'Smart Car' Coming To U.S.

Smart, United Auto Reach Deal To Bring Smart Fortwo To United States By 2008

(AP)  Smart GmbH and United Auto Group Inc. said Thursday they will bring the two-seat smart fortwo to the United States in early 2008.

Boeblingen-based Smart, part of DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes Car Group, said President Ulrich Walker had signed a general distributor agreement with United Auto Chairman Roger Penske on Wednesday.

"This is absolutely the right car in the right place at the right time. It embodies the unique combination of a lifestyle and design-oriented vehicle that is ecologically appealing," Walker said. "Smart is uniquely designed, offers the lowest cost of ownership and is very fun to drive."

The agreement outlines all aspects of the model's sale in the United States, including sales, service and the initial launch.

The first dealerships to carry the car are expected to be announced in the second half of 2007, with the car available to buyers during the first quarter of 2008.

United Auto will be responsible for picking potential dealers and developing and maintaining the vehicle dealership network throughout the United States. It will focus mainly on highly populated areas and have 30 to 50 dealerships.

Smart launched the fortwo in Canada in 2004, and last year it sold about 4,000 models there, or twice what it had initially forecast.

Last year, Smart sold 143,000 cars worldwide, a small increase from the 139,000 it sold in 2004. It produced 124,300 cars in the same period, down from 152,100 the previous year.

Earlier this year, DaimlerChrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said that high gas prices, congested roadways and the constant search for parking made the fortwo an ideal car for U.S. buyers, particularly in urban areas.

The fortwo's three-cylinder, 700cc engine has significantly lower emissions than other cars and gets an average of 40 miles per gallon in combined city-highway driving and will sell for less than $15,000.

Other automakers also have begun selling small, sporty small cars, including Toyota Motor Corp., which has the Yaris, and Honda Motor Co., which sells the Fit.

DaimlerChrysler has spent nearly $1.2 billion on restructuring Smart, cut 300 of the 750 jobs at the unit's headquarters and ended production of its larger, four-seater forfour model.

[shane2469137]

I wonder how one of these rollerskates would hold up to my Ford F-350 in a wreck.

[siddin-2009]

I could almost garuntee you that at the speeds most people drive in the US today, this would be like a tin can running into a ton of steel....

[sculler1956]

shane2469137....perhaps that's a good reason for you to keep your foot OUT of the gas...and your mind thinking about a solution, not continuing to contribute to the problem.

[mbathalon]

The SmartCar will be popular in the US. I'd like to get one right now. They seem a little steep given that most SmartCars will retail for the mid-twenties. 10k would be a much more appealing price point.

[spearkfreely]

actually, these cars are over-designed to protect the passenger area in case of a crash to prove to people that they are safe to drive. I've seen tests where they crash the cars at hight rate of speed into a concrete wall and you are still able to open the driver door. google the video if you want to see it for yourself.

[arron102385]

I am wondering, does this car come with a warranty? Also how will insurance companies deal with the safety of this vehicle? Also if no warranty is purchased with the vehicle, can a normal mechanic repair this vehicle? And what is the average maintenance cost per year of this vehicle?

[grimlox]

Isn't that the car Urkel had in "Family Matters"?

[jhindson1]

We have many of them here (Canada West Coast).
They are cute but expensive.

One is much better better off for safety, power, comfort, resale value and yes - even fuel economy with an Echo, Yaris, Sentra or other Asian compact.

[newsthought1]

That's not a car, it's a stepstool with wheels. Parking would be easy. I hope that someday most cars in the U.S. are light and efficient. But how do we get to that utopia? You'll need a lot of risk takers first. Smack this car with an SUV and you'll golf it to the moon.

[beckstersc]

We own one of these cars here in Germany. It is a great car. Great on gas! We don't see any accidents with the car here on the fast roads and autobahns here in Germany. We are moving back to the states and will be one of the first to get one in 2008!

[glidescube]

Is it a 4 wheel motorcycle?

[beacheshuman]

SUVs are a bunch of hooey. First, most buyers and drivers never think about using them for their intended sport ability, second, their utility is limited to groceries and soccer equipment, and third, the people who drive these vehicles feel protected while they yacket-jaw on their blasted cell phones at 70mph in traffic. If our do nothing government was serious about oil consumption, they would slap a nuisance tax on SUVs and use the revenues to generate a tax and license rebate for citizens to buy very fuel efficient or flex fuel or hybrid vehicles.

[cc2010]

Laughs they never stop at finding ways to clean out your wallet.I saw one up close and if life is not that important to you buy one if you don't relish the thought of ending up like Harry Chapman don't buy one.I am a auto mechanic old school and there have been cars like it come and go the Mini was the best of the bunch but i have never heard of anybody surviving a bad crash in a Mini either.Look pay a little more for gas and when the drunk runs into you get out and beat the hell out of him for scratching your paint.Give me a 1 1/2 ton 55 Chev with a big block and lots of road and i will work for the gas and enjoy my stinking cigar too.

[cc2010]

I didnt mean that (laughs)

[tawabill]

This deal was first announced in June. The Penske Group is the U.S. distributor for the Smart a decision that was reached after deciding selling the Smart through Mercedes-Benz USA. (Smart was once a completely independent brand within DaimlerChrysler but, as mentioned in the article, is now part of Mercedes-Benz Car Group.)

The cars will come with a factory warranty and Penske will be responible for training service technicians and maintaining parts inventories at the designated dealerships.

The Tridion safety system is very effective at protecting vehicle occupants.

It's a real pity is that we won't be getting the Smart Roadster or Roadster Coupe. These were tiny sports cars that were reportedly a lot of fun to drive, much like the old MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite. However, both of the sporty Smarts were discontinued due to poor sales and were never certified for the U.S. market.

What's ironic is that it was always intended for the Smart to be sold in the U.S. Initially, it was thought the Smart would be introduced to the North American market about two years after the European rollout. By the time the Smart Fortwo appears in the U.S., it will have taken an extra eight years for the little car to make the journey.

[rf35]

sculler1956...at least since shane2469137 has a Ford, we won't have to worry about him being on the road very often. It'll spend most of its time in a mechanic's garage.
I think it's high time for one of these cars in the US. Similar vehicles all over Japan and have a very good record form what I could tell.

[thecoolmacdu]

Ooh!!! "Small", sporty "small" cars. Double the emphasis...nice!

[thecoolmacdu]

Ooh!!! "Small", sporty "small" cars. Double the emphasis...nice!

[TCLawrence56]

Good idea, bad implementation. I am 6'7" tall and this looks like another example of the auto maker's "short" sighted design. I also would hate to be hit in one of those.

[konajessica]

Smart Cars are already here and available for sale. You can buy them at The Green Car Company in Kirkland, WA. (www.greencarco.com) I bought my Smart Car from them in March of this year. I have had a blast driving my car around and getting attention wherever I go. They also have a service department that knows the car top and bottom. Mercedes keeps saying that they are bringing the car here and the date keeps changing. I did not want to wait around and possibly never get one. Life is too short. I am driving the Smart car that I have wanted for years today!

[twispy]

I'm going to buy one. It's a perfect city car. And I will drive my aging, but-snow-capable Tahoe between condo and cabin. Smart.

[twispy]

I'm going to buy one. It's a perfect city car. And I will drive my aging, but-snow-capable Tahoe between condo and cabin. Smart.

[frankbowers]

I wonder if the have A/C here in TEXAS it would be worthless with out one. Frank Austin, TX