Smart Car

What's small and cute, unique and economical? Hint: It's as much fun to look at as to drive. Naturally, it's the European-built Smart car.


Just about anyone who's been in Europe lately has seen Smart cars on the streets. Probably plenty of them. Mexico has them, too, even in small towns. In 2002 alone, more than 122,000 Smart two-seaters were sold in Europe, Asia and Mexico.

"fortwo"
Few automobiles are as noticeable as a Smart car, whether they're rolling serenely down the road or squeezed into a tight spot at the curb. Smart promotes the fact that with its 8-foot overall length, the coupe—named "fortwo" in Europe—can fit crosswise into a single parking space.


Despite occasional rumblings over the past few years, Smart cars have never reached the American market. At Toronto's Canadian International Auto Show in February 2004, Mercedes-Benz announced that Canadians will get a diesel-powered Smart coupe and cabrio (convertible) in the fall of 2004. Americans will have to wait until 2006 when the next-generation models emerge. One is supposed to be an SUV, though a new version of the original "fortwo" series may also debut.


Actually, Americans might not have to wait two more years, or travel to Europe or Canada to get behind the wheel. ZAP, a California company that got its start with electric vehicles, plans to begin sending first-generation Smart coupes—and even convertibles—to a network of American dealerships later this summer.