City Cars
As manufacturers worldwide strove to meet legislation that demanded reduced emissions and greater fuel efficiency, interest turned again to tiny city cars with two, or at most four, seats. Some manufacturers produced tiny, sub-1,000 cc, two- or three-cylinder cars designed for city use. Others made small cars that could still be comfortable on highways, and had efficient-running, lightly stressed, four-cylinder engines.
REVA/G-Wiz I, 2001
| Origin | India |
| Engine | Electric motor |
| Top speed | 50mph (80 km/h) |
The world’s best-selling electric car of the decade was this 2+2 Indian model with a 75-mile (120-km) range. A larger and safer model was planned for the next decade.
Ligier Ambra, 2000
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 505 cc, straight-two |
| Top speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
Former FI racing-car maker Ligier has long catered to the two-seat “guadricycle” market. Limits of 1,212lb (550 kg) and 20 bhp won this car tax breaks in some markets.
Smart City-Coupé, 1998
| Origin | Germany/France |
| Engine | 599 cc, straight-three |
| Top speed | 84 mph (135 km/h) |
The most popular two-seat city car yet was the vision of Swatch creator Nicolas Hayek. Features included rear-wheel drive, electronic stability control, and anti-lock braking.
Fiat Panda, 2003
| Origin | Italy/Poland |
| Engine | 1,108 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 93 mph (150 km/h) |
Voted European Car of the Year, the Panda of 2003 proved a worthy successor to the name, selling 1.5 million in its first six years. It had 1.1-1.4-liter engines.
Subaru R1, 2005
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 658 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 85 mph (137 km/h) |
Not widely marketed outside Japan, the R1 was a short, 2+2, upmarket, sporty model in the Japanese kei car discounted tax bracket. The R1 had leather trim and optional supercharger.
Opel/Vauxhall Agila, 2000
| Origin | Poland |
| Engine | 973 cc, straight-three |
| Top speed | 88 mph (142 km/h) |
Branded a Vauxhall in Great Britain, the Opel was a version of Suzuki’s Wagon-R or Splash. It had five doors and good interior space.
Kia Picanto, 2005
| Origin | South Korea |
| Engine | 999 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 93 mph (150 km/h) |
Built on a Hyundai Getz platform, the Picanto had 1.0-or 1.1-liter gas engines, or a 3-cylinder direct-injection turbodiesel engine. In Europe it sold as a budget car.
Peugeot 1007, 2004
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,360 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 107 mph (172 km/h) |
This was a brave attempt to market an unconventional city car with powered sliding doors and semi-automatic gears. Sales were poor, however, due to its high price.
Toyota Yaris/Vitz, 2005
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,364 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 109 mph (175 km/h) |
Designed in Toyota’s European studios and sold worldwide with engines from 1.0 to 1.8 liters, this second generation Yaris was the first in its class to have nine airbags.
Toyota iQ, 2008
| Origin | Japan |
| Engine | 1,329 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 106 mph (171 km/h) |
The ultra-compact iO had four seats, good performance, and a five-star European crash safety rating. Stability control, anti-lock brakes, and brake assist were all standard.
Fiat 500, 2007
| Origin | Italy/Poland |
| Engine | 1,242 cc, straight-four |
| Top speed | 99 mph (159 km/h) |
Retro-styling gave Fiat a new best-seller with this well-engineered four-seater. It had 1.2-1.4-liter engines at its launch; more options were added later.
Toyota Aygo, 2005
| Origin | Japan/Czech Republic |
| Engine | 998 cc, straight-three |
| Top speed | 98 mph (158 km/h) |
Built alongside the identical Peugeot 107 and Citroen Cl, the Aygo had three-or five-door options and a 1.0-liter gas or 1.4-liter diesel engine.
Tata Nano, 2009
| Origin | India |
| Engine | 624 cc, straight-two |
| Top speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) |
This home-market Indian car has attracted worldwide interest due to its price (under $3,000). Stripped of all extras, it is potentially the Ford Model T of the 21st century.
Secma F16 Sport, 2008
| Origin | France |
| Engine | 1,598 cc, four-cylinder |
| Top speed | 110 mph (177 km/h) |
Weighing just half a ton, the F16 promises fun but little practicality, even with optional gull-wing doors. It has a rear-mounted, fuel-injected 16-valve Renault engine.
It is a quote. The Definitive Visual History Of The Automobile 2011
