[Karl_Bonner_1982]

These are the tiny cars, only about 9 feet long with a really compact body and incredible fuel economy.

Anybody familiar with them? I've only seen them a couple times.

[Abood]

Yes.

[Notorious B.i.G.]

Yeah I drove one for a bit.
They are so good to park. I drive a really big Ford at the moment and in my street it's very tight parking. Wish I had a Smart.

The smart brand has its origins in 1972, when Johann Tomforde, a Daimler-Benz (at the time) designer, conceived a compact urban car. In the 1980's the founder of the Swatch company came up with the idea for a swatchmobile. In 1992, Tomforde unveiled his first prototype. 2 years later came the announcement that Swatch and D-B will start a joint venture to produced/design the car. smart stands for Swatch Mercedes Art.

The first smart coupe was released in 1998. Yet smart hasn't been released in the US yet. It will be (or has already) launched in 2008. So far smart has 30,000 orders for the cars. The only model available is the fortwo, a small twodoor, but a few years back smart realised an open top roadster and a forfour, a four door smart. These models failed miserably and were pulled from production.

Major draw back is that they are quite expensive, and for less money you can get small cars with greater carrying capacity and better dynamics. i.e. Mazda 2, Toyota Yaris and Ford Ka or Fiesta.
Apart from parking ease, smarts can be seen as nothing more then a fashions statement at that price

[Dr House]

Some of the most fuel efficient vehicles on the road:





Save the environment, save gas, and have fun doing it!

-Dr House

[Thunderhawk]

A more cost effective super compact (or are they classified as something else?)



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tata_Nano

http://jalopnik.com/343003/the-2500-tat ... d-in-india



Alternatively one could just buy an Hyundai Accent which is bigger, but still compact and fuel efficient.

[scooby]

Dr House, excuse my ignorance but what make is the car?

[Dave]

I would never, ever drive a Smart Car or anything similar. It's hard to imagine a more embarrassing vehicle to drive. Maybe a New Beetle convertible would be more embarrassing.

If you want to save money on fuel and have a small car, just buy an early 90s Corolla. That way you'll just feel poor, not completely ashamed and pathetic as you would in a Smart Car.

[QatzelOk]

completely ashamed and pathetic as you would in a Smart Car.

I think the Smart is the best-selling car in Paris.

Why feel ashamed or proud of your vehicle? They're all destroying the collective environment.

[Rancid]

when i was in Rome, i saw them everywhere.

I've seen them in the US as well. Not as much as in Rome, but i have seen them.

The prius gets better millage per gallon than a smart car though.

Smart cars are cheaper though, they start at about 11k, while the prius starts at 17k-ish

[Dave]

I think the Smart is the best-selling car in Paris.

Good job setting up the French joke.

Why feel ashamed or proud of your vehicle? They're all destroying the collective environment.

blah blah blah blah

The prius gets better millage per gallon than a smart car though.

Smart cars are cheaper though, they start at about 11k, while the prius starts at 17k-ish

The Prius is even more embarrassing than the Smart Car. With the Smart Car you have the excuse of it being more convenient for urban driving, which is superficially plausible, especially for woman drivers who can't parallel park properly.

The Prius, on the other hand, demonstrates that your sole concern with your automotive purchase was to make an environmental statement, and one of dubious value. If you really cared about the environment as number one, then you'd do like QatzelOK and ride a bike. The Prius just exposes you as a shallow nitwit.

[QatzelOk]

The Prius just exposes you as a shallow nitwit.

Whereas NOT driving a Smart of Prius becuase "it's embarassing to be seen in something so small and powerless" is the definition of deep intellectual thought.

[gunsite]

Great cars until you get into a accident with a SUV, hummer, van, or full size car in the USA. I remember gas prices in the 70's when 4 cyc cars and 55 MPH speed limits became the flavor of the month while all the car makers started shrinking their engines. That came and went, and so will today's high gas prices. Gas will start to drop in the next 2-4 months and leveling off around 3.50 and everyone will be satisfy jumping for joy. Lets wait and see.

[Dave]

Whereas NOT driving a Smart of Prius becuase "it's embarassing to be seen in something so small and powerless" is the definition of deep intellectual thought.

Or it means one of the following:
1) You use a car for utility (acceptable)
2) You're a gearhead who loves performance (me)

I want horsepower, not some absurd eco-statement that is best made as you do: by not driving at all.

[QatzelOk]

I want horsepower,

Otherwise, you'll feel small and powerless?

[Notorious B.i.G.]

Whereas NOT driving a Smart of Prius becuase "it's embarassing to be seen in something so small and powerless" is the definition of deep intellectual thought.

Or it means one of the following:
1) You use a car for utility (acceptable)
2) You're a gearhead who loves performance (me)

I want horsepower, not some absurd eco-statement that is best made as you do: by not driving at all.

Otherwise, you'll feel small and powerless?

or me
3) Global warming is a crock of shit, and even it is, I’m happy to fuck the environment with my fuel guzzling because I like big, polluting cars, and because I’m not going to be here when it all goes to shit.

oh and 4) it's easier to intimidate bicyclists with a big car, and if you hit him, you do more damage to them then they do to you

[Dave]

Otherwise, you'll feel small and powerless?

No, that's what my shotgun is for, duh

I like horsepower because more power equals more acceleration, more speed, and a hell of a lot more fun driving

[Dr House]

-Dr House

[Notorious B.i.G.]

Know where I can buy one of those?

[Dr House]

The Internetz.

-Dr House

[Notorious B.i.G.]

Oh ok. I was hoping my local bicycle shop sold them.