Acceleration ?

[smartyPantz]

Originally Posted by mdfortwoguy

the only major challenge of a ramp I drive frequently is MD 32E to I-95N.

Yea, I dont care for how that ramp is "engineered". I have yet to have to use it in my smart tho...

[bottlerocket]

I have no problems accelerating, especially this weekend with the Doug Thorley exhaust...

I passed a Harley and beat him on an onramp this morning, he wasn't too happy about it.... I think you guys need to use that right pedal a little more

[RVGRINGO]

So true, "Cohete".

[msjohnson1974]

I'm in Atlanta, home of the "Alpharetta Autobahn" where people fly on the roads all the time. I don't have a problem merging or getting up to highway speed - BUT - I use the paddles and keep myself in a lower gear when merging/accelerating. The automatic mode seems to take some coaxing to kick down.

Keep in mind its a 3 cylinder city car built for economy not a 6 cyl. sports coupe or Japanese tuner car... you're not going to break any land speed records with it...

[rwjrn]

I think that youtube video is a turbo charged Smart. I love my car, but it's a bit of a dog uphill and during starts. For this reason, I use the manual mode and let the tach climb a bit more when getting up to freeway speeds. It's decent, but I haven't seen mine get up like the one in the video.

[mdfortwoguy]

Originally Posted by rwjrn

I think that youtube video is a turbo charged Smart. I love my car, but it's a bit of a dog uphill and during starts. For this reason, I use the manual mode and let the tach climb a bit more when getting up to freeway speeds. It's decent, but I haven't seen mine get up like the one in the video.

The description says 52KW... 52KW translates to roughly 69.75HP, so who knows for sure.

The cabrio I drove a few weeks ago would move like it - the 1-2 shift didn't drag like some of the others I have driven.

I'd be curious to know how much you can hear the turbo in the 84HP though.

[mdfortwoguy]

Originally Posted by smartyPantz

Yea, I dont care for how that ramp is "engineered". I have yet to have to use it in my smart tho...

As long as I don't have someone afraid of their right pedal in front of me, I like that merge. It gives me a chance to let my 143 wild horses run free in the VUE...

[a2jack]

I agree with Shosh and Bobbi. The Merge uphill can be interesting in a Smart.

I like to arrive on the freeway at around 70 +, than slow if I must. A couple times I have been caught behind the power curve in "D" while the trans decided to do a gear change.

Nowadays I just use the stick and wind her out. Works perfect every time. (High time L.A. driver here with 10.1 k on Smartie's ode.) A2Jack.

[GiantKiller]

I can usually get up to 80 mph by the end of most on ramps in WI. no problem. Even in drive. Just stomp it down and let rev out.

[Belleveu1]

I'm still waiting for mine (1225). I drive a '84 Civic Wagon and enter the freeway on an uphill ramp. Rarely can I achieve more than 40 miles per hour at merge time. I find that if I have my signal on and use a little patience, I have never had a problem with someone letting me in. Of course, this is the Seattle area and most are somewhat laid back. I anticipate the Smart to be a veritable rocket in comparison.