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270 comments on DrumBeat: December 10, 2007

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Substrate on December 10, 2007 - 10:04am Permalink | Subthread | Comments top

Just wanted to point out that Pietro Cambi has a page for the Fiat 500 on the autinev.org website: http://www.austinev.org/evalbum/1347

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JoulesBurn on December 10, 2007 - 10:15am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

I like this item from the specs:

Seating Capacity: 4 ( foldable people preferred on the rear places)

Some people fold better than others.

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wideblacksky on December 10, 2007 - 11:25am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

On that note, and in reply to "A Honda Civic for the age of global warming"... I don't believe that 2-seaters will catch on in the US anytime soon, even if gas prices doubled or tripled.

For now efforts to improve mileage of existing formats are probably the most realistic change we can hope for. It will take a lot more pain to get Americans into tiny 2-seaters.

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fleam on December 10, 2007 - 1:44pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Oh Wideblack, you're so pessimistic!

Since most Americans drive alone, a 2-seater is just fine, one seat for each ass cheek

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auntiegrav on December 10, 2007 - 2:00pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

LMAO!! (Now I can get a tiny car...too bad they are made for short people.)

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fleam on December 10, 2007 - 2:56pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Do not count out tiny cars out-of-hand. Try each one. Tiny cars are being made in Europe where, due to better nutrition over the last 30-40 years, people tend to be bigger than people in the US (not wider, taller).

I know of a few rather large people (remember I am an American, when I say this) who are very happy in a Prius. The VW Golfs also work well for large people, a fellow I think of privately as "man mountain" zips around happily in his.

If the car is meant to be sold in the European market, give it a try before you give up on it. The only area where you'll run into problems is something made for the Asian market only, because while their heights have been increasing probably the fastest, most of the people are still pretty darned short.

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bruce from chicago on December 10, 2007 - 3:52pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Most Americans NEED one seat for each ass cheek.

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SlicerDicer on December 10, 2007 - 5:51pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

That made me laugh out loud... However it is sad to see when I go near walmart.

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fleam on December 10, 2007 - 11:19pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Huge fat rings around one's middle keep one from folding well.

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elwoodelmore on December 11, 2007 - 7:32am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

maybe it would be more efficient if they just layed down and rolled down the road.

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Burgundy on December 10, 2007 - 10:59am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Here in france a variety of micro-cars can be seen on the roads. Here's one, the Ligier:

http://www.automobiles-ligier.com/site/uk/gamme_classic/gamme_classic.ht...

Seemingly this one has a diesel engine, but I can't find out what its fuel consumption is. They also do a micro-truck, but I can't access that part of the website for some reason. I just happened to be looking at the website because I saw one of their cars this morning. They're tiny, slow and noisy, their only saving grace maybe their fuel consumption.

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fleam on December 10, 2007 - 11:25pm Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Ha! Those are cute! "Quadracycle"? Cool. Really folks, read the ad .... it's neat. It's a 500cc diesel twin, top speed is given as only 45kph though? A 500cc motorcycle can do 100MPH although it's not legal to go much over 70 in even the most lax areas .... hehe. This thing looks handy - bet it's a great little errand-runner.

Tiny slow and noisy is a good description of my 250cc motorcycle, and its gas mileage is its main charm too!

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