2017, 08:08:30 PM »

SMART
Swatch Mercedes ART

Ask them  ;)
« Last Edit: August 23, 2017, 10:10:11 PM by Deszus »
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Ocracoke

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2017, 09:27:48 PM »

Weight saving perhaps? As for the roof, I know on the original 450 (Fortwo) they used to have a full glass roof which had a tendency to shatter for fun (I look at my 2001 450 CDI with dread so perhaps they were trying to mitigate that? 
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2004 ForFour 1.3 AMT - The yellow 454!

http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5224.0 - The WirralSmarts mod/upgrade thread

1x 454 1.3 S-A, 1x 450 RHD mk5, 1x 450 mk5 CDI

Problemchild

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #3 on: August 18, 2017, 09:34:32 PM »

plastic panels = fantastic

no rust
no car park dents
no lack in lustre
easy to replace
lighter (maybe)

so many cars now have plastic wings etc to combat rust

how many 12 year old cars polish up as nice as the forfour ;)

plastic quarter panels is for weight - lots of cars have those now as well

lots of the design cues are linked to the fortwo though to homogenise the brand

panoramic roofs were not big when the forfour was launched now they are lusted after

JJ

Brabs

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #4 on: August 18, 2017, 09:34:49 PM »

Weight saving.
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Open Your Mind... to a smart.
I did, to a generation 1 forfour 1.1 with 'Passion', a Silver generation 1 forfour 'Brabus' Xclusive and a fortwo 451 'night orange' edition ;~)

Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #5 on: August 18, 2017, 11:19:42 PM »

And those silly little plastic windows in the rear doors?

Made my weekend mate  8)
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steddie eddie

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #6 on: August 23, 2017, 10:02:58 PM »

to make them more interesting in mho.
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2004 Passion 1.5 petrol AMT,19.15km per litre.... 5.22liter 100km.... 54.1mpg....that is average.

Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #7 on: August 23, 2017, 10:13:08 PM »

Not everyone will fall in love with ForFour.

I'd like to have Mustang Fastback from 1969, but how to find a parking space at Tesco's with that kind of beast?  ;)
« Last Edit: August 23, 2017, 10:14:32 PM by Deszus »
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cecil

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2017, 12:26:50 AM »

Would you call the Mustang Eleanor? 8)
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Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #9 on: August 24, 2017, 07:04:30 AM »

Oh yes. :P
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steddie eddie

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #10 on: August 24, 2017, 08:21:32 AM »

I have always loved the 1959 Cadillac, but that will be a forever dream, also it would have to have a towbar to pull a trailer with a big extra fueltank.....lol.
« Last Edit: December 02, 2017, 11:16:56 PM by steddie eddie »
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2004 Passion 1.5 petrol AMT,19.15km per litre.... 5.22liter 100km.... 54.1mpg....that is average.

Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #11 on: August 27, 2017, 03:45:48 PM »

Fastback from 1969. 5.8L V8 290hp 8)
Yup, none of these cars would be economical like my CDi ForFour. Last trip 1200 miles I had about 4.3L/100km on V-Power diesel and most of time cruising 60mph in 5th gear. But it wasn't flat. Very hilly highways. ForFour full of bags.

Eco ForFour.

Hey @unmutual if those ForFour plastic windows really annoy you why not to order glass ones?  ;)
« Last Edit: August 27, 2017, 03:56:17 PM by Deszus »
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W454 1.5 CDI 5-s manual 70 kW 210 Nm 200kkm+

CrazyG

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #12 on: August 29, 2017, 12:19:12 PM »

Only 290bhp from 5.8 litres ! Unbelievably low compared to todays motors.
Mind you, the torque would be something else.
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454 - Brabus (mapped, Willwood brakes, coilovers etc)
454 - Passion CDi 95hp (manual, Brab body kit, coilovers etc)
454 - Passion 1.3 (manual, Brab body kit, lowered etc) [SORN'd]
451 - Pulse Turbo [my daily drive] (mapped, coilovers etc)
450 - 'Widestar' bodied Passion 700cc [SORN'd]

Problemchild

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #13 on: August 29, 2017, 09:11:32 PM »

Only 290bhp from 5.8 litres ! Unbelievably low compared to todays motors.
Mind you, the SOUND would be something else.

FTFY

JJ

Deszus

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Re: Choices the designers made...
« Reply #14 on: August 29, 2017, 11:43:58 PM »

There's no reason to complaint about. Average MPG on these V8 is about 12.

23 liters of unleaded per 100 km. So economical!  ;D

Considering Fastback's price and fuel consumption I will go with Tesla. It would be quite nice to have Tesla's drive in Fastback's body. Ow yes.
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