smart challenge: the bar is set

Three months into the smart challenge- Paris stands untouched with 107 points (see the above video).  Yes the bar is high, but it didn't keep Rome from stepping up with a respectable 43 points.  And now that the bar is set, Agent ØØsmart has elected to change gears- managing the smart challenge from a beachside bungalow while sipping coconut cocktails.  Such is the beauty of a laptop and a wireless internet connection. The cocktail in my hand right now is especially sweet, so here's a toast to future smart challenge participants, worldwide.  Between dips in the crystal clear waters, this Agent awaits your videos, and applauds your efforts.

Agent ØØsmart

smart stop NYC: Banksy's Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill

Banksy strikes in New York!  The UK-based artist best known for his stenciled street art has created the "Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill."  Up through 12/31, this installation is not to be missed.  Click here for more information on the artist and installation.

Village Pet Store and Charcoal Grill

89 Seventh Avenue South (Between West 4th and Bleeker)  / New York, NY 10014 

Metered parking available on 7h Avenue

Nearest garage on Seventh Avenue South and Morton Street
Open 10am - 12pm daily through October 31st

eurosmart: smarts by night

Here are 12 smarts, shot in the course of a 15 minute walk through Paris.  At this rate, a 60 minute walk would have secured a solid second place in the smart challenge.  So many smarts, so little time...

smart stuff: the final countdown

We are in the final countdown.  And I'm not speaking of the election itself but the energy issue it raises.  Last night, 60 Minutes profiled the electric car race- showcasing the sporty Tesla (currently in production at $109,000 a pop) vs. the Chevrolet Volt (as advertised on TV as early as 2007 despite a 2010 launch date).  Detroit's scheduled entry into the electric arena has established a countdown to 2010 that other developers are using as a benchmark. 

Will smart get in the race?  I don't have a definitive answer, but one would hope that the forward-thinking team at smart would take to the challenge as they took to redefining the car for modern times.  Here's what I do know- in Europe only, 2009 smart fortwos will use MHD (micro hybrid drive) technology for fuel economy improvements of up to 20%.  Surprisingly, the US market will be excluded from this upgrade.  So can we expect MHD smarts in the US for 2010, dear corporate?  The race is underway.  

smart sounds: Jamaican Boy

My July 4 post predicted Estelle's American Boy would go down as the summer jam of 2008.  Little did I know an ingenious remake would prove me wrong.  Bost & Bim took the original R&B/Hip-Hop jam and flipped it- Jamaican style.  The result was the runaway favorite of late summer and as such it sewed up Agent ØØsmart's Best Of Summer 2008 title.  

Jamaican Boy is available on iTunes now- add it to your smart playlist and enjoy.

Visit Bost & Bim on myspace

smart stuff: 133 smarts in San Francisco

After a post about multiple-smarts parked on European cobbled streets comes this news flash from San Francisco.  A rally of smart owners recently assembled 133 smarts and packed them into the brick (read: cobbled) Lombard Street (also known as the crookedest street in the world).   Trust California to out-Euro the Euros!

Read more about the rally

eurosmart: triple your pleasure

The new smart challenge entry from Rome features this super shot of three smarts in a row. Smartourists will recognize these double/triple/quadruple smart lineups as common sites on cobbled European streets.  Since these images do such a good job of spreading love of smart- it's time to reward them in future smart challenge entries.

Current challenge guidelines do not address ties, so here is the new tiebreaker clause: in the event of a tie, multi-smart images will count double toward a tiebreaker point tally.  In the above photo, 3 consecutive smarts x 2 = 6 tiebreak points.  

The epic Federer-Nadal 2008 Wimbledon final was so close that tiebreaker scoring became the norm.  Such close competition would be a good problem to have here at smart challenge HQ, and now we're prepared for  it. Just think of us as the Wimbledon of smart car lifestyle blogs.  

smart stop NYC: FSC Barber Shop

Getting a haircut in NYC can be tricky business.  Route 1 is to shell out your smart fortwo monthly gas spend at a full-service salon offering stylists with French accents and complimentary Perrier.  Route 2 is to roll the dice at Astor Place Hairstylist- cuts start at $14 and if you're lucky you might actually get that studied yet care-free look you're going for.

