Checkered Blog by Checkered Flag is the automotive play place in Hampton Roads Virginia

How Many Balloons Fit Inside a smart car?

The smart car is obviously a tad bit smaller and shorter than most vehicles. So it's understandable why most people are surprised when they see how roomy this two-seater really is. The folks at smart center Virginia Beach wanted to prove that small size doesn't mean cramped space. They invited customers to participate in a festive contest that posed the question, "How many balloons can fit in a smart car?"

Any guesses? Ten...twenty...or maybe even thirty? Nope, try an unbelievable 49 balloons!!! Check out the pictures below. I've seen the smart car up close several times now, and for a car of its stature it really does offer a great amount of space. See it for yourself at 5193 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach.

Also, a big congratulations goes out to the lucky customer who was right on the money and gave the winning guess!

smart fortwo in a Nutshell

What is hard on the outside, but soft on this inside? The smart car. There has been a lot of excitement about this very unique car lately. I have to admit every time I see one driving by, I have to take a second look. The smart fortwo has caused a frenzy with drivers because of its small vehicle design and of course, its stellar fuel efficiency, but some of you may still have questions about its safety. At just 8.8  feet long and weighing in at about 1,800 lbs, can the smart Fortwo withstand an impact with much larger cars?

There is a nifty display at smart center Virginia Beach that shows exactly what the Fortwo is made of. They call it the tridion safety shell, and it is based on the idea of a nut. Yes, a nut. Just like how a nut is protected by its hard outer shell, Fortwo occupants are protected by the hard tridion steel cage. The tridion safety shell is made of longitudinal and transverse structural members that absorb energy in the event of a collision, and help protect passengers from injury. Like we mentioned in an earlier blog, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released their crash test results a few months ago and gave the Fortwo a top rating of “good” for front and side crash protection. To read more about the results visit here. 

The tridion frame alone weighs 900 lbs, and I found out yesterday that it took 6 very strong men to carry the display inside (pictures are posted below, thank you to the folks at smart center Virginia Beach for sharing them with us.) Great work guys! Admire their hard work by visiting smart center Virginia Beach, 5193 Virginia Beach Boulevard, Virginia Beach or for more information call (757) 490-1111.

 

Meet smart center Virginia Beach's Brand Specialist Drew Spade

CB: How long have you worked here?

Drew: I started here at smart last month. I worked at Checkered Flag Hyundai and Volkswagen before that. And before that I was in the Navy.

CB: Which Hampton Roads city or county do you live in?

Drew: Virginia Beach.

CB: How long have you lived in Hampton Roads?

Drew: Since 2002. Before Virginia Beach I lived in Portsmouth. Like I said, I was in the Navy for about 8 years, so where I lived depended on where I was stationed. My last two stations were in this area, so it was Portsmouth and then Virginia Beach.

CB: What are your hobbies?

Drew: Fishing and cars. Oh and I have a 2 month old baby. I am also an aquarist, not an Aquarius [laughs], but, you know, someone with a large aquarium. I also read a lot.

CB: What kinds of books do you like?

Drew: Anything really. Well, anything but romance. Not too much into Fabio, haha.

CB: What is your favorite restaurant?

Drew: Smackwater Jacks. The service is great there. You do not have to worry about anything. The lunch prices are really good, too. I usually have the steak.

CB: What is in your MP3 player (or CD player) right now?

Drew: Hmm, my MP3 player...there is everything. I like everything from classic to rock...It just has to have a good beat.

CB: What movie have you seen most recently?

Drew: Like at the actual movie theater? I do not really go there. I watch movies on Pay-Per-View though, and the last one I saw was No Country for Old Men. But I would go to the movies to see Indiana Jones and the new Hulk coming out. And probably Iron Man. I am big into comics.

CB: What pets do you have?

Drew: 13 fish, an African Spur Thigh Turtle, a leopard gecko, and a snapping turtle.

CB: What is one thing about you that people would be surprised to know?

Drew: I write music. And I play the guitar.

CB: What is one invention you could not live without?

Drew: The stove! I love cooking.

CB: What is the best thing about working for Checkered Flag?

Drew: The people. Company stability... And also the versatility. I got certified at Hyundai and Volkswagen, and now I am at smart. But really the people are the main thing that keeps this company going. There is such an emphasis on customer service.

smart Smorgasbord

I stopped by smart center Virginia Beach yesterday to get a closer look at its service department, since I had yet to venture back there and had been wondering if it was any different from a "normal" service department.  It turns out that, much like the smart car itself, the service department is not that different, just shorter.  A lot shorter!

In other smart center VB news, Drew Spade has come down from Checkered Flag Hyundai/VW to be the newest smart Brand Specialist.  He told me that he has wanted to come to smart since attending the smart road show that was held last August.  Congratulations, Drew!

Also, Linda Dales is now working service prep at smart, making sure all the vehicles are in tip-top shape before delivery.

