Newsweek Shills For Smart Cars

[SmartAmerica]

The Smart car, a tiny two-seater produced by Mercedes-Benz, is being released in the United States, and Newsweek decided to celebrate by shilling for the supposedly socially-conscious vehicle. Newsweek allowed Smart's U.S. president David Schembri essentially free space to advertise in what is being represented as a news column. READ MORE

NewsBusters article By Richard Newcomb | September 19, 2007 - 11:18 ET

[Old smart]

This really isn

[SmartBob]

Right on, Fish. It's time to get serious about "Smart" cars and our Smart Car. I think Mercedes will be spearheading a major movmement. Oil by the barrel has just risen to an all time high of $83.32 . Two seater is no new concept. Their are many major brand sport cars with the same amount of storage and not as safe. So you put your Hummer, Lincoln, Caddy, Lexus, Escalade...in the garage for special occasions and drive your ForTwo to work, your significant other's, Mom & Dad's, dinner, a museum, the Zoo, a club or just for a drive, always having fun and saving a bundle $$$$.

[lhoboy]

NewsBusters is starting to sound like an extension of Consumer Reports, pandering to the fears of soccer moms who are now convinced that they need to surround ther precious cargos in with Hummers. Bah, HummerBug!!

[MicroNut]

I didn't realize that buying a smart was such a radical political gesture.

I just thought I was getting a car that's as cute as a button and makes me feel good about driving.

And that by driving it I might occassionally expose others to an alternative transportation mind-set, in a totally non-threatening and non-judgmental way.

Silly me!

[tipo158]

Originally Posted by lhoboy

NewsBusters is starting to sound like an extension of Consumer Reports, pandering to the fears of soccer moms who are now convinced that they need to surround ther precious cargos in with Hummers. Bah, HummerBug!!

Actually, NewsBusters is yet another conversative news and commentary site that bills itself as "fair and balanced".

Also, the posting is just someone's blog, not a researched article.

How does he know that parking spaces won't be resized for the Smart? In Seattle, the metered street parking does not have defined parking spaces; it has machines that vend parking stickers.

The author criticizes the smart for lack of interior space, but most commuters are not hauling luggage or musical instruments around. Besides, doesn't the passenger seat fold flat, so you can haul larger items?

The author includes a lengthy excerpt from the interview that lists a bunch of good safety features included in the smart but complains that the interviewer should have followed up and compared it to the Prius and Hybrid Civic. The Prius does not seem to have ESP or EBD, while the Smart does.

Finally, the author criticizes the interviewer for giving the Smart exec a softball interview that a US auto exec never would have gotten. Searching the internet, it is easy to find Newsweek softball interviews with all sorts of US execs, including corporate officers at the Big Three.

Other than to wind up smart enthusiasts, the blog is pretty much worthless.

alan