tiny cars

And you thought the Mini was small ...

Some post WWII cars were truly small. Most had terribly inefficient engines and were probably less than safe. Modern vehicles in this size range have exceeded 200mpg with small diesel engines and have practical driving cycles.

Perhaps we'll see interest when gas hits $5 a gallon. A few years ago VW tested a 1 liter diesel prototype that has a Messerschmitt flavor. It was designed to have practical performance specs and got about 240 mpg with regular driving. A hybrid may have done better (or not - the weight was so low that a hybrid may not have been possible). It would be frightening to encounter a SUV in such a vehicle. Of course people may be living in their SUVs when gas hits $5 a gallon.