Smart Car question

[JohnnyO]

Spent some time in Italy last year where the things are all over the place, plus I see a few here.

While I suspect that Smart Cars are front wheel drive, I saw a number of them that the rear tires and wheels were larger than the fronts. Do they carry more weight in the rear since they are so short, or why would that be?

(My current av is a Caution: Train Door Closing sign in Italy.)

 

[Snoranger]

They are rear engine/ RWD.

 

[brokemechanic3000]

The Smart car that I saw was front engine and in our tire books it lists bigger tires for the rear than the front.

 

[kunar]

after reading this thread without any answers, i was quite curious myself and spent some time searching. seems the best reasoning is that they are the smallest tires you can run without having traction problems. they want them as small as possible to help with rolling resistance and fuel economy, also to help with performance since the engine is so freakin small. any smaller in the front and they will push or understeer through corners. the rears are drive tires so any smaller would mean traction issues. (yeah, its a R/R drivetrain)

 

[RonD]

Is there a V8 swap thread yet for these

 

[adsm08]

Is there a V8 swap thread yet for these

Baby steps Ron. Lets get a 4-banger in one first.

 

[Surrey]

Baby steps Ron. Lets get a 4-banger in one first.

Do you mean you havn't seen the youtube vids of people putting high-end motorcycle engines in 'em?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4HdsDZX6c

Like a hiyabusa engine? lol

 

[Snoranger]

The Smart car that I saw was front engine

2-door or 4-door?

The only front engine smart car made was the Smart for 4... It was an '03 Mistu Colt based chassis built from 04-06 and never sold in the States.

 

[Snoranger]

Do you mean you havn't seen the youtube vids of people putting high-end motorcycle engines in 'em?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4HdsDZX6c

Like a hiyabusa engine? lol

Google:

Smartuki

 

[adsm08]

Do you mean you havn't seen the youtube vids of people putting high-end motorcycle engines in 'em?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV4HdsDZX6c

Like a hiyabusa engine? lol

As a rule I don't go to youtube and search for stupid things people can do with German cars and way too much money.

 

[RonD]

We need a "Big Daddy" Roth JUNIOR to draw us up some plans, and build one.

Rat Fink rides again in a Smart V8, and it would be a "smart" V8, think of the MPG compared to V8's in larger cars, might get a "green award".
Am I dating myself, lol.

Google: smallest supercharged v8

Didn't even realize someone would make these, but I guess "why not"
They would fit in nicely.
Although a big block chevy would be my first choice............if brains were no object

 

[JohnnyO]

Be like the Zingers that were popular when I was a kid.

 

['91 ranger xlt]

.

 

[RonD]

Now that is a SMART car.

Although the front and back tires are the same size, so...........out of spec

 

[JohnnyO]

They are rear engine/ RWD.

Interesting. I would have thought they were front engine and FWD like almost everything else.