With fluctuating fuel prices, the lagging economy and environmental concerns, interest is surging in the tiny Smart Car.Just ask Shawn Clarke of Removal Specialists in Lynn. The company has a fleet of work trucks, but co-owners Clarke and Douglas Gallant have turned to Smart Cars for their management work.?It?s cute to drive around in,” he said. “And the gas savings are really good.”In a typical workday, which involves driving around from site to site, it wasn?t uncommon just several months ago when gasoline hovered around $4 per gallon for Clarke to spend more than $90 per day on fuel for his pick-up truck.Using one his Smart Car – and with fuel plummeting below $2 per gallon – Clarke says he now spends less than $10 per day on fuel for his vehicle.And the Smart Cars, each with the company logo, are head turners, he said, drawing plenty of attention to the business.?I had no idea how much publicity we would get,” he said. “Our Web site went from 25 hits a week to 250 plus. We never even had a job e-mailed to us until we got the Smart Cars.”Mark Hoch, the general manager of Smart Center Lynnfield, said he?s never before seen a car have such a great affect on the community and its drivers.?People are so enthusiastic about the brand,” he said. “It?s the funnest franchise I?ve ever been associated with.”Hoch said people from all walks pour into his dealership on Route 1 North to inquire about the oh-so-small car. He said his customers range from people in their 60s and 70s to first-time drivers.?People say, ?it?s just what I need,?” said Hoch. “Folks on a farm in Maine and folks in the city are both buying it, but for two totally different reasons.”The Smart Car was the brainchild of the Nicolas Hayek, founder of Swatch watches. Mercedes Benz quickly came into the picture to design a fuel efficient, eco-friendly, safe, commuter car complete with the technological power and customer service that comes with the European brand.The car features an 8.6-gallon gas tank and averages 40 mpg in the city and 50 mpg on the highway. It?s constructed in a 100 percent “green” factory that uses rainwater, recycles wastewater, and takes heat generated from one of their machines and circulates it throughout the building. According to Gilbert Otero, brand manager, it creates a carbon footprint of about 350 people, compared to the 4,000 who are employed.?That?s how clean their plant is,” he said.Despite what color it is on the outside, the Smart Car is truly green on the inside. According to Hoch, 95 percent of the car is made of recyclable materials.?It?s probably the most environmentally friendly car that?s made,” said Rob Giacilone, brand specialist.And at an average cost of $12,000, it?s the most affordable “green” car on the market.One customer at the Lynnfield location turned in his large pick-up truck for his first-ever Smart Car just last week.?I wanted to look bigger, so I bought a little car,” quipped Chase Wilke, 26, of Wakefield. “I?ve been dying to get it. The gas thing is a definite plus.”Perhaps Wilke will be the next to join the throngs of people blogging about their Smart Car experiences on various Web sites across the globe.?It?s not a cult,” said Dave Mayall, president of the Smart Cars of Massachusetts Chapter. “I don?t know what to call it, but it?s more of a tight group than that.”Mayall organizes trips and events for local Smart owners to express and share their pride, which they have plenty of, he said.?It?s a blast,” he said. “We just have a good time. We get to talk about our cars, the gas mileage, how they are in the snow, the best places to get service done.”Mayall, who stands tall at 6 feet, says he absolutely loves his “comfortable” car.?It?s remarkable,” he said. “I?ve had Ferraris, I?ve had Corvettes, and this car is just an absolute blast. Everyone?s thrilled with their cars. I can?t pinpoint exactly what it is. People just see you and they smile. It makes you smile.”There is one downside of the car, Mayall admits,