FSC is the perfect middle ground. Freemans Sporting Club Barber Shop is located in Freemans Alley on the Lower East Side and they recently opened in the West Village.  Get a good cut for $40 in a shop your Grandparents would endorse.  Perrier is not offered but I imagine you could bring your own- consider it a BYOP situation.

FSC Barber Shop

5 Horatio Street  /  New York, NY  10014

Street parking on Horatio:

North side- street cleaning MON&THU, 11:00am-12:30pm

South side- street cleaning TUE&FRI, 11:00am-12:30pm

Limited metered parking on West 4th Street

street smart: PARK Smart NYC pilot program

Next month the NYC Department of Transportation will launch PARK Smart, a pilot program to reduce parking congestion.  

PARK Smart is a new program developed with the community to make parking easier while reducing congestion and improving safety. A six-month trial of PARK Smart will begin on October 6, 2008 in Greenwich Village. PARK Smart aims to increase the number of available metered parking spaces by encouraging motorists to park no longer than necessary. The meter rate is higher when demand for parking is greatest and decreases when demand is lower. The Greenwich Village pilot will be conducted in the area shown. Meter rates will be $2.00/hr from Noon to 4PM and $1.00/hr at all other times that meters are in effect. All other regulations will remain the same hours in effect (i.e. Monday - Saturday for posted time periods) and duration (i.e. 1 Hour or 2 Hour meters).

Parking for $2/hr. in NYC is still a steal if you can find a metered spot.  So I'll be interested to see if this program has an impact on parking congestion.  In any event, PARK Smart has a great ring to it- thanks to the NYC DOT for the (unintentional) shout-out.

Read more on PARK Smart

smart challenge: Rome gets in the game

The Italian capital has officially entered the smart car challenge.  More smarts have been sold in Rome than in any other city, worldwide, so look out Paris- you've got some tough competition hot on your heels.  I'm guessing Rome's first video is just a warmup.  

smart sounds: Gling-Glo

The evening chill in the air reminds me of summer in Iceland.  And thoughts of Iceland always lead to Bjork.  I know,  you either love her or hate her.  Me?  Totally love her.  Devoted for life.  So I dig deep to discover whatever I can about the Icelandic nymph.  In 1990 Bjork recorded Gling-Glo with a jazz band.  A song or two make for good driving music- grab a few from iTunes and drop them into your Fall/Winter 08 playlist. This favorite is called "I Dansi Med Per."

smart stuff: Vegas gets smart

Back in June I did a smart vs. Hummer fuel price comparison.  Perhaps the population of Las Vegas read the post, because this week the Wall Street Journal reported that one of the nation's largest Hummer dealers is closing... and reopening as a smart dealer! If you can't sell a Hummer in Vegas, what hope remains for sales in Anytown, USA?  The times they are a changin.'

Read the WSJ article

smart video: Peel forone

Before there was smart, there was Peel- creators of the three wheeled 1960s vehicles that make your smart fortwo look like a Maybach 62S .  In the market for functioning windows, a reverse gear, turn signals, or brake lights? With the sales slogan "almost cheaper than walking," Peel offered no such luxuries.  So the next time you reach for that turn indicator, remember- you are motoring in the luxury lane. 

smart stop NYC: PetalBelle

This globetrotting Agent ØØsmart has spent many an hour in cafés around the world, so I know a good one when I see it.  PetalBelle is a new entry on the NYC café landscape- serving Belgian specialities in view of the facing church.  It makes for a very Euro affair, further supported by the Cherie FM satellite radio feed- live and direct from Paris!  Pull up in your smart fortwo and order coffee and a waffle.  And the best part of all?  Pay in US dollars.

PetalBelle

158 Sullivan Street  /  New York, NY  10012

Street parking in the block: 

West side- street cleaning MON&THU, 11:00am-12:30pm

East side- no parking MON-FRI, 8:00am-5:00pm

smart stuff: smarts around town

The smarts they are everywhere- OK it's not Paris (see my smart challenge video) or Rome, but I'm seeing more and more smarts of all colors in the 'hood.  Red? check. Blue cabrio? yes- just this afternoon. Yellow?  roger.  So who's driving these beauties?

In a dream I had a vision of a FTLOS forum for owners to share pics of their smarts, and answer a fun questionnaire to create smarty profiles.  In a nightmare I logged on to The Catorialist in my sleep and realized it's a fine line between general enthusiasm and serious TMI (too much information) .  

