what I mean is

... just that the FRAME of the Smart CHASSIS being designed for such a tiny lightweight of a car with a 3 cylinder engine and so on, I don't know if using that chassis would introduce limitations that would turn our "hot" tire smoking "new X1/9" (whether it be the "99" or ANY evolution) into less of a sports car and more of a wind-up toy.

If Fiat is going to build ANY new X it had better be a HOT son of a gun! I just don't know whether the Smart platform is too flimsy to live up to what we would want a New X to be. Yes the engine is in the right place, but if it's built that light could it even take the kind of powertrain we would demand? Or would we be by limitation of the chassis end up getting a "scorching 600cc with power uphill start assist"?? (homey don't think so!!)

If there were some feasable way to strengthen and widen it to the point that it could really perform on a level EQUAL to the original X handling-wise, and then could stand having one of Fiat's hottest 4 cylinder powertrains bolted to it, then take 2 people, and not collapse like a bent piece of wire, then I'd say go for it, I just don't know what it would take to turn a Smart chassis into what we would need...

I'm open minded, but skeptical, about the Smart option. I just don't know if it could take the weight / power of what we would want to bolt to it...

Peace, -Mac