Musing on Major Merit of Miniature Smart ForTwo (the Vehicle Formerly Known as SmartCar)

The Smart ForTwo license plate says it all. FULL STOP. Photo by Tamara Beck.

BY TAMARA BECK

IT’S a small reminder from our little Upper East Side neighborhood that halfway around the world the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference recently shuttered.

Literally small. Compact automobiles like Daimler AG’s Smart ForTwo are an asset in the city.

I know we can attribute their role as energy-savers to their diminutive size. But their maneuverability is an asset most rare.

The Smart ForTwo is the envy of the road on the parking-challenged streets of Manhattan. Photo by Tamara Beck.

One of them sports the aptly-named license plate, PARKABLE, which advertises what is to New Yorkers its most valuable attribute.

Space is what we crave. And parking spaces are much prized. We envy those who can squeeze in between the hydrant and bus stop.

Let’s face it, both PARKABLE and the other fellow can slip into spaces your SUV can only admire (and understandably envy) from its spot in the garage.

Visit https://sidewalksuperblog.wordpress.com/ to read more observations from The Wright Wreport Theater and Dance Editor Tamara Beck.

Holiday Gift Guide 2018: Coach Door Edition From Lincoln Won’t Fit Under Tree, But This Stocking-Stuffer Won’t Be Returned for Another Size

Echoing the '60s Continentals: 17+ feet of luxe highlighted by easy-in/easy-out doors. Photos from Lincoln Continental.

HEADS UP: Dear reader don’t fret / We didn’t forget / You don’t have a clue / Thankfully we do … Until 24 Dec., the elves at The Wright Wreport will introduce at least one or a series of products, items and brands that we believe are worthy of consideration as holiday gift(s).

BY JOEL LEVIN

GRANDEUR, uniqueness and exceptional build quality highlight this custom-bodied Lincoln Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition.

This tribute to the iconic Continental of the early ‘60s, with its pioneering center-opening doors and elegant unadorned-slab side panels, is the very definition of exclusive and distinguished. Just introduced on 17 Dec., it can be yours now for summer delivery. Place your order(s) now.

Full-length console with personal controls forms indulgent backbone of first-class cabin.

Allow me to expound on its qualities:
Grandeur – acres of leather, 19-speaker audio, a huge twin-panel moonroof, seats that adjust 30 ways and Black Label trim in a variety of leather liveries and woods.

Practicality – A 400-horsepower, V-6 and secure all-wheel-drive will transport you quietly and securely over the river and through the icy woods to grandmother’s or to Brooklyn. Or wherever you are going.



Distinctive rear-hinged back doors open a full 90 degrees for graceful exits.

The distinction factor – Only 80 will be built for the 2019 model year. The one you order will be adorned by an individually numbered engraved mini-plaque set into a door sill.

For those who prefer to buy American, be assured that the Coach Edition is a thoroughbred. Its special chassis was constructed in Michigan. Body-lengthening and extensive handmade touches were completed in Massachusetts by a custom builder.


Custom bodywork and commodious rear compartment explain the name "Coach."

Not for Scrooges – A sticker price of above $100,000. That is more than 30 grand beyond the progenitor model with its conventional doors. But consider the value of being able to gracefully enter and exit the rear seat wearing a long gown or tight skirt. That rear compartment seats only two because of a huge snazzy console, but the automobile has the largest legroom of any sedan in its class.

To get this type of accommodation and rear-hinged back doors elsewhere would require an upgrade to a Rolls Royce. And a sticker price starting at three times the price of the new Continental!

The Continental Coach wears gleaming, tasteful jewelry in grille and lighting.

Bonus: You can keep your hands clean because ownership of the Coach Edition includes lifetime free car washes and interior detailing.

Visit https://www.lincoln.com/luxury-cars/continental/coach-edition/ to learn more about the Lincoln Continental 80th Anniversary Coach Door Edition.