Most of these cars got a chance at a second life with biodiesel, and became hipster status symbols in Silverlake, Brooklyn or parts of the bay area.   While still very cool, diesel was still kinda dirty.

New diesel’s dont have that problem, nor is California’s ancient law (that has now been removed) forbidding new diesel’s being sold.   Also, new diesels with urea are cleaner than the predecessors, while putting out some major torque.   VW’s new campaign with its talking VW BUG is cute, but Audi’s guerilla marketing tactics are much more suave.

Spotted by Blogdowntown

From Blogdowtown; Diesel no longer a Dirty Word

The stencils do not use chalk, but just a high pressure washer, so the words are just “cleaned” into the street.    +1 for Audi.   Watcha you got BMW 335d?

Mcdonald’s will open its first ‘green’ restaurant in cary, north carolina, USA.  Constructed from eco-friendly materials and technologies, the restaurant will include ChargePoint™ networked charging stations from coulomb technologies, a benefit for those of you out there with electric cars. By partnering with novacharge the new mcdonald’s will give electric vehicle drivers somewhere to recharge their vehicles
while having a meal.  The ‘greener’ mcdonald’s is set to open july 14th.

Why must McDonald’s go down this path?   Probably to encourage the more eco friendly to visit their restaurant and eat their delicious food.    What does one do when your car is charging for one hour in the parking lot?

Chargepoint charging system at Mcdonalds

A double quarter pound with cheese, fries, chicken nuggets, and a shake.   *shudders*

Why Family Matters back in the early 90s decided to go with a rare, European hatch for a “nerd” mobile is beyond me. However, it gave more attention to these tiny little things, as most of America still hasn’t seen one. The only access is from the front, as it swings open like a car’s side door.

The small BMW Isetta   also started in Italy (just as “Isetta”), where it was shaped more like a egg.

BMW Isetta Front

The car was never sold in the US; but many collectors imported their own in the 70s when the rules were more lax.

BMW announced that a updated,  Small Car with Isetta characteristics will be released in the next 2 years; expected to reach the 100 mpg mark.

This BMW Isetta however, is just a show car, painted like a New York Taxi cab.    Cute eh?

Source;  Auto Evolution

Small car marketing is a tricky niche, because you want to include everyone, not just your early 20 something loft dweller who’s single speed bicycle with gold accents fits in the hatch and happens just to park in front of the same American Apparel everyday.

1. Kia Soul – Hamster dance with Goldfish by Fort Knox

Heart heart heart it. Its not smug, its just creative. We’ve all been there, waiting in traffic, leaving home in the burbs, and felt like a hamster in the wheel. It cute without feeling like anime, and the hamsters aren’t freaky either. Simple is good. Of course I dont really know anymore about the car, outside of the sweet LEDs around the speakers.

2. Nissan Cube – Ice cream by new pony club

Life style commercial. Work all day Play all night crowd. I get it, and the song slightly fits the commercial. Yet by pushing a certain life style, and the ending with the eco friendly bag pushed this over the top. Not a fan. Someone like my mom would watch this and never remember it. The attempt at being hip pushed it over the edge.

Hybrid Only Parking abused

Hybrid only Parking.    Yeah, I use to be impressed when stores and local business cared about things I cared about.   In this case, hybrids had preferential parking over non-hybrids @ my local Fresh and Easy. (Don’t worry, Fresh and Easy, I still < 3 you guys) 

Obviously, people don’t care anymore.   Unless this is a special hybrid 4 runner I don’t know about, we just have a guy trying to get his work out on @ 24 next door, saw the spot, and didn’t think twice about it.

So, who really cares about who drives a hybrid anymore?  Now theres fast hybrids (The 1/2 baked, 70k + GS450H), Hybrid SUVs, yada yada, do drivers really need this type of attention anymore?

The Room For Debate Blog on NYT     has 7 different point’s of view on the subject, from Architecture and urbanism professors.  Most agree,  even in Los Angeles,  home of sprawl, that attempts have been made to get people out of their cars,  and bicycle lines have made a commendable come back.

However, most people, who live, work, or frequent these “walkable” communities will at the end of the day drive home.     The density is there, but the staying factor is not.    

Witold Rybczynski; Professor of Urbanism @ U Penn imagines

A more realistic goal for most Americans would be a semi-car less community, that is, one that is walkable within the neighborhood for convenience shopping, school-going and errands, and drivable for weekly shopping, consumer purchases and so on. A combination of twins, townhouses and low-rise apartments. Think of it as a halfway house.

A semi car-less future is what most of us imagine.   A lot of us can already visit a grocery store, get a hair cut, and catch a game at the pub sans car.    But important variables like public transportation are missing.    

If oil continues to rise in price,  and of a sudden we are at the mercy of producers, we may be able to take a profound step into the other direction.    Until then, the dreary picture below will continue to grasp for loan money. 

This is Smart USA’s emailed response;  its a tough position for them.    The car was essentially a toy for  20 and 30 somethings with income to throw around, we all know those guys dont have jobs anymore. 

