DCX confirms U.S. Smart car launch( UPDATE- Mercedes dealers didn't want Smart )
06-28-06, 10:26 AM
#1
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
DCX confirms U.S. Smart car launch( UPDATE- Mercedes dealers didn't want Smart )
Wed Jun 28, 2006 9:22am ET
FRANKFURT, June 28 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) will launch its two-seat Smart minicar in the United States beginning in 2008, the world's fifth-biggest carmaker confirmed on Wednesday.
It said it had selected UnitedAuto Group (UAG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) as its exclusive distributor for Smart in the world's biggest car market.
Company officials are encouraged that high fuel prices will prompt more Americans to consider buying a small car.
source : reuters
FRANKFURT, June 28 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) will launch its two-seat Smart minicar in the United States beginning in 2008, the world's fifth-biggest carmaker confirmed on Wednesday.
It said it had selected UnitedAuto Group (UAG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) as its exclusive distributor for Smart in the world's biggest car market.
Company officials are encouraged that high fuel prices will prompt more Americans to consider buying a small car.
source : reuters
"Following the success of the Smart ForTwo in our first North American market, Canada, and the increasing demand for affordable and fuel efficient small cars in the U.S.A., we are now bringing this new kind of mobility to U.S. cities," Zetsche said. "The time has never been better for this – and I am convinced that the Smart ForTwo as an innovative, ecological and agile city car will soon become just as familiar a sight on the streets of New York, Miami or Seattle, as it is today in Rome, Berlin or Paris."
Like its predecessor, the Smart ForTwo successor will have all the important features that "make customers feel safer and more comfortable." As part of the Mercedes Car Group, the Smart vehicle will be equipped with unique technology, including the "hard shell" tridion safety cell, ESP and various airbag systems.
UnitedAuto expects to qualify potential dealers using an open process that will focus on their commitment to the brand and strategic locations in key markets with facilities that meet the needs of the brand and the customer. Demonstration of outstanding customer satisfaction metrics will also be a key element to qualify for the franchise. The initial rollout of retail outlets is expected to start in mid-2007, with the official launch of the Smart brand planned to occur later that year. The Smart vehicle is expected to be sold in the U.S. starting in early 2008.
UnitedAuto Chairman Roger Penske remarked, "We are thrilled with the opportunity to represent the Smart brand in the United States and Puerto Rico. Through our international diversification, we’ve seen the benefits the Smart brand provides in Europe. We believe the U.S. market will embrace the Smart vehicle with its exceptional fuel economy, environmentally friendly features, and advantageous price point. We look forward to a successful launch of this vehicle over the next several years."
Like its predecessor, the Smart ForTwo successor will have all the important features that "make customers feel safer and more comfortable." As part of the Mercedes Car Group, the Smart vehicle will be equipped with unique technology, including the "hard shell" tridion safety cell, ESP and various airbag systems.
UnitedAuto expects to qualify potential dealers using an open process that will focus on their commitment to the brand and strategic locations in key markets with facilities that meet the needs of the brand and the customer. Demonstration of outstanding customer satisfaction metrics will also be a key element to qualify for the franchise. The initial rollout of retail outlets is expected to start in mid-2007, with the official launch of the Smart brand planned to occur later that year. The Smart vehicle is expected to be sold in the U.S. starting in early 2008.
UnitedAuto Chairman Roger Penske remarked, "We are thrilled with the opportunity to represent the Smart brand in the United States and Puerto Rico. Through our international diversification, we’ve seen the benefits the Smart brand provides in Europe. We believe the U.S. market will embrace the Smart vehicle with its exceptional fuel economy, environmentally friendly features, and advantageous price point. We look forward to a successful launch of this vehicle over the next several years."
Last edited by Gojirra99; 06-28-06 at 11:14 AM.
06-28-06, 12:52 PM
#4
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen
good luck interacting on the road with SUVs, large sedans, 18 wheelers, merging/passing with 60 hp must be a nightmare
It doesn't weigh a ton so it's still nippy.
