Wallace Rumbarger wanted a Smart Car since he saw a European prototype of the tiny, two-seater vehicle in a magazine in 1994. He watched jealously, via television and magazines, as the cars proliferated on European streets in the following years.

"Something about it just kind of resonated in my mind," said the McLean resident. In the late 1990s, he even contacted Smart in Germany and was told that there were no plans to market the car in the United States.

"When they announced that they were going to bring it to the U.S. I immediately contacted them and said, ‘I want one,’" he said. The first dealerships, including one on Route 7 in Tysons Corner, popped up in January, and by February, Rumbarger had his dream car.

The gas savings and the reduction of his carbon footprint had been enticing, as was the ease with which the car could be parked. But there was also another factor. "I found it a visually appealing car," said Rumbarger.

"The main selling factor, I think, is the physical appearance of the car," said T.J. Stahl, brand manager for the Tysons Corner dealership. Among its other selling points, he said, are the car’s fuel economy and its low emissions output. "It’s one of the highest, if not the highest gas mileage of any full-gas car," said Stahl. He said the low emissions were a result of the engine’s small size and design.


THE SMALL, three-cylinder, one-cubic-liter engine also helps with fuel efficiency, as does the car’s size. While most four-door sedans weigh between 3,200 and 3,800 pounds, said Stahl, the Smart Car weighs about 1,800 pounds. Its advertised mileage of 33 miles per gallon in the city and 41 miles per gallon on the highway is markedly higher than most other compact cars, he said, adding, "We do get a lot of clientele coming in saying they get better mileage than the sticker."

Rumbarger said he got about 43 miles per gallon commuting to and from Bethesda and that his best highway mileage was just over 50 miles per gallon. He said this was about twice the mileage he got driving his former car, a PT Cruiser.

However, there was one more reason he liked the car. "It’s one of the few convertibles I’ve found that I can put the top up and still drive it," he said. At about 6 feet 7 inches tall, Rumberger found he also had more legroom in the tiny Smart Car than in most other vehicles.

He recently started working 10 or 12 hours a week at the dealership in order to get an employee discount on accessories. "It impressed me enough to start working for them," he said.

During a test drive, children in a car ahead of Rumberger’s waved. A family gave a long stare while passing in a Jeep convertible. "You can’t be shy and drive this car," said Rumbarger, noting that whenever he returns to his car in a parking lot, "there are always people standing around it."


AT A STOPLIGHT, a man gave a thumbs-up from a car in the next lane before asking about the gas mileage. "Five-zero?" he asked incredulously after Rumbarger’s response. He also seemed surprised to hear that the car handled well on the highway.

"There’s a lot of misconceptions about them — that they’re hybrid, that they only go up to 35 miles an hour," said Rumbarger.

He said he was told the car’s top speed was 90 mph, although he could only attest to 87. "That’s what the nice man on the motorcycle said when he stopped me," he said. "But he just wanted a test drive."

The car is also highly maneuverable. With a 22-foot turning radius, it can drive in circles in a parking lot aisle. It has an automated manual transmission, so that the car can shift itself in automatic mode, or the driver can shift gears with a paddle switch on the steering wheel. The car accelerates a bit hesitantly, probably because it is actually a manual transmission. As Rumbarger said, "It’s not a rocket ship, but it brings some game."

McLean resident Suzyn Smith Webb said she and her husband get so many questions about their Smart Car they drew up a "frequently asked questions" sheet and keep copies of it in the car. "The most notable thing about it is that people come up and talk to me about it," she said.

Example question: "Is this FAQ really necessary?"

"We know this is weird, but yeah it kind of is. LOTS of people ask about our car. Sometimes several times a day. Sometimes they flag us down at stoplights or find us in restaurants. We want to answer questions, but we’re kinda shy and sometimes late for work."

They got the car in April and, so far, are pleased. "We love how small it is," she said. "We don’t have any kids, so a two-seater is perfect for us. And we wanted a convertible." She, too, purchased the Cabriolet, the most highly optioned model and the only Smart convertible available in the U.S.

Webb reported mileage of about 34 to 38 miles to the gallon, saying she primarily drove the car in the city. Although she said it "takes hitting the gas as a mild suggestion," she said the car was a fun drive. "It’s great for a couple with no kids to tool around the city in."

Stahl said his customers were of all demographics, from SUV owners looking for a "fun weekend car" to others who are buying a Smart Car as a primary vehicle.

Depending on the model and its options, prices range from $12,200 to $18,700 and are non-negotiable, which Stahl said was "so refreshing for a lot of people." They must be ordered in advance, and the waiting period for delivery is about a year.

He said Smart, owned by Daimler-Chrysler, was considering releasing a fully electric version in the U.S. in 2010.

Rumbarger has already sent in a deposit payment to get on the waiting list.