Cars sold in the EU have gained over 200 kilograms on average, a third of an original Fiat 500. They've grown taller, wider, and longer while legally carrying no more passengers. And sports utility vehicles, hunks of automotive manhood tailor-made for the American planes, increasingly wool cityscapes from Helsinki to Athens. But why was there such a difference across the Atlantic with cars in the first place? Europe's cramped cars were a feature of its history, geography, and economics. America was all too happy to remodel cities and suburbs to accommodate ruby Chevrolet's. But Europe was stuck with its medieval streets and built its cars to find their way.