some smart alternative small cars

[spdickey]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/...5/mrchuz05.xml

Wish we had the choice of some of these cars only available in Europe.


2005 Citroën C1 base model
Price: £4,000
£35pa tax, Group 1 insurance, 50+ mpg and cheap maintenance. So they hold their value, which means best bought new for about £5,600.


2004/53 Fiat Panda Multijet diesel
Price: about £4,000

Hard to find and very hard to buy cheaply due to £35pa tax and 60mpg economy. But very practical and fun to drive, as well as cheap to run.


Top choice

2003/53 Daihatsu Charade 1.0 EL
Price: about £3,000

£35pa tax and Group 1 insurance has sent used prices way over "book", but they are perky and charming to drive.

[Carnut]

I may be biased, but as a certifiable "Carnut" these do not have the panache that smart has.

[SmartBob]

I've seen Daihatsu...even rented one. Are they not imported here now? Also there were rumors of Penske getting behind a Fiat model over here, too...I believe the 600 'er sumpin'? I like that Citroen.

[RLove]

My wife and I drove a Fiat Panda like the one pictured all over Italy. I flogged that poor car for 8 days through Tuscany. It actually handled fairly well. Not a very pretty car, but very functional.


It is rumored that the redesigned Fiat 500 will appear on these shores in '09. It was voted European Car of the Year for '08. The Abarth version is bad a$$.

Here's some odd ones we saw:


Notice the Smart cars in both backgrounds...and a MINI.

And the Fiat 500 Abarth

[bumblebee]

IF the Fiat 500 comes over in 09 or 10 I am very interested in one

[hollywood]

lol the yellow "thing" above the new fiat 500 is a ligier (lee-jee-a).
Ligier was one of the most famous formula 1 team (maker) during the late 70's.
It is a french brand too and now they make this awfull thing you can drive without any licence.
We are at thousands miles away of the top class race cars they could have built in the past.
they also make electric bikes. It a shame to use the name Ligier with all the racing past behind to do that.
The french industry of road legal sport cars is definitly dead.
Bugati is now german, Ligier is the shadow of what it was, Ventury who was some kind of french ferrari's during the 80's and the beginning of the 90's is now an electric hoover with wheels makers.
Renault don't really have what we can properly call a sport car in is catalogue just like peugeot and citroen.
We know how to make small car but not how to made small light and sporty cars.
everydays i whish we have the same rules to certificate a car that in england

[SnakeFarm]

I thought a Liger was as mix between a Lion and a Tiger... breed for it's skills in magic.