Friday 23 August 2019

Cross-Blade Encounter

The only place where you will find the Smart Cross-Blade....is in hot climate places, like Dubrovnik.  The hotel I stayed at....had one for daily rental.

It was made for one single year (2002), and only comes in the 599 cc range (71 hp).

It's rare that you come across these now. 

Smart didn't really know how to sell the car, or to market it.  No, there is no top to it, and that might be 50-percent of the problem why it never caught on.  No windshield?  That is correct.  No doors?  Yep.  Top speed?  Around 130 kph (80 mph).  No trunk?  Correct, that space in the back is for the engine.  For beaches or sand?  No.....it's a rear wheel drive situation.

Maybe if this had been manufactured in Brazil, and sold for 7k dollars.....it would have been an interesting car to keep in the garage and use on weekends.  The chief problem I saw in 2002 when it came out....they were talking 15,000 dollars (European-made and added cost on labor).