SmartCar - Owners and Enthusiasts of Smart Cars

Smart Selects BBDO for U.S. Launch

Smartcar Owner — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 04:56:00 +0000

NEW YORK After postponing the U.S. launch of the Smart car and scuttling a review in the middle of last year, DaimlerChrysler has selected BBDO to handle the brand in the U.S. without a review and is in final contract negotiations with the agency, sources said. The Smart nameplate is on schedule to hit the domestic market in 2008, according to its Web site, www.usa.smart.com.
During last year's review in which shops such as DeVito/Verdi and StrawberryFrog, both New York, and San Francisco-based Venables, Bell & Partners made it to the finals, the client had a projected media spend of $20 million to introduce the brand [Adweek, April 4, 2005]. The Smart brand win expands the Omnicom Group agency's relationship with DaimlerChrysler. Its Detroit office handles the Dodge brand and last month, its Paris office, CLM/BBDO, was awarded global creative duties on the introduction of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz C-Class, sources said. Estimated media spending on that brand is $40-50 million, per sources. BBDO West also handles the estimated $235 million Mitsubishi U.S. account, which it won in March 2005 after a review. At the time, DaimlerChrysler owned a 12 percent stake in Mitsubishi, and Dave Schembri was evp of sales and marketing of Mitsubishi North America. Before that, he was at Mercedes-Benz, where he worked on laying the groundwork for the U.S. introduction of Smart. But when Mercedes postponed that debut, Schembri joined Mitsubishi, and a month later it hired BBDO. Five months ago, Schembri left Mitsubishi and rejoined the Mercedes as president of Smart USA in Auburn Hills, Mich.A BBDO representative declined to comment, as did a Mercedes-Benz official.

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ZAP ships their first "Smart Car" to the United States

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 06:01:00 +0000

Humphrey Cheung

March 31, 2006 21:56
It was once thought that a sub-compact car, or "micro cars" could never be successful in the United States. The phenomenal success of the Mini Cooper shattered that perception and now ZAP, based in Santa Rosa California, is offering their "Smart Car" to the United States. ZAP is already doing a brisk business in Europe, but will Americans go for a two seat car that looks like a golf cart?

The European car market is obviously very different from the one in the United States. Gasoline, while growing increasingly more expensive, is still relatively cheap in the USA. Prices in many European countries are at least twice as much per gallon and in some cases, like in Norway, are almost triple. In addition, space is at a premium in Europe and as a result parking is extremely expensive. The Smart Car has been certified by the U.S. Environment Protection Agency for 40 miles per gallon. Its small size means it can squeeze into empty spaces that bigger cars cannot use.
A school teacher in Wellington Florida took delivery of the first car. ZAP is selling the cars for around $25,000 and is also planning on shipping their all-electric XEBRA car later this year. Zap's Smarts are based on the Smart "fortwo coupe," which is available for around $12,000 in Europe.

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Daimler to Halt 4-Seat Smart Car

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:58:00 +0000

From Reuters
March, 31 2006

FRANKFURT, Germany — DaimlerChrysler's supervisory board Thursday approved a plan to scrap the four-seat Smart car model in yet another costly overhaul of the loss-making mini-car unit, it said. The world's fifth-biggest automaker had said Saturday that it planned to halt output of the Smart ForFour and focus on the two-seat model in a reorganization that would cost around 1 billion euros ($1.2 billion) and 300 Smart jobs in Germany.

That remains the plan, a spokesman said. It will book about 80% of the expected costs in the first quarter of 2006. German-American DaimlerChrysler, which is based in Stuttgart, Germany, and Auburn Hills, Mich., has said pruning Smart's model line-up once again would ensure that Smart swings to profit for the first time next year, when a new version comes out of the snub-nosed two-seater with which Smart debuted in October 1998. Smart has lost money ever since it was launched.The governing bodies of DaimlerChrysler "have approved measures related to the company's focus on the Smart ForTwo, including the intention to cancel production of the Smart ForFour," a statement said. Now it has to negotiate compensation for suppliers and Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp., which makes the ForFour model at a plant in the Netherlands. Mitsubishi Motors "will continue building its Colt B-segment car at its NedCar plant in the Netherlands," Mitsubishi said, noting the model was its top seller in Europe. Sales of the four-seat Smart fell by a quarter last year to 43,700 units. DaimlerChrysler hopes that dropping the ForFour model will help its premium Mercedes-Benz division hit its target of a 7% operating margin next year. DaimlerChrysler shares rose 67 cents to $57.65. Tags: smartcar

