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"Manufacturers are ramping up a new generation of city cars, but precious few of these manage to capture the enthusiast spirit. It doesn&amp;#039;t have to be that way. Here are a few of our favorites from over the years that provided a few more thrills than just your standard econobox on wheels while delivering just-as-good fuel economy. Sadly, some were never offered in the U.S., but a few were\u2014so if you&amp;#039;re interested, you can start scouring the web now.   Smart Roadster 2003-2006           The egg-shaped Smart 2-seater is not an unfamiliar sight on American roads these days, but we would much prefer the sportier looking Roadster version of the turbocharged 700-cc 3-cylinder engine, which makes 80 bhp, not bad for a car weighing less than 1750 lb. Brabus-tuned versions included a 100-bhp model as well as a twin-turbo V-6 that makes 215 bhp. The Roadster was available as a traditional open-top 2-seater or as a nifty little Kammback with a detachable greenhouse. Crosley Hotshot 1939-1952 The dream of Powel Crosley\u2014a man who made a fortune selling radios and appliances and who owned radio stations and the Cincinnati Reds\u2014was to build a car that bore his name. He was a man well ahead of his time when he developed a small 2-seat inexpensive car powered by a tiny 3-cylinder engine in 1939. He later upgraded the powerplant to a 750-cc four in the 1940s and introduced the racy Hotshot, car that could be purchased for less than $1000 and which won the Performance Index class at Sebring in 1951.   Crosley Hotshot 1939-1952           The dream of Powel Crosley\u2014a man who made a fortune selling radios and appliances and who owned radio stations and the Cincinnati Reds\u2014was to build a car that bore his name. He was a man well ahead of his time when he developed a small 2-seat inexpensive car powered by a tiny 3-cylinder engine in 1939. He later upgraded the powerplant to a 750-cc four in the 1940s and introduced the racy Hotshot, car that could be purchased for less than $1000 and which won the Performance Index class at Sebring in 1951.   Honda Beat 1991-1996           We did get the front-engine/front-drive Del Sol that kinda sorta had the same lines, but the original inspiration for that 2-seater was this mid-engine Kei car in Japan that had a mid-mounted 600-cc engine. Its tauter lines drawn by Pininfarina and optimum engine placement and rear drive make us wonder why the Beat didn&amp;#039;t go on in America. The 3-cylinder Beat weighed about 1700 lb., measured just 129.7 inches long and produced a prodigious 63 bhp.   Saab Sonett 1966-1974           Way back when Saab was putting the capital Q on quirk, it developed a small, 2-seat sports car called the Sonett, which utilized Saab&amp;#039;s 2-stroke powerplants, first as a 3-cylinder unit and later upgraded to a Ford-built Taunus V-4 engine. The front-drive car features a fiberglass body and angular styling that was quite racy back in the 1960s and 1970s.   Suzuki Cappuccino 1991-1997           This cool Kei car from Japan features a front-mounted 4-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels. Like the Beat, it measures just 129.7 inches long and is powered by a 3-cylinder engine, although unlike the Honda, uses turbocharging to produce 63 bhp. Weighing in at just 1600 lb., the Cappuccino proved not only to be popular in Japan, but also England, where about 1100 copies were sold in the mid-1990s. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a15430/five-fun-urban-cars/>