06-28-06, 01:03 PM
#5
crash test, no close ups I guess it held up ok, but I wont be convinced without crash testing with a larger vehicle:
http://www.crazycarvids.com/showvideo.php?id=1558
http://www.crazycarvids.com/showvideo.php?id=1558
06-28-06, 01:11 PM
#6
Super Moderator
We have had them in Mexico for several years, first as a gray market then directly available through Mercedes. I having driven all 3 models that were sold down here, they definitely do need filling up hardly ever. I got to drive one for a week when my uncle was painting my RX300. It was one he had bought used (had an accident) and he had fixed up. I worried a little given its size and I thought it would not have the pick up to move on the highway (especially at high altitude in Mexico City). However, being a light vehicle ,this Smart you are going to get in the U.S. definitely can move, is incredibly easy to parallel park (in fact you will think the car is longer than it feels).
It is a little cramped, but it is the only car I can truly say can turn on a dime.
It is a little cramped, but it is the only car I can truly say can turn on a dime.
07-03-06, 02:33 PM
#7
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Is the Smart car smart? Americans are unconvinced
Wed Jun 28, 2006 8:09pm ET
By Abha Bhattarai
NEW YORK (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler AG may face an uphill struggle when it launches its two-seater Smart car in the United States in 2008.
In a quick survey of Americans in New York's Times Square on Wednesday, as many people saw the tiny vehicle as ugly as found it cool and cute. And there were also concerns about safety and the lack of space -- for baggage or people.
While Smart cars have been tooling around European cities for years, the American car market -- still dominated by SUVs and pickup trucks -- is an entirely different matter.
Even in an era of $3 a gallon gasoline and increased concern about the environment, many were still wary.
"It's really ugly," said Liz Viccora, 20, of Long Island, New York. "I like environmentally friendly cars, but this looks like a go-cart or one of those things security guards drive at the mall."
DaimlerChrysler on Wednesday announced plans to launch Smart in the United States at an expected price of not much less than $15,000. That is enough to buy any one of dozens of four- and five-seat vehicles, so it may take some financial incentives to warm Americans to the Smart car.
Barely 8 feet long, it is about half as long as a Toyota Camry. Even the Mini Cooper, a minor hit among U.S. trendsetters in recent years, is 50 percent longer.
While DaimlerChrysler says the new version of the Smart car to be sold in the U.S. market would have more storage space, size remains the key problem for many.
"I have too many kids for something that size," said John Pabft, a 52-year-old with three daughters. "We wouldn't be able to fit anything."
But the car's polarizing design attracts some supporters.
"They're futuristic, and that's what's cool," said Junior McNeill, 37, who first saw the cars in this summer's hit film "The Da Vinci Code." "They look like modern-day buggies."
Isaac Logan, 19, said: "It's small and it's cute. It would definitely get attention on the street."
Some saw a Smart as an alternative for quick errands.
"It would be a second car I would use mainly for grocery shopping and short trips around town," said Zubin Furtado, 30, of Jersey City, New Jersey.
TOUGH SELL?
And while some drivers say a Smart would be easier to maneuver in cities where traffic is heavy and street parking scarce, parking would not necessarily cost any less.
"There's no incentive for those cars. Everyone pays the same rate," said Craig Chin, a spokesman for New York City's Department of Transportation.
There's one other big issue.
Even if the Smart wins a federal government seal of approval for safety, some Americans fear it would be no match for a Hummer or an 18-wheeled semi in a crash.
"You'd have to keep your will in the glove compartment," said Keith Wagner, 37, of New York City. "If you got hit by an SUV or a truck, it looks like you'd be dead."
source : reuters
By Abha Bhattarai
NEW YORK (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler AG may face an uphill struggle when it launches its two-seater Smart car in the United States in 2008.
In a quick survey of Americans in New York's Times Square on Wednesday, as many people saw the tiny vehicle as ugly as found it cool and cute. And there were also concerns about safety and the lack of space -- for baggage or people.
While Smart cars have been tooling around European cities for years, the American car market -- still dominated by SUVs and pickup trucks -- is an entirely different matter.
Even in an era of $3 a gallon gasoline and increased concern about the environment, many were still wary.
"It's really ugly," said Liz Viccora, 20, of Long Island, New York. "I like environmentally friendly cars, but this looks like a go-cart or one of those things security guards drive at the mall."
DaimlerChrysler on Wednesday announced plans to launch Smart in the United States at an expected price of not much less than $15,000. That is enough to buy any one of dozens of four- and five-seat vehicles, so it may take some financial incentives to warm Americans to the Smart car.
