You’ve probably never heard of the Rio de Janeiro-based company called Obvio!, but it is quietly making inroads into
selling its two mini cars, the $14,000 828/02 (shown) and the $28,000 012, in the U.S. by late 2006. Both cars are RWD
and have mid-mounted four-cylinder Tritec Motors that the company will make available in 170- and 250-hp versions.
Despite the lack of such common equipment as, umm… bumpers, Obvio! claims both cars will meet U.S. safety standards
when they go on sale in California in late 2006. A CVT transmission, nav system and dashboard-integrated
Boblbee backpack are standard.
All right, I got through that without laughing. Visit Obvio?s website to
learn more about the history of the company and additional specs on the two cars it plans to import. However, be
warned: the website does not exactly inspire confidence and lends legitimacy to your inevitable conclusion that this
must be a joke. I?ll leave you with a quote from the site: ?the chassis doesn?t have no midle hump?.