Smart fortwo is great for getting attention

I don’t think it’s any big secret that I like attention.

Call me vain, call me shallow, but there’s nothing quite like cruising around town in a beautiful, obscenely expensive high-performance sports car and watching heads turn and jaws drop.

Driving around town this past week, however, I got more open-mouthed stares than I ever have before.

And what was the little beauty that attracted so much attention, you ask? A Maserati? A Ferrari? A Lamborghini?

Nope.

It was the Smart car.

That’s right, that itty-bitty little car that looks like it had a nasty fight with a trash compactor and lost.

So for all of you who slammed on your brakes and almost wrecked your cars trying to get a better look at this thing (and for the rest of you who are just curious), I present to you the 2008 Smart fortwo: the remarkably tiny and economical little two-seater that has been turning heads all over the country.

Smart is the product of a joint venture started in the early ’90s between Mercedes-Benz and Swatch, the guys who made those crazy colorful watches we all wore up and down our arms in the ’80s.

(Which I think really explains the look of these cars – while they use the latest in forward-thinking, cutting-edge eco-friendly technology, they are a bit reminiscent of the kooky ’80s. Think Devo meets The Jetsons meets Peewee’s Playhouse.)

These little cars have been incredibly popular around the world for years (they are currently being sold in 36 different countries.), and in January 2008, the Smart fortwo finally made its debut here in America, the land of the giant SUV.

And while we Americans (and especially Texans) certainly do love our big gas-guzzlers, given the shaky economy and price of gas these days, a car that gets 33 mpg city /41 mpg highway and has a starting price of only $11,590 looks pretty darn good.

The Smart fortwo is only 8.8 feet long (supposedly two can fit into an average parking space) and is powered by a whopping 70-horsepower, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine (okay fine, maybe "whopping" was a bit strong).

Its top speed is 90 mph, but I didn’t actually try to make it go that fast. I did, however, drive it on I-35 and was able to keep up with traffic just fine. Acceleration is a bit sluggish, but once you actually get it going, it holds its own.

Two transmissions are offered: a five-speed manual (only available on the base model) and a five-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The vehicle I tested had an automatic, but the very noticeable, hard shifting made it feel as if I were driving a manual. Once I got used to it, it wasn’t so bad, but it definitely does not feel like a normal, smooth-shifting automatic.

The one thing that everyone always asks about the Smart car is "Yeah, but is it safe?" The answer, in a word, is yes.

While it may be small, it is also incredibly strong. The big secret is the "tridion safety cell," which is essentially a high-strength steel cage that protects passengers inside the vehicle by absorbing and displacing impact forces. In addition, front and rear steel "crash boxes" crumple on impact to absorb the brunt of an impact.

Another safety feature has to do with its ultra-short wheelbase (73.5 inches): if another vehicle hits you from the side, that vehicle is more likely to make contact with your wheels and tires rather than the passenger compartment. Also, the seats are significantly elevated to keep passengers out of the direct "danger zone" in the event of a side impact.

Other standard safety features include driver and passenger front and side air bags, antilock brakes, electronic stability control, a collapsible steering column, hydraulic brake assist, hill start assist, cornering brake control, acceleration skid control, and engine torque control.

In fact, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety awarded the Smart fortwo top ratings for front and side crashes. (The top rating is "good." It received an "average," which is the next step down on the rating scale, for rear crashes.)

The other thing people always ask about is how much room there is inside. I was pleasantly surprised when I first got in to see how much space there actually was. This little guy is roomy! It doesn’t feel at all cramped or claustrophobic—in fact, I have driven sports cars that offer less room to move around. Its high roof allows it to accommodate people well over six feet tall.

(Just don’t turn around and look behind you—that’s the only time it really hits you how small this thing is.)

As far as storage capacity goes, the fortwo offers eight cubic feet of cargo space (12 if you fill it all the way to the roof line). The back trunk area, while not huge, actually provides ample space for the everyday things you need to haul around in your car, like groceries, gym bags, golf clubs, etc. I was able to fit $130 worth of groceries in the back seat with no problem.

The passenger seat also folds down for transporting longer items, such as skis. There are also several storage spots in the front passenger area, including storage pockets in both doors.

In the US, the Smart fortwo is offered in three models: the entry-level "pure," the upgraded "passion coupe," and the convertible "passion cabriolet." The "pure" comes with the manual transmission while the other two models have the automatic with paddle shifters. All three models have the same engine.

The "pure" starts at $11,590 (plus $645 freight), and is pretty basic. Standard features include halogen headlamps, tire pressure monitoring system, steel wheels, a two-spoke leather steering wheel and leather shifter knob, cloth interior, power door locks with auto-locking feature (which automatically locks all doors once you start driving), electric rear window defroster, electric tailgate release, 12-volt power outlet, and an outside temperature indicator. Windows and mirrors are manual.

Optional features include air conditioning with automatic climate control and air filter ($600), power steering ($450), heated seats ($220), a panoramic power moon roof ($350) and an anti-theft alarm system ($160).

No audio system comes standard on "pure" models (not even a radio), although two optional stereo systems may be added.

The "Smart radio" costs $350 and consists of an AM/FM stereo, a single-CD player, two speakers, and an auxiliary input jack. The "premium radio" costs $495 and includes an AM/FM radio, an in-dash six-disc CD changer, MP3 compatibility, two speakers, and an auxiliary input jack.

The next model is the "passion coupe," which starts at $13,590 (plus freight). This model is much better equipped, adding such standard features as air conditioning with automatic climate control and air filter, power windows with one-touch auto-down feature on the driver’s side, power heated side mirrors, a panoramic sunroof, nine-spoke alloy wheels, and Smart radio (the one with the single-CD player -- you can upgrade to the premium radio for an additional $350).

A "comfort package" ($850) is available on passion coupe models, and includes power steering, heated leather seats, rain-sensing wipers, and auto-off headlamps with exit delay.

The "passion cabriolet" model starts at $16,590 and adds a fully automatic soft convertible top with heated rear glass window, as well as the upgraded radio. The comfort package is also available on this model.

I had such a blast driving this car. I drove it all over the Metroplex for an entire week and never had to put any gas in it. Parallel parking was a breeze, and I never once felt unsafe.

And OK, all of the attention was pretty awesome, too.

The automotive columns of Jennifer R. Williams appear regularly in the Star-Telegram. Contact her at autoscribejennifer @yahoo.com