pre-order at smartusa.com chron article on them i've done my fair share of traveling in the past and saw plenty of these lil buggers. i'm strongly considering pre-ordering to get one early next year since dealerships are planned to open here. i've been on the hatchback bandwagon and scoping them out lately (tired of my garbage chev cav), but this would be kinda neat. since we have a lot of overseas folks here... does anyone have any experience with them or any stories about reliability? edit... did a search and didn't see it posted. if it has been, mods please lock.
i say this with all seriousness i would buy one in a heart beat if it weren't for the fact i would get laughed at literally every where i go that would amount to me having to beat a lot of people up
that or certain kinds of people with new balance tennis shoes jumping all over it. anyhow, let 'em laugh at the few extra bucks in your wallet for gas.
Actually here it is. <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ju6t-yyoU8s"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ju6t-yyoU8s" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
I've been seriously thinking about putting my $99 to preorder. They are coming around my area on the 18th, and after I test drive, I'll decide. They're pretty impractical though. I read that their 0-60 is like 15 seconds which is dangerous if you need to pass on the freeway. Top speed is around 80. Nonetheless, I think they look pretty cool, and city driving is gonna be fun with these... would avoid freeways as much as possible though.
There is no way I would put my family in one of those in Houston traffic. You would be crushed like a bug in even minor accidents with large trucks and SUVs.
How's the speed and agility of that? Cause you're going to need it when an 18 wheeler basically runs over your ass. Is that a convertible?
I can really see how in heavily urban environments where traffic is surface streets with lights at every block OR if you are in a Eurpean town that has small streets and cars anyways, these cars would be popular and useful. I can not for the life of me see how it would be safe or effective to drive these around the greater Houston area.
That would be this. Ariel Atom <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WaWoo82zNUA"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WaWoo82zNUA" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>
I can think of more attractive alternatives if I'm going for a 2 seater. Like was mentioned earlier, in crowded, congested cities (like in Europe) where it's really hard to find a place to park, and to get through narrow streets, sure. They also have gas prices that make ours look very cheap. For here? I'd rather have a boring Civic hybrid. Well, I would have until I sat in one. Shockingly hard seat backs. Too hard for my lousy back to handle.
