Smart RV from Canada Rolls into California

Canadian Couple Visits ZAP for North American Smart Car tour 2005

SANTA ROSA, California (July 25, 2005) - Who says you can't go camping with your Smart Car Americanized by ZAP? Canadian Smart fans Rupert & Annette Lloyd Thomas of Toronto, Ontario prove you can take it with you if you drive a Smart Car.

You just need to pack a little? smarter? We came to work one Monday morning to find the Canadian couple in the parking lot outside ZAP with their cute Red/Black Canadianized Smart Car packed with camping supplies.

At ZAP, we have heard several news reports about the popularity of the car in Canada. Rupert and Annette confirmed for us that indeed the Smart Car has a waiting list. A recent article in the Montreal Gazette backs up this story. According to the July 21 article, in its first year in Canada, the Smart car is already outselling the two other "it" niche minicars, the Volkswagen Beetle, re-introduced in 1998, and BMW Canada's Mini Cooper, which was resurrected in 2002.

"Trudi" the Canadian Smart Car is getting a workout in its North American Tour, driven by Canadian Smart Car fans Rupert and Annette from SCOOT (Smart Car Owners of Toronot).

VW Canada spokesperson Shawn Stephens said his firm sold 1,781 Beetles in 2004, and 676 in the first six months of this year. Annemarie Gerber of BMW Canada said the Mini Cooper sold 2,800 units last year and 1,721 this year, a slightly lower rate than the Smart car.

When it comes to Smart Car fans, we believe these two have taken the grand prize, driving for over a month with thousands of kilometers under their belts. California is the midway point for their journey, which is taking them across the United States, up the Pacific Coast to British Columbia and back across Canada to Toronto.

Their trusty Smart Car, Trudi, has been running like a Swatch since they bought it. They have been keeping very strict accounts of their travels and calculate that the Smart Car has been getting about 50 MPG+; pretty good for two adults, two sleeping bags, two mats, one tent, one camp stove and then some.

The Lloyd Thomases have been helping change attitudes in the U.S. with their Smart Car tour, helping to make our job at ZAP a little easier. Even better, not only are they Smarting across N. America, they are blogging their way. Follow Rupert and Annette online at http://punchbuggy.blogspot.comand http://smartcar.blogspot.com.

Over 50 MPG?

Not bad for two adults, two sleeping bags, two mats, one tent, one camp stove and then some.