The last bit of local smart news I received was that the wait list for smarts still exists and demand is still high.  The good news is that, beginning this Friday, smart center VB, in order to better serve those customers that do not wish to wait, will begin selling a carefully chosen selection of pre-owned vehicles as well. Expect small, fuel efficient models from VW and Toyota.

And finally, we promised that when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety released their crash tests for the smart Fortwo (the smallest vehicle they have ever tested), we would share them with you.  The IIHS gave smart the top rating of "good" for front and side crash protection.  Its seat and head restraints earned the second-best rating of "acceptable" for whiplash protection in rear impacts.  Institute president Adrian Lund stated, "All things being equal in safety, bigger and heavier is always better.  But among the smallest cars, the engineers of the smart did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a very small package."  Click here to read more.

9 Models at Checkered Flag Make ACEEE's "Greenest Cars" List

Via MSN Autos, I found that The American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy released its annual "Green Car" scores.  A whopping 9 of the top 12 models are sold at Checkered Flag!  The scores are tabulated by examining fuel economy, emissions and production processes.  New to the list this year is our very own 2008 smart fortwo and the 2008 MINI Cooper/MINI Clubman.  The top spot went to the compressed natural gas powered Honda Civic GX, which is only sold in California and New York.  Also making the top 12 was the Toyota Prius, Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Honda Civic and the Honda Fit.

smart fortwo crash test ratings just in

Good news from smart!  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently released results from the smart fortwo front and side impact crash tests (you can view current crash test results by clicking here and entering the year, make and model that you are interested in).  smart says that the results were right in line with their high expectations but also that they are continuing to strive for ways to make the smart fortwo even more safe.  If you can't grasp how the tiny car got such high ratings, stop by smart center Virginia Beach at 5193 Virginia Beach Blvd. and check out the tridion safety cell that's on display.  It's a steel "cage",  similar to those used in race cars, that helps protect the vehicle's occupants.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will be conducting tests as well and their results are expected to come later this month.  We'll keep you posted!

 

Want a smart? You'll probably have to wait awhile. Want to look smart? Get the gear today.

I know that there are customers out there very anxious to get their hands on a smart car.  I have witnessed their enthusiasm and, let me tell you, "very anxious" is a wildly generous term.  I stopped by smart center Virginia Beach today and was glad to see that, after two full weeks in business, the staff was still in one piece and the dealership had not yet been pillaged. And, while there is still a somewhat lengthy waiting list for the itty-bitty vehicles, smart center Virginia Beach can hook you up with your smart gear TODAY.  Here's just a sampling of what they have to offer... 

Stop by 5193 Virginia Beach Blvd. if you want to look the part before you buy the car.

smart center Virginia Beach is OPEN!

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

This is actually not the official motto of the U.S. Postal Service (they don't have one), but a lot of people think it is. I think that it should become the official motto of The Checkered Blog because I went out in torrential downpours this morning to get you the scoop on the opening of smart center Virginia Beach. I was not the only one who braved the rain, however. Here is smart center Virginia Beach’s awesome staff hard at work this morning.  (Gary Gullickson, smart brand manager; Paige Bias, smart brand executive assistant; Mike Sullivan, C.D. Morris, and Kate Heidbrick, all smart brand specialists.)

 

These first photos show that the dealership really turned out great. It’s SO clean yet modern and showcases the smart cars beautifully. And, of course, no Checkered Flag dealership would be considered complete without a gorgeous cappuccino machine (LOL).  There definitely isn’t another building like it that I’ve seen. Hours today are 10am-7pm and test drives are being offered on a first-come, first-served basis. It was crowded this morning, but people seemed really into checking out the static display on the showroom floor, watching the different videos and reading all the literature on options, safety, etc.

Please, come back and visit us often as we will be posting all sorts of information about the new smart center.  If you have questions or want more information, stop by 5193 Virginia Beach Blvd. or call 757-687-3447.

Reminder: smart center Virginia Beach Opens Tomorrow!

I feel like I need some Star Wars like theme music for the opening of smart center Virginia Beach which, as FlagRaiser reported earlier this week, WILL BE HAPPENING tomorrow, March 8 at 10am.  Instead of "be there or be square" I should say "be there or be stupid".  Hahaha.  Ok, that wasn't really funny at all.  I am hoping (as I'm sure you are, too) that the great satisfaction that I get from making smart puns diminishes in the coming weeks. 

Anyway, stop by smart center Virginia Beach tomorrow to have a look at the dealership and the car and even take a test drive (remember to bring your license though!)  If you can't make it down, check back here soon as I'll be posting pictures and info on the new facility.

Get ready for smart center VB this weekend!

Checkered Flag's smart center Virginia Beach should be opening the doors on March 8th (pending any inclement weather halting construction further).  Before you drive down to visit, please call us at 757 687-3447 to make sure the r@1n (bad word in car events) gods were nice this week!

Watch the video on our introduction to smart by Checkered Flag's own Christine Robertson.  Great work Christine!