After consulting family and friends, I'm ready to walk that line in the name of smart excellence.  If you'd like to be the first smarty to be profiled on this lovely blog, please shoot me an email.  We'll have some fun with it and you will earn the prestigious title of smarty 00000001.  Don't be shy, email now.

smart stuff: smart in vogue

Following my fall fashion post comes a smart mention in the colossal September issue of American Vogue:

Car Talk: The social set zooms in on a new ride

In this country, where status historically has been measured by how much space you take up at home and on the road, "Small is the new big" is some kind of revolution in motion... Now the trend enters the social set, led by Lauren Santo Domingo, who recently took possession of her groovy smart fortwo car... The car operates manually or automatically, but there's another versatile feature that might appeal to the style-minded. "The panels of the smart car are exchangeable- they just pop right out," Lauren adds with a wink.  "I am thinking eggplant for fall will go great with my new Nina Ricci chunky knits."

Last I checked, an eggplant color option does not exist, but perhaps this article offers smart HQ some free trend forecasting.  Corporate, are you listening?

smart sounds: Bananarama

The year was 1983.  Three cute Brit girls formed a group named after bananas and shot a faux underwater album cover.  The hair was huge, the songs were catchy, and the rest is herstory.  This nugget is titled "He Was Really Sayin' Something." Play it loud with the windows down on these last days of summer.

smart stuff: so long summer

Dear readers- I have returned from the motherland with many a smart tale to tell in coming weeks.  Europe will always be super but it feels great to be back in NYC, where 1 US Dollar = 1 US Dollar.  As the lazy days of summer come to an end, smart owners citywide will load spring/summer wardrobes into their fortwos for a quick trip to Manhattan Mini Storage.  Tight squeeze at the loading dock?  No problem, just slot yourselves into that half-space between the two SUVs.  Offload summer clothes and load fall/winter wardrobes.  Repeat as necessary.  

But this seasonal transition always brings the September dilemma- to wear or not to wear white after Labor Day? Ever the rebel, Agent ØØsmart says screw the fashion police and their arbitrary rules.  I'll be wearing my white Earnest Sewn jeans well into October (with some fresh old skool Adidas).  So to owners of white smarts, I say it's OK to rock white body panels into October- but come November, you may want to consider black.  Just putting it out there...

smartourism: where am I?

Despite the arrival of smarts in the USA, your Agent ØØsmart still makes the occasional pilgrimage to the motherland- to recharge the proverbial batteries and get the creative juices flowing.  Being a (sm)artiste is demanding work, after all.  So with digital camera and a memory card of obscene capacity in hand, I am currently on assignment.  

For those hoping for art shots of the Eiffel Tower, you are reading the wrong blog. But we can still be friends- and I may get the occasional picture of a famous landmark if it happens to be in the background of a smart. Will I look back in 10 years and wonder why I spent my vacation taking 1500 pictures of smart cars... instead of a refrigerator-worthy shot of myself in front of a Madrid McDonald's?  Probably.  But enough self-analysis... 

Any guess where I took this smart shot?

smart bling: sex up my smart

Check out this super-pimped smart with 17" wheels and hydraulics! Trunk space is optional when you can pack it with a flat screen monitor and enough amplifiers to power an intimate concert venue. The customization prices quoted are in British Pounds- so double them for US dollars. Which leads me to wonder- is this the most expensive smart in the world?

smart stop NYC: Project No. 8

Your faithful Agent ØØsmart once found himself on a shop 'til you drop mission in Bangkok.  I hydrated to the max and wore my Nike racing flats, hitting the pavement in search of new retail frontiers.  To my surprise all local fingers pointed to Hermès and Vuitton.  "I've got all the global brands at home on 5th Avenue- show me a cool boutique!" I said.  And they did.

For those seeking something special in NYC- meet Project No. 8.  It's on Division Street, which is great smart territory- street parking on the evenings and weekends, plus cool restaurants like Good World and Les Enfants Terribles.  Project No. 8 has a compact and superbly curated product offering- covering the bases of clothing, jewelry, and objets.  Get yourself a little something.  Go on, you deserve it.

