So, are you BLU?

Gaining eye contact, a smile, a nod, or a wave of acknowledgment from passers-by in America’s largest metropolis is rare, whether one is walking or driving. Yes, in New York City, one can feel isolated in a crowd. This is not an affront by the good people of Manhattan; it is simply a fact of life. 

Spend thirty minutes behind the wheel of a Smart Fortwo in the same city, however, and the driver is suddenly Miss or Mister Popularity. After living five years around New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia, I was astounded by how magnetic I suddenly was, while tooling about the Big Apple in a cherry-red Smart Passion Cabriolet. Yes, the one-time strangers of the island suddenly embraced me, wanted to talk to me, and even told me how cute I was, in the 106.1” long, 61.38” wide fuel-sipper.

It was Earth Day, 2008. The city was bustling as much as ever, at just before 2:00 p.m. I was offered a test drive of the tiny Mercedes derivative that is only a foot longer than a golf cart and over three feet shorter than a Mini Cooper. Yes, you read that right. It is three feet shorter than a Mini! Imagine the parking possibilities.

Before climbing into the cockpit, I seriously doubted there would be manageable comfort in the two-seater. I have to admit, however, I was incredibly surprised by the headroom, legroom, elbow-room and all-around spaciousness of the little powerhouse. 

Nonexistent was the claustrophobia that scares me out of a Beetle or hard-top Mini, the same sensation that urged me to turn down the bright red, t-topped, bitchin’ Camaro my father excitedly had me test-drive just before my sixteenth birthday, way back in 1986. Yes, you heard me right: I turned down the potential of a spanking new, leather-infused, t-topped, ‘80’s speedster teen’s dream due to my impression that it felt like (as I described it to my father back then) driving a red “toilet paper tube.” I’ll never forget the look on his face, as his five-foot four-inch small Daddy’s Girl said, “No thank you” to such generosity, because of lack of spaciousness. 

The Smart Fortwo did not play upon my dislike of tight spaces. It felt downright roomy, in fact.

I zipped around Manhattan, at first wary of taxi cabs and other fast-moving SUV bogeys that dwarfed me. Soon though, I forgot how small I was in the grand scheme of gridlock and mid-afternoon traffic, as I effortlessly traversed through lanes, around trucks, past stoplights and pedestrians. 

I did not experience a feeling of inferiority or size-envy when around larger counterparts that day, but people on the street did experience whiplash. The social marketability of Smart Fortwo goes beyond cuteness, economy, and fuel savings. It is pure, unadulterated magnetism, the sort that some men feel when taking a young niece or nephew out on the town to scam for single chicks in the grocery aisles.

I was scamming. Scamming and scooting. Turning heads, gaining waves. I got a “thumbs up” from a lady crossing Broadway. A large and somewhat intimidating-sized delivery man started a conversation with me over the din of traffic and to my left (across three more lanes of traffic), as I sat at a red light on one busy street. That was just after my passenger and I had finished telling a big guy in the Mercedes luxury sedan to our right side that, yes, the Smart Fortwo is the little sibling to his big four-door status car. He was raving about the car’s appeal, just as he was multi-tasking – maneuvering into a parking space and talking with us through his open window – at the same time.

The big delivery guy to the left was not satisfied to just find out what the car was called. He bound down the sidewalk closer to us, still across three lanes of traffic. Next thing we knew, questions flying through the air, his deep Italian-American accented voice resonating over street noise and construction, he was directly to our left. The conversation switched to pick-up compliments about the compatibility of the vehicle’s color with my blonde hair.

Yes, the Smart Fortwo is one social car. Screw online dating or coffee houses. Just give me a set of keys and I’ll be content to meet and greet without leaving the comfort of the surprisingly roomy interior. At an average 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 during highway travel, I could socialize quite a bit on the 8.7 gallon tank.

Beyond its curb appeal, the Smart is, well, smart. It is amazingly priced at approximately $11,590 for the base Pure model, $13,590 for the well-stocked Passion coupe, and $16,590 for the Passion convertible.

Lacking sticker shock is one thing. Fuel savings adds to the appeal. The coolest surprise, however? How about fully-replaceable, pop-on, pop-off body panels? Yes, you can meet another Smart Fortwo driver at Starbuck’s for coffee, and then trade your car’s body panels in the parking lot. How very Lego-esque! 

Within about five minutes, you can switch your ride from red, to blue, to yellow, multi-colors, or whatever suits you that particular day. An entire body kit costs just below $1,000. Yes, you can even coordinate your Smart to your mood, an outfit, or even the Partridge Family’s bus. 

Despite the switchable panels and a 95% recycled composition, the Smart does not compromise on safety. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety provided the highest approval ratings for front and side impacts, with the rear receiving the second-highest rating. The 2008 coupe received four of five stars for driver protection and three stars for passenger. Side crash rating was a perfect five stars. This safety can be attributed to dual front and side airbags, the trademark Tridion safety cell (like a roll cage) with front and rear crush zones, antilock brakes, stability control, and traction control.

The Fortwo’s engine is a 1.0 liter, three cylinder, automanual five-speed that can reach 90 miles per hour, achieving 60mph in 12.8 seconds. Admittedly, the transmission has been considered its least-attractive feature, with a little jarring between gear shifts. The Smart handled dips and bumps well, but potholes are a little intimidating at this size. On the fly, however, driving through urban areas and in and out of traffic is quite fun. It is a zippy micro-vehicle with a lot of charisma. 

Best for urbanites, trendsetters, stoplight commuters, and as a second vehicle to a luxury model (for affluents), the Smart Fortwo definitely brings socialization back into the driving experience. An added bonus might just be the fact that the Fortwo is built for only two people (as the name clearly implies). So, put on your best smile, drop the top of the Cabriolet, zip about the city, and find yourself a new friend to smartly position in that passenger’s seat.

Smart Fortwo Passion, Passion Cabriolet, and Pure models are available at Smart Dealerships and designated Mercedes outlets in the United States. For more information: www.SmartUSA.com.

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