Historical Perspective

[MicroNut]

Here is an neat article about the history of microcars in the US and how the pendulum is swinging back in their favor. Only mentions the smart peripherally, but interesting none-the-less:

http://blog.wired.com/cars/2007/12/finding-some-ve.html

[Carnut]

Thanks, an interesting piece. Calling the Mini king of the Micros is kind of an oxymoron, no?

[Karl Roth]

The interior of the Smart has more room than a typical 30's american pickup cab, could you pass the Jumbo Shrimp.
karl

[a2jack]

Thanks for the post MicroNut

Micro cars are, to those of us that love them, the most fun of any car to drive and own.

Micro engines had to be tuned to the "inth" or you could not drive them.
Our Subaru 2 stroke oil injector was set with a stop watch to count the drops per minute.

And now a modern Micro car I can buy brand new. We can't wait to get our Smart.

A2Jack

[BobDiaz]

I got a kick out of the line...

Still, automakers are beginning to realize that the old ways won't work much longer, especially now that Congress has approved raising the average fuel economy of American autos to 35 mpg by 2020.

So, it appears the Smart reached that standard 12 years early.


Bob Diaz

[Karl Roth]

Originally Posted by BobDiaz

I got a kick out of the line...



So, it appears the Smart reached that standard 12 years early.


Bob Diaz

shure Bob, do you want this to be all that is available I don't like anyone uncle sam included to tell me what i can do.
karl

[MicroNut]

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

shure Bob, do you want this to be all that is available I don't like anyone uncle sam included to tell me what i can do.
karl

I have faith that American ingenuity will always out-smart American law making. Last time Congress tried this, the auto industry came up with the SUV. Something about necessity being the mother of invention...

Incidently, I love my SUV and I won't be ditching it - just using it less.

[jwight]

Here's the bit I find interesting:

"It isn't as if automakers can't produce cars that get 40 mpg or better. A study by the Civil Society Institute - which, among other things, advocates greater fuel economy standards - found automakers offer 113 such vehicles for sale in Europe but just two in America."

These higher mpg cars are already here - just not in the USA. It really gripes me when the big three whine about the terrible impact of the new 35 mpg standard when they already make cars overseas that beat that standard. These guys are still stuck in the "bigger is better" mindset and won't change until their sales hit bottom (which is not that far off the way things are going.)

Rant over.

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by jwight

These higher mpg cars are already here - just not in the USA. It really gripes me when the big three whine about the terrible impact of the new 35 mpg standard when they already make cars overseas that beat that standard. These guys are still stuck in the "bigger is better" mindset and won't change until their sales hit bottom (which is not that far off the way things are going.)

yeah, but do we really blame the big three, or their customers?
;)

[jwight]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

yeah, but do we really blame the big three, or their customers?
;)

Not sure it matters at this point; they are losing market share each year and apparently can't figure out they aren't making what people want. When Toyota hits #1 in the States maybe Detroit will wake up (but I doubt it.)