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No, you're not in Paris. I Spotted this bright little Smart Car parked on Seattle's NW Market Street. Still a rarity here, I've seen a few of them tooling around town in the past couple years, but this is the first time I've caught one standing still. Hey, everybody pile in and lets zip over to my buddy Edwin's big bash celebrating Kuala Limpur Daily Photo's 2nd anniversary!
16 comments:
I like that pole for bicycle!
I think I read somewhere that these cost over $15,000 to meet US laws and environmental standards. No wonder they are not everywhere. I think they are cute but their small size has not been surpassed by a comfy 3-wheel design by another company that runs on electric and sells for a lot less money. Have you seen them yet?
thanks for visiting our site kim..now we will have a great journey in Seattle from your eyes...
i like this car but here in Turkey the cars are so expensive because of the high taxes..i was wondering always "how come in U.S.A. all the people have cars before?"
that car could cost like 25.000 euro here..soooo incredible no...
anyway we can enjoy that car looking to your photo!
I've seem more smart cars in México than I have anywhere else.
Yellow and black sure makes a smart-looking smart car! ;-)
I've seen a few Smart Cars here in the Greater Toronto Area. But I've seen a heckova lot more SUVs, which boggles my mind when gasoline is so expensive. ;-)
I love these little cars! I saw a truckload of them in SA.
Kim, my friend Viktor, who owns Vespa of Seattle, bought a Smart Car in Las Vegas last year, and my wife's best friend is going to be taking delivery of her very own yellow one in just a few weeks. They certainly are small on the outside, but not so much when you're inside. I prefer my Vespa, but would certainly consider one of these for really nasty weather or to accommodate a passenger. Hope we see many more of this type car and sooner rather than later.
Smart is very popular over here for using as a driving add. Because they attract attention naturally, it's hard to find one that is not a pizzy company car, a painters means of transport or any business you can think of.
Now of to see Edwin :)
The County (my employer) just bought one for the Health department for trips around town.
A friend had one.
They're great for zipping around in and suprisingly roomy even for my 6'6" frame.
Its so cute, the colors are neat looking too.
Boy it sure looks tiny. The gas mileage must be great. MB
Thanks for the zipping Kim :)
These Smart Cars are popular in KL, both these in your picture and the 4-door model. But quite pricey because of import taxes.
That must be fun to get around the city in.
Zolt, You win the observation prize of the day! Good eyes to see that bike pole.
Abe, they are cost prohibitive for me, that's for sure. And I have seen a 3 wheeled electric vehicle, but it only carries one, so may not be the one you know of (unless it's the golf cart/truck one--that I've seen.
Bursa DP, Yikes! That is expensive. The USA manufactured its own vehicles for decades at fairly cheap prices and they became a way of life, especially in the western states where distances were great. The whole planet is paying environmentally, economically, and culturally for what wasn't known when the whole combustion engine transportation adventure began in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Kate,
I didn't know how far flung their distribution was! Do you know how much they sell for there?
eg tour guide,
I would have thought Toronto would latch onto these en masse very quickly. Go figure!
Thien, Wow, they are going everywhere I guess.
Chuck, that's so interesting (I had considered buying a Segway from that Vespa dealership and may still if they are still selling them when I'm ready to buy.) For now its my bicycle. I must admit that with the hills and my brakes in the rain, I've been driving more than riding this winter. Do you scooter in he rain, too?
Ineke, I've noticed that! It's amazing the sophisticated ads one sees on vehicles now.
Bagpiper (I can never remember how to spell your real name!), That is so interesting. I guess they figure the fuel cost savings will outweigh the purchase expense over time.
Ken, Now that's really surprising. Chuck mentioned they were roomier than they look, but hearing it from someone of your stature is amazing! Both my in-laws are over 6' and they always agonize over which car will feel good for both of them.
Jim, Thanks, and I agree.
MB, I hear it is well-worth getting if you drive predominantly in a city setting. Compared with standard compact cars, the savings on fuel are substantial. I've seen one going around town that has "electric" written on it. I don't know if it is altered or if these are readily available as electrics, but that would be the ultimate savings. . .but probably couldn't go at freeway speeds.
Edwin, Hope your anniversay was fun! Four doors? I've never seen those and didn't know they made them like that. They are cost prohibitive in the US, too, not so much for taxes but because US regulations require things Smart Cars don't have to have elsewhere, and it drives the price up too high for people to buy en masse.
Jana, They sure do. I wonder what Smart Car owners think of them after driving them for a year or so.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving such kind comments everyone!
-Kim
WE saw countless Smart cars during our trip in Rome. They were parked everywhere, on sidewalks, curbs, medians, even triple parked.
A rather pricely little bugger, and I am a bit disapointed about it's fuel economy for such a little car. But for city driving and parking, it can't be beat.
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