Barely 8 feet long, it is about half as long as a Toyota Camry. Even the Mini Cooper, a minor hit among U.S. trendsetters in recent years, is 50 percent longer.
While DaimlerChrysler says the new version of the Smart car to be sold in the U.S. market would have more storage space, size remains the key problem for many.
"I have too many kids for something that size," said John Pabft, a 52-year-old with three daughters. "We wouldn't be able to fit anything."
But the car's polarizing design attracts some supporters.
"They're futuristic, and that's what's cool," said Junior McNeill, 37, who first saw the cars in this summer's hit film "The Da Vinci Code." "They look like modern-day buggies."
Isaac Logan, 19, said: "It's small and it's cute. It would definitely get attention on the street."
Some saw a Smart as an alternative for quick errands.
"It would be a second car I would use mainly for grocery shopping and short trips around town," said Zubin Furtado, 30, of Jersey City, New Jersey.
TOUGH SELL?
And while some drivers say a Smart would be easier to maneuver in cities where traffic is heavy and street parking scarce, parking would not necessarily cost any less.
"There's no incentive for those cars. Everyone pays the same rate," said Craig Chin, a spokesman for New York City's Department of Transportation.
There's one other big issue.
Even if the Smart wins a federal government seal of approval for safety, some Americans fear it would be no match for a Hummer or an 18-wheeled semi in a crash.
"You'd have to keep your will in the glove compartment," said Keith Wagner, 37, of New York City. "If you got hit by an SUV or a truck, it looks like you'd be dead."
source : reuters
Trending Topics
07-03-06, 10:22 PM
#10
Lexus Champion
This car is only going to sell in metropolitan areas where parking is limited and driving is mostly city driving. It will probably do well in San Francisco. Maybe some college towns. I think that's about
it.
For $15K, most people would get a much more functional Fit, Scion, or Yaris. It's great they are
bringing the Fit over, but it's not going to be a big hit like the Mini.
it.
For $15K, most people would get a much more functional Fit, Scion, or Yaris. It's great they are
bringing the Fit over, but it's not going to be a big hit like the Mini.
07-04-06, 12:08 AM
#11
Originally Posted by bruce van
This car is only going to sell in metropolitan areas where parking is limited and driving is mostly city driving. It will probably do well in San Francisco. Maybe some college towns. I think that's about
it.
For $15K, most people would get a much more functional Fit, Scion, or Yaris. It's great they are
bringing the Fit over, but it's not going to be a big hit like the Mini.
it.
For $15K, most people would get a much more functional Fit, Scion, or Yaris. It's great they are
bringing the Fit over, but it's not going to be a big hit like the Mini.
07-04-06, 05:57 AM
#13
Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX
Going to fail miserably. That is TOO small for America. Do they not do any research?
Smart might suceed in US though, since it can be 3rd or 4th car in the family. In Europe, Smart is failing simply because it is too small to be usable. And Europeans dont have 3-4 cars per household like US, so every car has to be a bit useful at least.
07-18-06, 05:45 PM
#14
Super Moderator
Thread Starter
Mercedes dealers didn't want Smart
Group thought brand would hurt the luxury image of Mercedes
By DIANA T. KURYLKO | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 07/18/06, 9:17 am et
NEW YORK -- Mercedes-Benz dealers urged DaimlerChrysler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche not to launch the Smart micro-car brand in the United States, says Doug Callahan, chairman of the luxury brand's dealer council.
"We asked them not to bring it to the United States because we did not think it was commensurate with the Mercedes-Benz image," says Callahan, owner of Helms Bros. Inc. He has Mercedes-Benz stores in Bayside, N.Y., and New London, Conn.
Dealers also told Zetsche that if DaimlerChrysler, Smart's parent company, chose to launch Smart here, franchises "should be offered to all the Mercedes-Benz dealers and let the dealers make the decision," Callahan says.
But Zetsche went ahead with a plan to bring the tiny Smart ForTwo hatchback to the United States using Roger Penske's UnitedAuto Group Inc. as an independent distributor. Former Mercedes executive Dave Schembri will head Smart USA.
Schembri says UnitedAuto stores will be "given preference" when selecting the 30 to 50 stores to sell Smart, with other DaimlerChrysler dealers receiving consideration. He said last week that UnitedAuto has been deluged with requests for Smart franchises.