Smart-Automobile LLC Announces Technology License for Smart Car Americanized by ZAP(R), Final U.S. Clearance for Smart Cars In-Hand

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:57:00 +0000

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Smart-Automobile LLCannounced today its proprietary technology has been successfully appliedin the modification of the Smart For Two Coupe / Convertible for directimportation to the United States. Smart-Automobile is part of a venture to independently bring the fuel-efficient Smart Car to the U.S., where the popular car has not been availablesince its introduction in 1998. Smart-Automobile has contracted for theexclusive distribution of the Smart Cars to publicly owned automotive companyZAP of Santa Rosa, California, to be marketed to consumers through a ZAPauthorized dealer network. Registered import company G&K AutomotiveConversions of Santa Ana, California, has been contracted for the conversionof the cars to meet U.S. standards. Smart-Automobile President Thomas Heidemann announced that he is pleasedto reach this milestone, having invested significant capital and several yearsin bringing the fuel-efficient car from Europe to the United States where gasprices are reaching record levels. "There has been a great deal of excitement about the Smart Car coming tothe United States, and I want to congratulate our partners and futurecustomers for their hard work and patience in reaching this point," saidHeidemann. "With such a unique new car in the U.S. market and so much demand, we wantto reassure the public that we strive for excellence in providing the highestlevel of service and support," said the German-born entrepreneur. "Such demandhas concerned the government with the possibility of illegal Smart Carsentering the country, and we want to assure everyone that Smart-Automobilewill do everything in its power to make sure the cars are sold in a propermanner through an authorized dealer network, with certified technical trainingand legally imported cars." Under its contract, Smart-Automobile is supporting the venture in hostingexclusive training programs for ZAP Authorized Dealers as well as thelicensing of the proprietary Smart diagnostic systems used in maintaining thecars and ensuring they operate to U.S. standards of safety and emissions.Smart-Automobile owns the OBD II technology as well as the tool molds,software and factory inventory housed at G&K. Heidemann added: "I want to clarify this business venture with the public,because it has been quite unique in the today's auto industry. We have,independently of the manufacturer, obtained full U.S. safety and emissionscompliance with the Smart Cars. Usually imported cars are brought into theU.S. through exemptions. In this situation, ZAP owns the exclusivedistribution rights regarding our contracts to sell the Smart Car convertedthrough SA and G&K in the USA." Heidemann said that they will continue to obtain non-compliant carsthrough wholesalers, brokers and other entities worldwide to supply vehiclesfor the U.S. market. Smart-Automobile will only service cars with VIN numbersprovided through ZAP and will give notice to EPA and DOT on every car itdelivers. These VIN numbers will be kept on file by ZAP Authorized Dealers toensure that all Smart Cars driven in the country meet government regulations. Contact: Smart-Automobile LLC Thomas Heidemann (562) 252 1644 ext. 212This release was issued through eReleases(TM). For more information,visit http://www.ereleases.com/.Tags: smartcar

Europe's Smart Car Coming To America

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:55:00 +0000

By Nathan Edwards
Good news for the "smaller is better" crowd: The fuel-efficient Smart Car is (finally) on its way to our shores. Smart-Automobile LLC announced today that its Smart coupe and convertible, available in Europe since 1998, are ready to be imported to the United States.

Much of the delay involved learning how to modify the cars and tooling the proprietary Smart diagnostic system to ensure the cars meet U.S. safety and emissions standards.
"There has been a great deal of excitement about the Smart Car coming to the United States, and I want to congratulate our partners and future customers for their hard work and patience in reaching this point," said Smart-Automobile President Thomas Heidemann.
All Smart Cars imported through this arrangement will be registered with ZAP and the Department of Transportation to ensure that they meet government standards. The Smart Car gets 60 mpg and can reach speeds of 85 miles per hour, according to the ZAP Web site, and will range in price from $15,000 to $25,000 fully loaded.
The Smart Cars will be Americanized by G&K Automotive Conversions of Santa Ana, California, and distributed by Santa Rosa-based ZAP, a leader in fuel-efficient and eco-conscious cars.
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Mitsubishi Motors to stop making DaimlerChrysler's Smart minivehicles - report