Project No. 8

138 Division Street / New York, NY 10002

Street parking: available most evenings and weekends, check signs

Visit Project No. 8 online

smart challenge: time to get in the game

Approximately one month into competition, Paris is holding firm in the #1 spot on our international smart challenge scoreboard.  I know, you may find 107 points to be a little intimidating- but did 14 cheerleaders let a record of 13 girls in a smart car scare off an attempt at glory?  Not at all; they went for it! For those bold enough to represent their city on the global stage, here are the guidelines:

1. Document location
2. Document start and stop times
3. Count and document smarts with one full-view (minimum 75% visible) image per car
4. If a smart is obscured by another smart, document both cars in a single image and count both (or any multiple of) smarts
5. Respect local traffic and pedestrian rules

Godspeed to you all.

View the original smart car challenge post

smart video: with a little help from the lads

Who says a group of drunken lads at 3am = trouble? These rockstars show maximum love of smart in a spontaneous UK parking party.

smart sounds: this is the remix

OK it's Friday and tonight you will rock. Zero 7's "You're my Flame" gets the remix treatment by Justus Kohncke. Fans of the album single will appreciate Sia's heavenly vocals over a wicked house track. I heard DJ Danny Krivit drop this one in NYC and the result was... how do you say?.. total dancefloor pandemonium. Available on iTunes now- buy it and make your evening drive the pre-party for whatever lies beyond.

Visit Zero 7 on MySpace

street smart: discount parking

It worked for Andy Rooney, and my first request for reduced garage parking rates was well received. I spoke to Sammy at Minetta Garage on West 3rd Street (around the corner from Mamoun's Falafel). He was super nice and said he would definitely hook up smart owners with reduced monthly parking prices! On the flip side, most garages charge more for SUVs- so this could be the beginning of an interesting trend.

Minetta Garage

122 West 3rd St / New York, NY 10012

Between Thompson St. and 6th Ave

Share your garage tips with Agent ØØsmart by clicking the email link at right.

smart video: smart forfourteen

What happens when 13 German cheerleaders pack into a smart car? They establish a world record- which in turn gives 14 English cheerleaders a bright idea. Records were meant to be broken, after all. Check out the English squad's attempt at Guinness glory. Go Eagles!

Attention all American cheerleaders- do I hear 15?

smart stop NYC: Jeff Koons at the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Koonsian, adj: in the style of contemporary artist Jeff Koons, shiny, manufactured, and highlighting a saccharin sweetness of pop culture, straddling a fine line between art object and everyday item. ex. The smart fortwo is a very Koonsian vehicle.

Will someone over at smart Corporate HQ please get Jeff Koons in a smart car for a photo op? Actually, I'm not called Agent ØØsmart for nothing, dear Corporate. Loan me the car and I'll make it happen. Such an event would be a meeting of the minds on par with the Reykjavik Summit.

Until then, smart fans, see Jeff Koons' sculptures in the best museum gallery New York City has to offer: the roof of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The Metroplitan Museum of Art: Jeff Koons on the Roof

Through October 26, 2008- weather permitting

1000 Fifth Avenue / New York, NY 10028

Street parking: limited, on avenues and side streets

Museum garage: Fifth Avenue & 80th Street

street smart: back-in parking 2

Men's Vogue offers a fun account of rolling a smart in the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan- they even get some tips on pimping your ride for max street cred. Our question on back-in parking (is it legal?) is also addressed:

"I knew, rationally, that the smart was the ideal car (if that's not an oxymoron these days) for New York, or any city. Like football, parking here is a game of inches, and in the smart I was able to gobble up all those maimed parking spots, near hydrants and crosswalks and bus stops. Backed in perpendicular to the curb, the smart could conquer even smaller spots; in New York, however, angle parking is illegal. So, too, is putting two smarts in one metered space. "I'll ticket the second car," a NYPD traffic enforcement officer sternly warned me."

Well that answers our question. Where to go from here? My next step will be to find out if there's any long term thinking on the subject over at NYC Transportation.

Visit the Men's Vogue article and slide show

smart bling: pimp this ride

OK I'l admit it- one of my favorite TV shows is Pimp My Ride. And it's not because I'm a gearhead freaking out over the flush mount BBQ in the trunk, or a 24" subwoofer. It's actually because of the pathetic plights of the cars and owners in need of pimping. How can any 18 year-old be cool when rolling the joke of Beverly Hills High? We all know that a pimped ride = popularity! dates! free pizza! spiritual enlightenment! success!

