Micro mercedes!

[id10t]

Check this out... a micro sized car, 4 *feet* shorter than the new mini...

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.10/microcar.html?tw=wn_tophead_4

[Serge914]

It is already available in Canada. I did sit in one the other day at a car show and those seem like a lot of fun and very well finished.


http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/pw/05smartcabriolet.htm

[}{arlequin]

europe's had them for what seems like centuries... there were rumors that US is getting them but are they Federalized? If ok for Canada then ok for US too? I remember Canada got the "good" E36 M3 and we got the crappy 1-throttle-body one

[cstreit]

...sells cars out of towering glass vending machines across Europe...

[Z-man]

I drove one a couple of months ago (I work at Mercedes Benz USA home office). A surprisingly peppy little car. It is a fun car to car, believe it or not. The car I drove was a seqential clutchless 'semi automatic' and if you leave it in auto, the car is lethargic. Switching the tranny yourself transforms the car.

Plus it gets more looks than any other car I've ever driven!
-Z.

[}{arlequin]

sooo..... is it coming here?

[Z-man]

Originally posted by }{arlequin
sooo..... is it coming here?

Yes. But it won't be as small as the city smart in the link.
Check out www.smart.com.

We will start with a mini-SUV called the smart forfour. Probably around 2006. There is talking about bringing a two-seater and roadster version of the car to the USA afterwards.

Unfortunately, I fear that when the smarts do arrive in the US, they will loose their unique looks.

-Z.

[}{arlequin]

interesting. thanks.

[island911]

fwiw, Some guy, who lives on the island here, has been cruising around in one of these for at least a year.

[Moses]

Not a bad looking roadster!

[epbrown]

You guys have got to start reading the European car magazines more - the Smart and Ford Ka line have been around for a while. They're similar to those little Suzukis (90-somethings?) and are called "city cars." Their version of a fuel efficient commuter for young singles. I don't think they'll catch on over here, though - I know people that think the MINI is way too small to be safe, no matter what the NHTSA says.

Emanuel

[Rufblackbird]

this is a pic I took back in 2001 (I think) on a trip to Italy...god I love these small cars! But then again, given a choice, it'd be a VW Lupo GTi

[john70t]

Definitly a hipness factor, but for mileage I'd rather have a 2004 sub 2,000lb., $20k, 50-80mpg Honda Insite instead.
Won't roll over, more cargo room, goes fast on the freeway, will last 3x as long, and will even do a burnout.

[1973911s]

I looked all over Europe to rent one, but must have not been looking in the right place, they even fit big guys like me.

Someone was selling them on ebay, as kit cars for the us, there are a few in Orange County.

Michael