Automobile Design

One of Megan McArdle's commenters offers some thoughts on automobile design, costs, safety factors, and fuel efficiency.  He points out that engineers do have to live within the laws of physics.

We have experimental data here: the Smart Car.

Here was a car that was large enough for two people, or one person and a fair amount of groceries. It was driveable, if just, at highway speeds.

And it got relatively horrible mileage because physics is physics.

The Honda Fit seats four and has room - even with 4 people in it - for some decent cargo. Yet it gets much better mileage than the Smart, and is generally considered more fun to drive.

 He concludes by observing that eventually all the fun things will be illegal courtesy of Orwellian government.  Of course, making fun things illegal does nothing to ensure that they won't be enjoyed nonetheless.