This blinged-out gold smart, reminded me of the dental work of a certain old skool rapper, Just Ice. smart bling is a new category in this blog- and it's going to be a fun one.

smart sounds: American Boy

It's that time of year in the hot 'n steamy streets of NYC- time for the summer jam of 2008 to boom from '64 Impalas and smart fortwos on a long 4th of July weekend. Estelle's "American Boy" featuring Kanye West has that sunny bounce that makes it a frontrunner for the prize of Summer Jam '08. Will it go the distance?

Visit Estelle on MySpace

street smart: back-in parking 1

Here's some more news on NYC "back-in" parking (is it legal?). A late 2007 article from the New York Post is my first glimpse of a definitive answer:

"The fortwo, which comes in a coupe or a convertible, can also park perpendicular to the curb, according to Dave Schembri, president of smart USA. However, such parking is not permitted in the city, transportation official said."

Somehow back-in parking in NYC struck me as too good to be true- and it seems that's the case. I will dig a little deeper just to be sure.

Read the New York Post article, and view a related video

smart vending machine

Next time you take a coffee break in Hamburg, Germany- hit the vending machine. Not just any vending machine: the smart vending machine! We need one of these in Times Square, NYC, for the CondeNast lunch set. "Graydon, I'm just stepping out for a sandwich and a smart- see you in an hour."

smart stop NYC: Nom de Guerre

This hidden gem offers dialed-in mens clothing from house label Nom de Guerre, APC, and others. A selection of art publications and Comme des Garçons fragrances rounds out the stocklist. Descend the stairs to the left of the Swatch shop entrance, following the Copy Shop signs. Follow the music to the door on your right. You're in.

Nom de Guerre

640 Broadway, Basement / New York, NY 10012

At the SE corner of Bleecker St.

Street parking: limited, on Bleecker St. West of Broadway

Nearest garage: Crosby St. at Houston, NW corner

Visit Nom de Guerre online

Swatch and smart: cousins by design

If smart were a watch, what brand would it be? A Swatch watch, of course! The European house of Swatch has been making stylish, affordable, and practical watches for over 20 years. So it's no surprise that fans of Swatch watches are fans of smarts. Swatch designers helped engineers develop smart prototypes in the 1990s (view related post).

The bright colored 80s Swatches are looking especially good these days- get one like the beauty above to match your red metallic smart. Vintage Swatch prices on eBay start at around $7.

Vintage Swatch offerings on eBay

smart challenge: let the games begin

For those wondering how I received the appointment of Agent ØØsmart, the answer may be less glamorous than you'd expect.  Since the smart Academy of Excellence graduation ceremony exists only in my mind, I did what any wannabe would do- I appointed myself global missionary of smart love.  Which is not to say I didn't earn the title.  Want proof of my commitment to the cause? Watch my first smart video- just posted on YouTube.

With this video I invite global smart enthusiasts to represent their cities in a little game we'll call the smart car challenge.  To get your city on the scoreboard, email me a YouTube video link of your mission.  It's as easy as that- and just imagine the celebrity that will follow...

smart sounds: nice 'n breezy

Lounge artist Les Hommes released the EP The Mood is Modal in 2000. The nice 'n breezy sound of Girl on a Mission makes me want to sip a cocktail and watch the sun go down over the Hudson- which is exactly what I'll be doing a few hours from now. Grab a few songs (Agent ØØsmart also recommends Touched by the Hand of Tenorio) from iTunes to soundtrack your weekend smart fortwo cabrio cruise.

fill 'er up- smart vs. Hummer

On Monday the national average price of regular unleaded gas hit $4.08. How do a Hummer and a smart compare at the gas pump? Using the manufacturers' MPG stats (which are typically higher than actual), I did the math:

Hummer 3 Alpha fuel capacity: 23.0 gallons

Price of a full tank: $93.84

City (13mpg) range on a full tank: 299 miles

Highway (16mpg) range on a full tank: 368 miles

smart fortwo Passion fuel capacity: 8.7 gallons

Price of a full tank: $35.50

City (33mpg) range on a full tank: 287 miles

Highway (40mpg) range on a full tank: 348 miles

View U.S. Retail Gas Prices

street smart: inspired by Andy

smart fans may assume that "Andy" refers to the one and only Andy Warhol- but here's one to keep you on your toes.  My post on Andy Rooney's Smart video is generating email feedback hinting at a rise in the cult of Rooney. Who would have guessed?

