Wikipedia...
"The car cigarette lighter socket or car adapter that most automobile drivers and passengers are familiar with is properly called a cigar lighter receptacle, since it was originally designed as a lighter for cigars — hence its large size and unheated center that makes it less than ideal to light a cigarette."

Actually, they do light a cigar quite well. It evenly "toasts" the foot before it lights. I believe that both Bonnie and Clyde used their lighter quite often.