IF Smart USA, distributor of the Smart microcar, could get every person who shouted, whooped, ran into the street, stopped traffic and corralled me for a chat to actually buy a Fortwo like the one I drove around Los Angeles, Daimler’s factory in France would have to run 24/7.
There is no great secret to the car’s appeal: the Smart Fortwo may be the cutest and most unusual-looking production vehicle to arrive in this country since BMW’s front-loading Isetta 300 of the 1950s.
To see if the Smart was more than a fashion statement — the charm of its shape and colors draws admirers as if it were the latest gadget from Apple — I drove the company’s better-equipped model, the Passion, for two weeks, scooting around the San Fernando Valley suburbs and across the freeways to Venice, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.
Starting at $14,235 ($15,475 as tested), the Smart Passion came with many features Americans have come to expect: air-conditioning; power steering, windows and door locks; CD player; front fog lights; and a huge moon roof. For all the bells and whistles — it even comes with an electronic stability system — cruise control was left off the list.Read the full article>>
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