RHINELANDER - With the price of gas setting record highs just about every day some folks in the Northwoods are turning to alternative means of transportation.

Almost a decade ago Robert and Mary Weir of Rhinelander got a glimpse of the future. Robert says, "Approximately 8-to-10 years ago we were sitting in Belgium...the country and my wife saw this vehicle go by and she said "hey there goes a half of car."



The car Mary saw was the Smart Car by Mercedes Benz. Mary Weir says, " I said someday if they ever come to America I really would like one it looks like a neat car."

Recently the Weirs celebrated their 47th wedding anniversary. At about the same time they found out the Smart Car would finally be for sale in the U.S. Mary says, "Well he surprised me as a wedding anniversary gift. I didn't know about until February." Robert says, "State sales tax, license the whole nine yards was just a hair over twenty."

For that 20-thousand dollars here's what the Weir's got. Leather interior, a one liter engine with about 70 horses under the hood and forty miles to the gallon on the highway. Oh, and it can go pretty fast. Robert says, "It goes very well. She'll do 90. I haven't done that."

So far the car hasn't given them any problems.
Mary says, "I can't think of any right off hand. Except our dog won't fit."

And the car is a great conversation starter.
Mary says, "They want to know everything we can possibly tell them. Anything about it."

Track: So if you see Mary and Robert cruising don't hesitate to ask them about their Smart Car. The only problem is you might have to catch them first.

Robert and Mary say the cars started being sold in the U.S. in February. When they got theirs there were only five on the road in the entire state.