Smart Car Is Styling, Too

When Cathy Ellerbe pulls into the parking lot of Living Word United Methodist Church in Wildwood, her style stands out immediately through her new vehicle. This Ellisville resident is sporting a custom-ordered purple "smart fortwo"—the only one of its color in Missouri, she's been told.

Mercedes-Benz smart cars (the brand has a lower cased s) are the "in" vehicles seen in Paris, Barcelona, London and Rome. The company's records indicate more than a million smart fortwos have been sold in 40-plus countries worldwide. Now there's a purple one to enjoy in the Wildwood and Eureka area, including its Easter decorations at the moment. And her name is Lily (Ellerbe's smart fortwo).

The name "fortwo" refers to the car's two-seater capacity and rear engine. This type of vehicle was first introduced in Paris in 1998.

Ellerbe said it took about three weeks to get her special-colored smart car. But she's literally been waiting about five years to get a smart car in general.

"I first saw one (a smart car) in Italy, and was immediately infatuated with them," said Ellerbe. "But I had a Beetle at the time and wasn't quite ready to change."

She said she then saw two smart cars in California with Hello Kitty decorations, and became even more obsessed with the auto. "I felt like I had to make it happen. The cuteness of these cars, the tiny little cuteness, is just precious," she said.

"I love driving a small car," said Ellerbe, but who mentioned that she hasn't driven Lily in Missouri's snow or snowstorms yet, due to the time of year she secured it. "Next winter, I'll figure that out."

Ellerbe, 47, said her smart car is fun to drive and she loves making people smile with it. "The reactions to Lily are very interesting; everywhere I go, people are pointing, smiling and laughing, and giving me a thumbs up," she said.

She said the biggest impact she's ever had came when she drove by a bus stop one morning and noticed a young woman, all slumped over and looking extremely sad. She said when the woman looked up and happened to notice her and Lily, she waved at the woman, who returned a smile. "In my rearview mirror, I noticed as I drove on, that the woman then straightened up as she was standing and I left her still smiling."

Ellerbe is a self-professed lover of the color purple, so there was no question in her mind what color of smart car she would get. "I am purple," she said.

She went online and secured a set of decorations for Lily for both Easter and Christmas.

This smart car became the latest of a handful of cars Ellerbe's driven in her life, with the largest one being a Caprice Classic that she once inherited from her father. "That big car saved my life, though, when a man plowed into the side of me," she said.

The smart USA dealership recorded 425 sales in March 2011, according to the company's latest press release. Retail sales increased nearly 50 percent month-over-month from February 2011 as a result of higher consumer demand for fuel efficient vehicles due to rising fuel prices.

Overall, Daimler AG reported U.S. sales on April 4 of 22,971 Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles.

Ellerbe said she hasn't quite determined 100 percent what Lily's gas mileage is, though. She had a full tank as of March 7, which holds 8 gallons of gas, and she was still on just less than half a tank now. She said the smart cars are designed to yield 50 to 55 miles per gallon during highway driving.