World's Smallest Car
Last week, while eating a Cold Stone creation, I saw a Smart Car on Wells Street. The car drew much attention while parked. I over heard comments like "I didn't know a car could be so small!" and "Can you really drive a car like than on the street?" While Smart Cars are all over Europe, I have never seen one in the U.S. before. According to the Smart Cars, website, Smart Cars won't be on-sale until 2006, so someone must have imported this one.
For those of you unfamiliar with Smart Cars, they are the world's smallest car. It only has room for two relatively small people, and maybe a messenger bag. It is honestly no larger than a golf cart, yet has all the attributes of a regular car - like a roof, windows, car stereo. And the price is right.
Then I thought to myself, would I want to own a Smart Car? It's certainly a novelty, something to talk about with your friends. But size does matter - would I tired of having a car that would hold anything? It obviously has a small gas tank that would need to be refueled often.
There are advantages. The ability to perpendicularly (maybe it's word?) park the car on the streets of Chicago. Never again would a parking spot be too small. And since the engine is so small, the gas mileage would be great.
In the end, I decided size matters. Maybe I would rent a Smart Car for the weekend, or even a week, but I would only buy a full-size automobile.
2 Comments:
I've seen some smart cars out here. But more "for sale" not so much "being driven."
I live very near a Smart Car dealership, and every time I walk by, I wish I could go in and buy one. Although I've never been in one, it seems to me they're tall enough that despite their diminutive size, they could likely fit even a person of my height (6'2") comfortably. And it looks like there's enough room in the "trunk" of sorts that you could fit a bit more than a messenger bag. Clearly, the ability to park anywhere, including sideways in a parallel spot, and the gas mileage are the big advantages. I think it would be ideal for Chicago -- forget all the American nonsense about big cars. What do you need all that space for? When I last lived in Chicago, I sometimes wished desperately for a Smart Car when circling the block for the umpteenth time in my Camry late at night. When I do eventually get around to buying a car in England, if not a Smart, I'll get a Mini or a Ford Ka or something equally tiny. Small is the new big.
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