Tiny cars - Oh I gotta get one of these!!

[Tee]

Smaller than a golf cart, you park them sideways in a parking spot, and they get over 70 mpg. I gotta get me one!

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- DaimlerChrysler is set to bring the fuel-efficient subcompact Smart car brand to the United States in 2007, according to a published report.

The Detroit News, citing a source familiar with company plans, reported the decision will be announced Tuesday. But a spokeswoman for the Smart brand declined to comment on the report.

"We have not made any decision on a U.S. launch," said Bettina Singhartinger. "You can expect something this week. Until then we do not comment on speculation."

DaimlerChrysler has never made money on the Smart brand, which has been sold in Europe since 1998. The brand is part of DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit.

The two-seater egg-shaped cars get 46.3 miles per gallon in the city to 70.6 mpg on the highway, according to some estimates, although Singhartinger points out that if the brand is brought to the United States, it will be the next generation of the vehicle which is due to be rolled out in Europe in early 2007.

With U.S. gasoline prices near $3 a gallon, and lagging sales of the large SUV's and pickups that DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler unit depends upon, it would appear to be the right time to bring Smart cars to the U.S. market.
But the U.S. market is also becoming flooded with fuel-efficient sub-compact cars right now, with the Toyota Yaris, the Honda Fit and the Nissan Versa all debuting in U.S. showrooms this year. Those models also have the advantage of having their U.S. dealer network in place. It's not clear if the Smart car would be sold in U.S. Mercedes dealerships, in Chrysler and Dodge dealers or a new dealer network.

One reason for the profit problems for the Smart brand is a low selling price at that part of the market. The three Japanese sub-compacts coming to the market sell for between $11,850 and $14,000.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/AUTOS/06/26/smart/index.html

[Highwayman]

Looks like a pregnant roller skate. I wonder if it weighs enough to not get blown off the road in western Kansas winds.

[K C Muffin]

Oh my God that's ugly!!! I drive from Johnson County, KS, over to Lees Summit, MO every day to work. If you aren't driving 80 mph, you're getting run over by a big pickup. (anyway, that's what I'll tell the next cop that stops me!!!). One of these wouldn't even be safe. It would be good around town, though - and that's where cars really suck the fuel. But I don't know that I want to sink that kinda money into something to just drive around town - like back and forth to the grocery store, etc., etc.

[dodgehighforeve]

These are supposed to be some very safe cars. Check out these crash test vids. With as small as they are, when you get in a wreck, they kinda bounce off the other car, since they don't have the momentum to try and go thru the other car.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/60538/smart_car_crash/
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/145085/smart_crash/

And on top of that, they seat 17.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/124833/smart_car/

[dodgehighforeve]

I saw one of these today, right here in good ole Kansas. Must have migrated over here, wonder if it's legal? But, it was here, if I'd had my camera, I'd have taken a pic for y'all.

[Made in the USA]

Keep 'em up there in the capital. We don't want them down here getting stuck all over our windshields!!

[cky]

had a friend in europe just now, took some pics of those cars