What about bent over pole smokers?

@Luis "BMW doesn't need flash like Caddy needs flash. People drive BMWs for the German engineering, superb driving dynamics and (some) for the label."

Maybe in auto enthusiast land. In the real world, it always seems to shake out more like this:

People drive BMWs for the label, and (some) for the German engineering and superb driving dynamics.

Not saying BMWs aren't solid cars. They are. But in my experience most people buy them because they are BMWs and could care less about the Teutonic feel or the engine design or whatever. Consider my neighbor, who owns an M6 but, by the way he drives it, would have been just as well served by Chevy Aveo.

Actually, most of the people in Austin are those who had good enough sense to escape from Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas (myself included). We have our share of transplants, but a pretty hefty native population.

But this: "It's probably the most liberal, pot-headed, hipster, organic, gay-friendly town in the entire south" is entirely 100% true. Hell, Whole Foods is based here.

As to this working...I agree Austin is the place where it would. Lots of people who would forgo a car but still need one every so often (if only to escape the 100+ degree days during the summer). Still, I can't help but wonder if a Smart is the right vehicle. It's only barely useful for a trip to the grocery store, next to useless for running out to Ikea, Lowe's, Costco, etc.

I give it a year, two maybe. That's about how long each "new corporate face, for reals this time!" seems to have lasted...

@daleam

"Mike is right. It's a matter of convenience and choice. Nobody (the general "nobody") drives a tiny car because they want to. Hell, I'd be driving a big ass Suburban if I could afford it."

Everyone who has ever bought a Mini, Mazda Miata, and probably the majority of Mazda3 owners, GTI owners, etc would beg to differ.

MDX, ZDX, Accord, Pilot, Odyssey, Acura TL all share the same basic platform.

How I think the five-year plan should go:

1) Do away with the Chrysler brand. The 300 is a fad whose time has passed, and the rest of the lineup is just bad. Convert the dealerships to Alfa/Fiat dealers. DO NOT REBADGE Fiats as Chryslers. Please, for the love of god.

2) Let Dodge keep doing the trucks and big American cars thing. Ram, Dakota, Charger, Challenger.

3) Jeep. Don't touch the Wrangler unless you're going to put a diesel in it. Give us back a real Cherokee. Make a lightweight, bare-bones Wrangler variant that can actually pull down pretty solid fuel economy and call it the Renegade or CJ.

4) Fast-track U.S. versions of appropriate Fiat and Alfa cars. 500. Grande Punto. Brera. Get them over here as-is. Pronto.

That's your reason for why the Chrysler brand shouldn't be put out of its misery? So they wouldn't have to change the letterhead?

Yeah, I don't get the hate for the X-Type. I don't think the XJ's styling translated particularly well to a more compact vehicle, but apart from that it seems like a solid car, and a downright steal on the used market.

Personally I always thought the S-Type did a lot more damage. Apart from being ugly and based on the Lincoln LS platform, it just...stayed...for years.

I'm so much happier with where Jag is these days that words can't express it.

Sadly, utility hasn't really been Land Rover's job either, at least not for the last 5-7 years. Utility with a dash of luxury (i.e. leather seats and power windows) gave way to luxury with a dash of utility.