I wrote them an email- that is a terrible bilboard
I don't know, first I was angry, but then I actually looked at that car...and I don't think we want to take any credit for the piece of crap.
I used to do some work for them on the Dodge Ram pickup. The running joke around the plant after Daimler stepped in was "How do you pronounce Daimler-Chrysler?"
Answer was "Daimler" the Chrysler is silent.
Ugh...what an ugly car!
Smart Roadster
Review from daniel2010 about Smart Car, 10.01.05
Author's product rating
Advantages Good fuel economy, Sounds Great, Makes the next car you buy seem so much better Disadvantages Very Jerky Gear-Box, A lot of money for what you get, If you are over male and over 30 you look a pratt driving one. (I was 19 when I brought mine)
Summary:
Full review
I brought my Smart Roadster just over a year ago when they first started selling them in the UK. When I first brought my car I though it was the best thing in the world, it was nippy, sounded great, cheap to run, fun to drive and everyone stopped and looked as you drove past.
However it doesn't take long for the little things to start to annoy you such as the very jerky gearbox, the fact that it is so low that when driving in the day the only thing you can see in front of you is the car in front's number plate and when you drive at night you not only get blinded by the headlights of the cars coming towards you, if you get even a normal car behind you the headlights shine through the rear window and reflect in the wing-mirrors so you are nearly driving blind.
Storage is another annoying factor, if you dare put anything in the boot behind you, as soon as you have to brake all the contents of the boot end up in the front of the car on your lap. As for the storage in the front of the car good luck if you can find room for more that one cd without having to throw it on the floor to get scratched.
It is cheap to run untill you have to pay £185.00 to get it serviced every 8000 miles and the money you have saved on petrol soon goes.
As I said I have had this car just over a year and I have decided to part exchange it for a New MINI Cooper Convertible, a much nicer car with a proper gear-box and much better storage space.
So overall if you change your car every 6 months buy one, if you plan to keep your next car longer than a year buy something else.
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk/transport-automobile-services/smart-car/1002995/
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German propaganda
Swiss Ego
No sale to America
It looks like they dipped it in urine. What's it called, "Pi** Chrysler"?
There's a point beyond which you're really better off on a motorcycle, and this thing is beyond that point. Aside from that, it's ugly enough that parking one on the curb will likely reduce property values within a three block radius.
Looks just like the Combi pictured in my German textbook circa 1969 (and this isn't a 1970 model- it's a current Opel).
Reply on complaint to Daimler....................
Dear Sir / Madame,
Thanks for your e-mail and advice on our recent local (only South Africa) advertising billboard.
Please let us clarify that the message on this billboard refers to the characteristics of vehicles manufactured in various countries. American vehicles are famous for being large in size and as a result are not recognized as very fuel efficient. These characteristics are in no way insulting to American vehicles but are regarded as a general perception of the authentic American vehicle.
smart is a Euro-centric brand and this message aimed to portray the brand image and product characteristics. This billboard was produced by the South African smart organisation and formed part of a local campaign that promotes the smart forfour vehicle features and brand personality.
South Africa hosts a rainbow nation with a melting pot of cultures, races, religious denominations and differences. Its constitution respects each and every individual citizen. As such, the South African smart organisation is also very sensitive to the basic principle of tolerance and understanding and the billboard would never have been permitted to go to production if it was an affront to these principles.
Nevertheless we had to realize that the message on the billboard was not understood and totally misinterpreted. As you might know, we at smart are part of a German-American company and do have customers around the world as well as American employees. Never was it our intention to insult any of these customers, employees or the American public. Therefore please note that we have withdrawn all concerned billboards as soon as the first complains came up and please let us apologize for any confusion or affront caused.
Kindly accept our apologies and take for granted that we will be more careful with our choice of marketing claims in the future.
smart infocenter team