Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Argues that tinkering with the design of existing automobiles has not and can not reduce fuel consumption, traffic congestion, and pollution fast enough to keep up with growing population and demand and shrinking resources. Instead, the entire concept of personal transportation must be rethought. Co

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Automobiles pose a perplexing design problem. They are alternately too small or too big for the specific trip the user has in mind. Practically all cars have two rows of seats and claim to seat (optimistically) 5-6 passengers! Smaller cars with front seats that touch the rear ones are called "plus 2." In the real world, the load factor observed on the highway is about 1.6 people per car; for commuters it dips closer to 1.0. This situation might be more humorous but for the fact that the underdeveloped world (5 billion) is scrambling to attain automotive parity with (over)developed nations. Riley notes that if everyone in the world used gas at the US rate, all the proven reserves of oil in the world would be gone in ten years. This study fills a void and describes many actual and proposed minicars of various sizes. All are fuel-efficient in varying degrees and tend to be classed as "city," "commuter," or "urban." All, however, are subject to the laws of physics, and the author includes a traffic fatality table: large car, 0.7 deaths per 10,000 cars; midsize car, 1.4; and small car, 2.1. These grim statistics can be misleading, however, because modern improvements like air bags and crush zones can narrow the odds. A whole chapter is devoted to this point. Heavily illustrated with many photographs of old, new, and future small cars, and a very interesting review of the state of the art. All levels. J. C. Comer; emeritus, Northern Illinois University