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:53:00 +0000

TOKYO (AFX) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp has decided to end production of DaimlerChrysler AG's Smart minivehicles in Europe, following the German partner's move to restructure that business, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported without citing sources. The cancellation may also prompt Mitsubishi Motors to overhaul its European operations, the business daily said. The Japanese carmaker still plans to supply DaimlerChrysler with engines for the next-generation Smart two-seater. Mitsubishi Motors now makes about 40,000 four-seater Smarts a year at wholly owned subsidiary Netherlands Car BV under an original equipment manufacturer contract that is effective through 2010. The newspaper said Mitsubishi Motors will seek financial compensation from the German firm, and both companies still need to determine when to halt production. kiyori.ueno@xfn.com

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Mitsubishi to seek compensation from DCX for SMART ForFour cancellation

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 08 Apr 2006 05:52:00 +0000

Following DaimlerChrysler's announcement that it will be stopping production of the SMART ForFour sedan, partner Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has stated it will end production at the company's Netherlands plant as well. The Japanese automaker still plans to manufacturer engines for DCX's SMART two-seaters.Both companies have not yet determined when will be the last day of production. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun states, though, that Mitsubishi will be seeking financial compensation for DCX's abrupt termination of their partnership in the ForFour.[Source: Nihon Keizai Shimbun via AFX News Limited via Forbes]
Posted Mar 30th 2006 5:34PM by Joel Arellano
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smart Gets Smart Navigation With Garmin GPS

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 01:15:00 +0000

Garmin International today announced that smart, the iconic automotive brand of DaimlerChrysler, will begin offering the smart portable navigator — a Garmin GPS designed for the cockpit of smart's fortwo and forfour models. The smart portable navigator is a derivative of Garmin's newly announced StreetPilot c500 series. "smart cars and Garmin units are a great match because both companies strive to offer customers products with innovative designs, advanced technologies and powerful performance," said Gary Kelley, Garmin's vice president of marketing. "We are delighted to work with smart, and are certain that our in-car navigation system will make driving even more fun for smart owners." Mounted in a custom cradle that complements smart's sleek and innovative cockpit design, the smart portable navigator provides in-car navigation with automatic route calculation to any destination. The directions may be viewed with a three-dimensional navigation view or a "bird's eye" overhead view. The unit offers voice-prompted directions so that drivers are able to keep their eyes on the road while navigating through busy traffic. If a driver misses their turn, the smart portable navigator will automatically calculate a new route and get the driver back on track. The smart portable navigator includes a large preloaded points of interest (POIs) database that makes it easy for users to find and route to destinations such as hotels, restaurants, fuel stations, and attractions. Custom POIs may also be loaded on the unit. It is equipped with a new high-sensitivity GPS receiver, which acquires a GPS signal quickly and is capable of maintaining a signal in heavy foliage or "urban canyons" created by city skyscrapers. It also features a brighter, sunlight readable touchscreen display. The smart portable navigator will be available on smart models fortwo and forfour beginning in the summer of 2006.
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The Wheel Deal: Smaller is better ... kind of

Smartcar Owner — Sat, 11 Mar 2006 01:13:00 +0000

Great news! According to at least one analyst, sales of subcompact cars in the U.S. are supposed to double in the next five years!
If this gives you visions of nation-wide FUH2 dancing in your head, you may also be one of those folks who believed your friends when they said the word "gullible" wasn't in the dictionary. (Hint: it is.) A doubling of the U.S. subcompact car market would bring small cars' share of the new-vehicle market to a whopping 3 percent. Actually less than 3 percent. Sigh. Why, why would this be? Says another analyst:
I don't think [the subcompact is] a car for the U.S. market ... Those cars look great in Europe, but put them on road here next to a big SUV and they don't look so good anymore.
I'm assuming by "good" he means "pridefully wasteful to compensate for small-manhood syndrome." That being the case, I suppose he has a point.

Considering the above, small-car manufacturers are hesitant to market their wares in the States. DaimlerChrysler, maker of the Smart car, is "currently evaluating the brand's chances of success" here.

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UK group wants sporty Smart car

Smartcar Owner — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 08:02:00 +0000

A British consortium is in talks with DaimlerChrysler's struggling Smart brand about buying a licence to produce its two-seat sports car.
It is thought the group wants to market the car under the iconic MG brand now owned by China's Nanjing Automobile.
Newspaper reports last week claimed the Kimber consortium would move production to Coventry, away from MG's home at Longbridge in the West Midlands.
But Nanjing has since said that it is unlikely to sell the brand

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'Smart Cars' Make Their Debut In Loveland

Smartcar Owner — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 07:58:00 +0000

