Europe has always been blessed with decent-looking, super-economical vehicles. That’s largely due to gas prices that make ours look like a joke, and a serious commitment from governments to curb emissions. While we’ve been rolling along in cars and trucks big enough to house two small families, our European cousins have been jetting around in cool-as-can-be rides like the Ford Ka. The 2009 variant Ford unveiled at the Paris Motor Show shares blood with the nifty Fiat 500—which means a capable 1.4-liter four cylinder complete with gas mileage of the gods. It’s true that this little ride can seat you and a brief case, but on the ride to and from work, what more do you need?

Ford CEO Alan Mulallay recently mentioned that the company is considering bringing the car to the U.S. (it’s currently a Euro-only piece), thanks largely to climbing gas prices. You can bet your pennies that this little ride would hit the check book far lower than the Focus’s $16,000, making it a win in all corners. [Autoblog]