Category Archives: City cars

Small cars for metropolitan use

Third gen Fiat Panda returns with a two-cylinder engine, just like the original

Posted on August 31, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The first two generations of the Fiat Panda were both huge sellers in Europe. They came with an innovative design, and simple yet reliable mechanics, which prove to be as cheap to run as the cars were cheap to buy … Continue reading →

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Tazzari introduces a speedster version of its electric Zero to celebrate Italy

Posted on August 12, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

You visit Italy with the idea that it’s an old country, with so many building several centuries old, yet the country only got united 150 years ago. This is an event to celebrate, and Fiat already did. It launched a … Continue reading →

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Audi e-tron Urban Concept, a radically different electric car… Or vehicle

Posted on August 10, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Audi will unveil a brand new concept at the Frankfurt motor show. It won’t be a sleek hi-tech limousine like the A8, a big off-roader like the Q7, or a sharp supercar like the R8. It will be much more … Continue reading →

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BMW i3 electric concept, when BMW reinvents the body on frame

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

I like old cars. The way they’re built is different. They’re body on frame. It’s possible to unbolt the body, and the car remains drivable. All cars have monocoques now with one unit body, but BMW chose to do something … Continue reading →

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The incredible 106-MPG Skoda Fabia Greenline, a diesel city car on the highway

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

There are many reasons not to like small diesels. They’re often coarse and rough, slow and noisy, lacking the big low-end torque and smoothness of their larger cousins. The 1.2-liter from the Skoda Fabia Greenline, a Yaris-sized city car, is … Continue reading →

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I’ve seen the little Aston Martin Cygnet finding a customer

Posted on March 19, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The Cygnet is an Aston Martin, but there’s no denying it’s a huge departure from everything the brand has ever made. A super small city car! Would James Bond drive one? I can’t answer that question, but I’ve had the … Continue reading →

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The greenest car without a plug in Geneva was a Fiat 500 on CNG

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

The motor show in Geneva has ended, with shiny concepts grabbing all the attention, so much that most people forgot to notice what was the greenest car of the show. The greenest besides the electrics or fuel cell vehicles, I … Continue reading →

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The most important car in Geneva could be Indian: the Tata Pixel

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

Every car manufacturer seemed hopeful in Geneva. The rise in oil prices doesn’t scare anyone yet, as we’ve all seen it before. There’s more reason to worry about economic growth, which remains shaky in Europe, but is still strong in … Continue reading →

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Mini Rocketman Concept, definitely better, yet definitely flawed

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Laurent J. Masson

I’m a great fan of the original Mini, the one which dates back to 1959. I kinda like the newer ones, but I always think they’re just too big compared to the first model. So it was great news to … Continue reading →

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The Chrysler 500 and the Fiat Freemont, children of an Euro-American partnership

Posted on January 30, 2011 by Claire-Nageant

Fiat and Chrysler have been united with the blessing of the American government, and this enabled Fiat to sell its little 500 in the U.S. (European model pictured). How great! The Fiat 500 is a cute little car, and it … Continue reading →

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