Posted on 12/04/2007 1:36:45 PM PST by Red Badger
German car maker Daimler said Tuesday that next month's launch of its tiny Smart car in the United States will unleash such stiff demand the company will have trouble meeting it.
We will not be able to meet demand thus far" for 2008, Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche said here at a news briefing.
More than 30,000 US customers have put down 99-dollar deposits to reserve one of the fuel-saving, two-seat Smart Fortwo, which will begin arriving in the massive US market in January, he said.
"Down payments are going far beyond the production capacity we have," the chairman said, without providing a sales forecast for the US market.
Many analysts question the ability of the super-small Smart, which measures a mere 2.5 meters (eight feet) in length, to succeed in the country of hulking gasoline-guzzling vehicles.
"Times have changed," Zetsche said, pointing to growing concerns of American consumers about global warming.
The Smart Fortwo will be marketed via 70 dealerships in the leading US cities, the company said.
In its most basic version, the micro car will sell for 11,590 dollars, excluding tax. The company said that a Smart equipped with all the options was expected to cost some 20,000 dollars, including tax.
"We are not looking for customers looking for the cheapest vehicle," Zetsche said.
Daimler clearly signaled it was aiming to emulate Apple's success with electronics gadgets in the US market.
"Like owning an Apple i-Mac, i-Pod or i-Phone, Smart documents the open-minded attitude of the 'thought leaders,' who choose innovative solutions as an existential part of their everyday lives," the company said in a press brochure.
It should sell great until the body count gets too high.
For $20K, you can get a real car.
I always heard that these tiny euro-carts couldn’t be imported because they couldn’t pass the safety tests.
Idiotic, yes its small and can park places others can't but its gas mileage for the size is nothing spectacular at all 40 MPG averaged between city and highway. I was doing near that in my 1991 VW Fox GL.. TDI's are getting that today, and have been for years... and these are real cars!
If you are willing to pay 11k to 20k for a glorified golf cart, more power to you.
A bit fancier looking version of the “Urkel Mobile” from Family Matters.
"For me to poop on!"
I prefer vehicles that are larger than me.
I think I remember reading they get 40 mpg while a 4 seat Honda econobox gets 36. It’s not dramatically better than what’s already out there but it will sell to those who want to make a statement ala the Pious.
40 mpg! No, that isn’t worth it at all - a lot higher than all the hoopla about better gas mileage makes it out to be. You’d actually be using up more gas if people drove these things when you take a group of friends or family out because you’d have no choice but to have multiple cars.
Bitchin’ Camaro 1
Smart Car 0
—nothing spectacular at all 40 MPG —
I thought it was 60?
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2004/11/22/285971.html
Quick, someone start a webpage for the Smart car wrecks.
A car is maybe smart, but the owners who want to drive them on American highways obviously are not.
They would be useful in crowded urban environments. I would hesitate to take one out on the freeway.
No true. That genius was Juergen Schrempp, who was booted as chairman for his efforts.
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