As a follow-up to Andy's street reconnaissance, I will get to the bottom of a few questions posed by the 60 Minutes veteran:

1) is it legal to park "back-in" between two parallel parked cars?

2) do parking garages offer reduced parking prices for smarts?

Stay tuned for updates.  Got good smart recon of your own?  Don't be shy, share it with me.

smart stop NYC: Mamoun's Falafel

Yankees or Mets?  Giants or Jets?  Mamoun's or... Mamoun's?  In a city full of greats, Mamoun's dominates the falafel landscape.  Since 1972, they have served Middle Eastern favorites out of their two tiny locations in lower Manhattan.  Don't let a line out the door scare you- you'll be ordering in no time.  Get a falafel sandwich for $2.50 and add Mamoun's famous hot sauce to taste.

Mamoun's Falafel- Greenwich Village

119 MacDougal Street / New York, NY 10012

Between W 3rd St and Minette Lane

Street parking: limited, on W 3rd Street

Nearest garage: W 3rd St between MacDougal & 6th Ave

Visit Mamoun's Falafel online

smart at the Museum of Modern Art, New York

Many Americans got their first glimpse of smart in 2002, when a fortwo was featured in the MoMA exhibition, "Auto Bodies: Speed, Sport, Transport."  Check out this '02 exhibition ink on the Smart:

"Size matters.  Only eight feet long, the efficient smart Car challenges habits of personal mobility.  It is especially well suited to urban environments.  As suggested by its clever marketing slogan, "reduced to the max," the smart Car has been developed to maximize convenience, comfort, and safety of driver and passenger, while minimizing the impact on the environment.  Low fuel consumption (averaging 49 miles per gallon) and eco-friendly methods of production distinguish the car from others on the market.

The smart Car's body reveals a clear, functional, modular design.  The black frame of reinforced steel is coated with powder paint, considerably less harmful to the environment than conventional painting processes.  Colorful, easily exchangeable body panels made of recycled plastic are virtually dent resistant and rust free.  By locating the engine below the passengers, space is conserved and seats are given additional height.

The smart Car was developed in the early 1990s by Mercedez-Benz.  A team of engineers and designers led by Gerhard Steinle created the prototype in southern California.  The design was further developed with input from the Swatch watch company.  Cars are sold at "smart Centers" throughout Europe, where the brightly colored vehicles are stacked in towers like objects in a display case, clearly aimed at youthful, style-conscious consumers seeking an affordable car. Since their debut in 1988, nearly half a million smart Cars have been produced, and they have become a common sight in Europe- sometimes two per conventional parking space."

Visit the MoMA exhibition webpage

smart video: Rooney rocks NYC, smart-style '04

Not one to be known as an early adaptor, Andy Rooney of 60 Minutes was rocking a smart back in 04!  Before smarts were even available in the USA, Rooney took a smart for a test drive around Manhattan. Watch as he tries to get reduced prices at parking garages (half size = half price?). Not a bad idea, actually.  Has anyone scored reduced smart parking prices?

Roll the 60 Minutes videotape

smart sounds: Danse Avec Moi

My first smart soundtrack recommendation is an ode to the Euro heritage of the smart car.  The French group Noze recently released the album "Songs on the Rocks" featuring this catchy charmer.  "Danse Avec Moi" translates "dance with me," and it's available on iTunes now.

Visit Noze on MySpace

smart video: GQ takes smart for a spin

Let's start with a ride- a virtual test drive hosted by GQ. In this video, Kevin drives a smart on the beautiful backroads of Northern California. For the record I think the guy driving by on the freeway showed smart love with a west coast hang-loose hand gesture, but I won't rule out the rock-on.

pleased to meet you

Welcome to fortheloveofsmart.com- my blog about smart cars and the smart lifestyle.

The first time I saw a smart car was on a cobblestone street in Paris- I wanted to hug it on the spot. My arms wouldn’t quite fit around but I swore I’d never forget that adorable face and remarkably cute body.

And now smarts have arrived in the USA! Those long European license plates are being replaced by New York and California ones. Thankfully, I’m saving a ton of money on smartourism because I no longer have to go to Europe for the love of smart. Which is where my blog gets its catchy name. My mission is simple- spreading love of smart.

Ready? Set? Hold on- in the interest of good manners, let me begin with a formal introduction:

smart Car, meet America.

America, meet smart Car.

And now, dear friends- let’s get this party started.

-Agent ØØsmart