Have a Mini Vacation or Smaller

Remember the movie called The Italian Job? I'm talking about the 1969 version with the cool Austin Mini Coopers hauling away the loot. Inspired by the movie, italianjob.com offers you a chance to drive a Mini rally-style across Italy to Great Britain---all for charity rather than personal gain, of course. Dates are October 28th to November 6th. You'll have to get your hands on a Mini; you can reserve an authentically striped one at Mini Rentals Ltd.

And if you'd like something smaller and more sedate (smaller? did he say smaller than a MINI?!) you can now get one of those itsy-bitsy Smart Cars from DaimlerChrysler through European budget rental company Sixti. Sixty miles per gallon for five bucks a day. Cool, but read the fine print. There are additional charges and conditions to consider. Still, prices aren't bad if you're looking to save bucks on your Europe travel. By the way, a US Smart Car model is expected by 2006.