It draws as many stares as any Lamborghini. People stop to pose with it for photos. They give thumbs up. Kids point. But mostly, they ask, "Where can we buy one of these?"
Even though Smart has been sold in several global markets for a decade now, the smiling microcars are finally making their way to the U.S. market. That's odd in a way, as the first two Smart concept cars, dubbed Eco Sprinter and Eco Speedster, were born here at Mercedes-Benz's Irvine, California, design center in 1993. The connection between them, and the production coupe and convertible that bow for 2008, is unmistakable.
Many are the reasons the Mercedes-Benz-owned Smart brand was never brought here, but they no longer matter. The car was comprehensively remodeled for 2007, and part of that plan was U.S. certification. Roger Penske's United Auto Group will handle the importation, sales, and marketing, and a 70 or so dealer network has been established. But will The Land of the Large and The Home of the Suburban embrace the notion of hypercompacts-and buy them?
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