Showdown in Stuttgart
During a June luncheon at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, members of the dealer council's board told Zetsche they didn't want Smart in the United States. Paul Halata, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, was also there but did not comment on the dealer stand, says Callahan. This was the dealer group's first formal meeting with Zetsche.
The board had voted on Smart before going to Germany because "there was some talk about a third party handling Smart for months," says Callahan. Dealers did not know UnitedAuto was given the distribution rights until the June 28 announcement, he says.
Zetsche told dealers that no decision had been made about Smart but that DaimlerChrysler was "leaning toward a third-party distributor," says Callahan.
Since the announcement, Callahan and the board informally polled dealers and found reaction to UnitedAuto's getting Smart "split about 50-50." They realize the decision is final, he says.
Sales start in '08
The ForTwo goes on sale in the United States in 2008. Schembri, who is launching the brand for publicly held UnitedAuto, would not give a timetable for choosing dealers.
UnitedAuto has 296 franchises representing 40 brands, but only seven sell Mercedes-Benz.
Two years ago, DaimlerChrysler was setting up a network of about 80 Mercedes-Benz dealers to sell the brand beginning this September. But in early 2005, former Mercedes-Benz Car Group CEO Eckhard Cordes pulled the plug on Smart's coming to the United States.
Schembri, then at Mercedes, was preparing to select which dealers would sell the cars.
Smart starts
UnitedAuto Group will pick 30-50 dealers to sell Smart minicars. Preference will be made in this order.
1. UnitedAuto dealerships
2. DaimlerChrysler dealers
3. Other dealers
By DIANA T. KURYLKO | AUTOMOTIVE NEWS
AutoWeek | Published 07/18/06, 9:17 am et
NEW YORK -- Mercedes-Benz dealers urged DaimlerChrysler AG CEO Dieter Zetsche not to launch the Smart micro-car brand in the United States, says Doug Callahan, chairman of the luxury brand's dealer council.
"We asked them not to bring it to the United States because we did not think it was commensurate with the Mercedes-Benz image," says Callahan, owner of Helms Bros. Inc. He has Mercedes-Benz stores in Bayside, N.Y., and New London, Conn.
Dealers also told Zetsche that if DaimlerChrysler, Smart's parent company, chose to launch Smart here, franchises "should be offered to all the Mercedes-Benz dealers and let the dealers make the decision," Callahan says.
But Zetsche went ahead with a plan to bring the tiny Smart ForTwo hatchback to the United States using Roger Penske's UnitedAuto Group Inc. as an independent distributor. Former Mercedes executive Dave Schembri will head Smart USA.
Schembri says UnitedAuto stores will be "given preference" when selecting the 30 to 50 stores to sell Smart, with other DaimlerChrysler dealers receiving consideration. He said last week that UnitedAuto has been deluged with requests for Smart franchises.
Showdown in Stuttgart
During a June luncheon at the Mercedes-Benz museum in Stuttgart, members of the dealer council's board told Zetsche they didn't want Smart in the United States. Paul Halata, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, was also there but did not comment on the dealer stand, says Callahan. This was the dealer group's first formal meeting with Zetsche.
The board had voted on Smart before going to Germany because "there was some talk about a third party handling Smart for months," says Callahan. Dealers did not know UnitedAuto was given the distribution rights until the June 28 announcement, he says.
Zetsche told dealers that no decision had been made about Smart but that DaimlerChrysler was "leaning toward a third-party distributor," says Callahan.
Since the announcement, Callahan and the board informally polled dealers and found reaction to UnitedAuto's getting Smart "split about 50-50." They realize the decision is final, he says.
Sales start in '08
The ForTwo goes on sale in the United States in 2008. Schembri, who is launching the brand for publicly held UnitedAuto, would not give a timetable for choosing dealers.
UnitedAuto has 296 franchises representing 40 brands, but only seven sell Mercedes-Benz.
Two years ago, DaimlerChrysler was setting up a network of about 80 Mercedes-Benz dealers to sell the brand beginning this September. But in early 2005, former Mercedes-Benz Car Group CEO Eckhard Cordes pulled the plug on Smart's coming to the United States.
Schembri, then at Mercedes, was preparing to select which dealers would sell the cars.
Smart starts
UnitedAuto Group will pick 30-50 dealers to sell Smart minicars. Preference will be made in this order.
1. UnitedAuto dealerships
2. DaimlerChrysler dealers
3. Other dealers
