Blowin' in the wind

One of the biggest drawbacks in driving a very light car at highway speeds is its susceptibility to wind. The Smart's relatively tall cross-section only enhances this spinnaker-like quality. And it's extreme shortness doesn't help - it adds to it's darty, direction-changing ways in a strong crosswind. The effect can be reduced somewhat by rolling down the Smart's extra large side windows, reducing it's effective side area and allowing the window to pass through. 

The wind factor is especially noticeable when crossing our many Bay Area bridges. I was driving across the Golden Gate Bridge this afternoon and a sudden, strong gust blew my cap off - a first for me in after many years of driving convertibles. The car itself hardly shifted though - I guess it's more of an effect you feel rather than a legitimate driving hazard.

Really Red

Here are a few of shots of the rather bright interior. I'm liking it a lot now but it was initially a little shocking - I'm used to sombre all-black interiors on my cars. The red is bright, and slightly on the orangey side, and works well with the other trim elements around the inside. Appears to be put together with a quality feel as well. You can see that I opted for the optional "pod" instruments atop the dash - they add to the general funkyness and that tachometer is very useful for gear changes. I have to say that the design of the actual instrument faces look rather cheap and uninspired - I would have preferred the more tried-and-true white on black background design. All-in-all though, it's very comfortable in there - air conditioning, a decent stereo, plenty of headroom - it's going to be a nice ride.