A popular European car made its way to Loveland, making it the third city in the United States to have them.The owner of Mountain View Motors is hoping that Colorado drivers will choose the "Smart Car" for its looks and gas mileage.The cars are called smart cars because they are small, fuel efficient, and easy to park. The back of the car has a little bit of storage space and the cover to the engine."It has an amazing amount of power," said Bob Hunt, owner of Mountain View Motors. "We've heard reports that people are getting 60 miles per hour pretty regularly."On some of the models, the roofs are glass making it easy to see through."They're cute," said a potential buyer. "It's just a new way of looking at transportation."Hunt's new batch of cars are only demo. He bought them in Europe and had them slightly modified to be legal in the U.S. The engine in the smart car is a 3-cylinder with a turbo charger to give it more power. Each car will cost about $25,000.

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Canada : Smart Car selects T-shirts to create environment consciousness

Smartcar Owner — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 06:15:00 +0000

World's largest hemp T-shirt apparel brand and seller Hemptown tee shirts has been chosen by Smart Car twice in the last year as their official club collectible. On behalf of its members, the car club has purchased hemp and bamboo tee shirts with artwork depicting their favorite automobile, the Smart Car. "The club called them because they wanted a tee-shirt that was as sound for the environment as their Smart Cars," said Hemptown Clothing CEO Jerry Kroll. "They wish every company and organization in North America thought like the Smart Car Club does: 'How can their official clothing and gifts make a smaller environmental footprint?'" Petroleum and cotton based textiles have high environmental costs and are not sustainable for their future. Hemp, Bamboo and Soy are highly environmentally sensitive, grown organically without the use of pesticides, toxic fertilizers or the enormous fresh water irrigation required by cotton. Club Smart Car member Dr Kirk Finnis: "Smart Car owners have a great affinity for their cars and they love talking about how practical they are - the small size, ease of parking and environmentally friendly. It seemed natural to them that they would seek out an official club tee-shirt that was just as practical and easy on the environment." Hemptown's Jerry Kroll continues: "The rise of hybrid and eco-friendly automobiles like the Smart Car perfectly mirrors what Hemptown is all about.

'Smart' car become new city services vehicle

Smartcar Owner — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 06:15:00 +0000

Dakota Bylaw Services is test driving a new Chrysler Smart Car. The environmentally friendly car is part of the City of Dakota's attempt to cut greenhouse gas emissions. The Smart Car costs 15-thousand dollars and is expected to use almost one-thousand dollars a year less in diesel fuel. City officials will test drive the car through the winter and decide whether to purchase more. Mayor Darren Crumple says the city is also looking at purchasing hybrid buses for inter-city bus travel

Wise up, Mercedes, and let me buy a little 'smart' car

Smartcar Owner — Fri, 03 Mar 2006 06:14:00 +0000

L eave it to a reporter to stand in a big room with the most spectacular cars in the world and complain about one that isn't there. Two years ago, Mercedes-Benz showed off an 8-foot-long commuter called the smart fortwo at the North American International Auto Show. It had two seats, three cylinders and no capital letters, that last part to emphasize how cute and perky it was. Last year, smart had its own tiny display at Cobo Center, where the company predicted arrival in U.S. showrooms by late 2006. The fortwo has been on the road in Europe since the late '90s, and astute Canadians bought more than 4,000 diesel versions last year, but the American launch has been postponed until Well, maybe never. Which is why there are no smarts at the auto show, and why I pinned down smart communications director Heinz Gottwick to ask, ever so politely, "When can I buy my darned smart car?" "My motto in life is 'no risk, no fun,'" Gottwick says, "but sometimes, you have to be cautious." That means Mercedes is still trying to figure out if smart can make money -- something it has never quite accomplished in Europe -- and whether it can redesign the $15,000 roller skate to meet American safety standards without sacrificing its sweet little soul. The odd problem, safety-wise, is that the 1,600-pound smart is too big inside. Canadian crash tests are conducted with the dummies wearing seat belts. Assuming, apparently, that U.S. drivers are too dense to buckle up in a car the size of a sheepdog, our testers leave the belts off. "This makes a huge problem if you have too much space," Gottwick says. An American version would need some sort of knee bar for the passenger, among other things. So Mercedes has to decide whether it's worth the effort to tinker with the fortwo, find willing Mercedes-Benz dealerships and develop a marketing scheme for a 60-miles-per-gallon micro-car in a nation that thinks a Hummer is a perfectly sensible vehicle. The decision will come by mid-year. As someone who plans to be first on the waiting list, I hope Mercedes steps smartly, in every conceivable sense.