Over time, efforts by the major European manufacturers to fill their North American consumers' many automotive demands usually translated into making their cars bigger, badder and faster. No one in their right mind would actually choose to drive a smaller vehicle, incapable of carrying large loads of friends and cargo or, heaven-forbid, powered by anything less than six or eight cylinders…unless.
That "unless" first came in the form of the energy crisis and subsequent gas shortages of the late seventies. Cars (though some might substitute "boats" here) had reached gigantic proportions even when compared to the monster SUVs found crowding today's highways and parking spaces. During this period, the average family vehicle from Oldsmobile, Buick, Cadillac or Chevrolet measured roughly 18 feet in length (longer than a Chevy Suburban). A assessment of the updates for the model year 1978 Deville also revealed a gross weight of no less than 4260 lbs. and a whopping 7.0-liter, 425 cu. in. V8.
So, in a way, we were due for something that would reel in the extravagance.
Although several generations of cars in virtually all shapes and sizes followed, the "compact" segment makes up a considerable percentage of new car sales today. The Europeans were always well aware that this category was substantial and VW has long had a strong command here, but only recently have the premium brands decided to give it further consideration. It was always assumed that entering this segment would instantly diminish a brand's reputation, which may be true. But some new offerings have proved that the right spin and strategy allow just about any manufacturer to cover a much wider range than the traditional three or four model lineup.
To be fair, technology has gradually allowed automobile producers to add more standard and optional features in vehicles at lower price points. That means the "introductory" models are likely to offer far more than just your basic temperature control and stereo. As a matter of fact, when you consider that ABS brakes, active restraint systems (airbags), and loads of other passenger safety features are standard issue on most vehicles (large or small) offered in North America today, you have to wonder how we survived driving in previous decades.
So just how does a premium brand like BMW offer a compact car without tarnishing the image they have spent decades building? Enter the Mini Cooper. Instead of stretching the BMW line (an approach that BMW is currently testing with the 1- and 2- Series in the less fickle European markets), they decided to use their power of acquisition (Mini was left to BMW after the sale of the Rover Group) to reinvent the iconic design of the Mini made famous in the UK during the sixties and seventies.
Today's version of the Mini sports DNA of the original that's visible in its size and character, yet it's packaged as a road-worthy automobile possessing all the amenities in both safety and convenience normally found associated with cars twice the size. Developments on the new cars like EBD (electronic brake control), ASC+T (Automatic Stability Control + Traction) and Dynamic Stability Control rival the industry's most advanced systems. This strategy has made the new Mini an instant hit, not necessarily because the owners were just looking for a charmer to burn up the narrow streets and alleys of their city, but rather because the Mini appeals to their personalities. With an MSRP starting at about $16,500 and moving on up to around $20,000, more than 75,000 copies (US) have been delivered to date, proving that the market for a premium "executive compact," as it is now defined, definitely does exist.
Not to be outdone by their peers, the group at rival Mercedes-Benz has been sizing up this end of the spectrum with their own design for some time. The Smart Car was originally developed as collaboration between the engineers at Mercedes and Swatch and is meant to look like no other vehicle on the road: it employs less traditional materials, but most importantly, it's designed to act as the ideal European inner-city transport.
What makes this car unique? For starters, it is only about half the size of an average family sedan. With room for only two passengers and minimal cargo, the Smart Car can easily slip in and out of dense traffic with superbly nimble maneuverability. It has excellent outward vision and miniature power plants (41hp diesel, 61hp and 95hp gas) capable of superior fuel efficiency (roughly mpg) all for an MSRP beginning at less than 9,000 Euro. One of the most visible and heavily promoted benefits of the microcar is its ability to pull directly into even the smallest parking space and park facing the curb. A novel item, it has been very well received abroad with more than 122,000 sold in 2002 and would surely be a hit in North America's urban areas as well. Due to EPA/NHTS regulations and market differences, however, these models have not been made available in the US or Canada.
Smart has developed additional versions and become a multi-car line offering both drop-top and roadster editions of the original design. The company is in the final development stages of the Smart forfour SUV, which should début in the states sometime in 2006.
While compact used to be synonymous with economy, it seems at least these two makes are trying to redefine the $25,000 and under group by going where no highline manufacturer has ventured to go before. Both choose to extend their own lineups in the European and world markets with the A and 1 Series, yet offer a sister brand in North America where brand association is most critical. Apparently people are willing to pay a premium, even in this class.
It's all in the presentation.
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