Dear smart enthusiasts,

Many of you may have become aware of a recent crash test study performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). You may have even seen some of the crash videos on the news. We’d like to take this opportunity to share with you some additional information about the tests and to clarify any questions you might have regarding the performance of the smart fortwo’s safety management system.

The overall purpose of the IIHS test was to demonstrate that small cars do not perform as well as big cars in high impact crashes. Therefore, the IIHS crashed three small cars – a Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, and smart fortwo – into three larger cars – a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord and Mercedes-Benz C-Class – respectively. In its press release announcing the results of the test, the IIHS stated that all three smaller cars performed poorly in this particular test, despite the fact that all three cars had received “Good” ratings from the IIHS in previous standard tests.

The IIHS’ non-standard test is rare and extreme and unlikely to occur in real world crashes. In fact, federal safety regulators do not require this type of testing because the likelihood of an accident within these test parameters is so rare: fewer than 1% of all accidents can compare to this type of crash.
>> The smart fortwo is safe.

The most important thing to note is that the smart fortwo meets or exceeds all federal government crash test standards, including a 5-star side crash rating. It also received the highest scores for front and side crashes from the IIHS.* The reason for these excellent results is the incredible safety management system of the smart fortwo. The vehicle is equipped with advanced crash avoidance (active safety) and crash protection (passive safety) systems that come as standard on all models.

The most notable of the active safety systems is electronic stability program (esp®). According to the IIHS, cars equipped with esp are 20% less likely to be in a fatal accident with another vehicle and 51% less likely to be in a fatal single-vehicle accident.** Additionally, the smart fortwo is the only vehicle in its price range to offer esp as standard equipment.***

In the event of a crash, the safety management system of this amazing vehicle will work hard to protect the occupants. The passive safety system, featuring four airbags and a collapsible steering column, is highlighted by the tridion safety cell – a steel safety cage reinforced with high-strength steel similar to a NASCAR roll cage.

smart has a proven, real-world track record with over a million cars on the road in 37 countries over the past 10 years. More than 30,000 smart fortwos have been sold here in just over one year of being on sale in the United States.

To learn more about the incredible safety management system of the smart fortwo, visitwww.smartusa.com.

>> www.safeandsmart.com

At smart USA, we have received emails, letters and phone calls from owners who have shared stories with us about how their smart fortwo protected them and, in some cases, helped to save their lives.

smart USA has also recently launched a new website called www.safeandsmart.com. On this website, smart owners and drivers from across the country can share their own real-life safety stories, read about how the smart has protected others and learn more about the smart’s safety features.

We encourage you to visit www.safeandsmart.com today and share your safety story, whether it be about how the smart fortwo protected you in an accident, or helped you avoid one.

>> smart is changing the landscape of American highways.

As smart owners, reservation holders and enthusiasts, you know that we as a society are trending towards smaller cars. People are choosing the smart fortwo for many reasons: environmental consciousness, fuel efficiency, urban mobility and economic value. All in all, less consumption, more conservation in a package that is both safe and fun. That’s what smart is all about.

We trust this information has helped you to better understand the IIHS’ recent test, and assured you of the safety technologies that make the smart fortwo one of the safest small cars today. Should you have any additional questions about the test or the smart fortwo’s safety management system, please call smart USA’s Customer Care Center, at 1.800.smart.USA (762.7887) or visitwww.smartusa.com.

Thank you for your continued support of the smart brand. 

Kind regards,

The smart USA Team

 

Smart Car USA 

So, understandably small cars do not do so well in crash tests when put up against a larger vehicle. Can’t ignore physics can we? I think it’s all relative. Put up the C Class Mercedes against a big rig and then tell me how the results stand. Little guy doesn’t stand a chance. However, there is always room for improvement.

It would have been nice to see some crash statistics in the article for comparison purposes to give weight to the issue.

Recession, what?

Oh wait, this thing is MADE for the recession.  Gotcha.  Well,  Tata proved everyone wrong.  The selling prices of the mini beater is between $1880 to $2770. (95,000 to 145,000 rupees – Or – what we in LA on average pay for rent)

However, don’t get too gitty with success yet.  These “booking forms” in fob lish means each “form” costs 300 rupees or 6 bucks to reserve.

A computer will pick at random who the first 100,000 is to get their hands on a Tata  (yeah, you see what I did there.)

Tata Nano

Honestly,  it looks awesome.    

Its part robocop, and part Segway.   

Some highlights; 

• GM officials said the vehicle could run about one-fourth to one-third of today’s cost of owning and operating a car
• It can travel up to 35 m.p.h. and go as far as 35 miles between charges
•  lithium-ion batteries
• balances on two wheels

While it wont protect you from even a Titanium bicycle at any speed creaming into the side of the Puma – it does look like when two teams come together (even GM!) creative madness ensues.   

No word for production.  

Most def SmallCarOnly Approved!