Here’s a recall you don’t see terribly often: Smart USA is recalling a handful of 2008 ForTwos because a batch of defective apaint may lead to the roof or the windshield flying off.

The recall only affects 43 units, and the bizarre nature of the paint problem points to the car’s unique construction methods. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the faulty paint was applied to the Smart’s chassis and Tridion safety cell framework. Apparently, the paint is a delaminating risk, and if the paint comes apart near the portion where the windshield and roof are adhesive-mounted, they could separate from the rest of the car. According to NHTSA, "This could cause a crash if the roof or windshield separated from the vehicle while in motion.”

Yikes. Owners of the affected ForTwos can look forward to having their Smarts repainted at dealers.

+ NHTSA

Executives from Indian automaker Tata have said that they will bring the Nano microcar to Europe, only if the car can achieve the highest possible safety rating.

Tata’s director of the Nano program, Girish Wagh, said, “We will only bring the Nano to Europe if it achieves a four-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test.

Tesla Motors has decided to dispel the falsifications surrounding the release of its Roadster. Tesla vice president of sales, marketing, and service (and Winding Road reader) Darryl Siry has started a “Mythbusters

Ethanol, as you would expect, has come under fire lately. And, apparently, fire is one of its major problems.

Member of the National Federation of the Blind will testify on Tuesday in front of a Maryland legislative committee about the danger hybrid vehicles pose to the blind.

Here in Shanghai, the smog situation doesn’t feel quite as dire as we were led to believe, though there are definitely a large number of vehicles that are in less-than-optimal tune, shall we say.