Cars - Smart

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	Cars - Smart

Smart (short for Swatch Mercedes ART, sometimes called the MCC Smart) is a brand of microcar based in Böblingen, (Germany). The original Smart was a very small two-seater, but a coupé, convertible and hatchback have been added, extending the brand into a true marque, part of DaimlerChrysler as Micro Compact Car GmbH. The company name was changed to Smart GmbH in September 2002.

History

The Smart Fortwo is manufactured at Smartville, a purpose-built factory complex in Hambach, Lorraine, France, established in 1994 as a joint-venture of Daimler-Benz and the Swiss watch manufacturer Swatch.

The project was originally supported by Swatch, and was nicknamed the "Swatchmobile". The car was supposed to use innovative features (such as a hybrid engine) and to be an affordable car for young people. Its purpose was to "transport two people and a case of beer" (later replaced by a case of water).

Being inexperienced in automobiles, Swatch CEO Nicolas Hayek sought an established car maker to produce his Swatch car, and found a partner in Volkswagen. Plans never reached a final stage so Swatch teamed up with Daimler-Benz. The car proved to be far from expectations: technology was conventional and it was more expensive than most small 4-seater cars sold in Europe. The joint venture experienced heavy losses and Swatch pulled out.

In 2005, DaimlerChrysler decided against purchasing a 50% share in the NedCar plant used to manufacture the Forfour. DC also halted development on the Formore and decided to discontinue production of the Roadster.

Vehicles

Fortwo
Forfour
Roadster
Formore

Smart in North America

Canada

The Smart Fortwo was introduced in Canada in the 2004 calendar year and sold through Mercedes-Benz dealers. Only the turbo-diesel powerplant is offered as power for the coupe and convertible models because of emmission regulations for the gasoline engines set forth by Transport Canada. Demand has been heavy with up to six month waiting lists in major urban areas in the spring of 2005. The vehicle has been especially popular for light errand running for small shops and businesses, with many carrying custom paint jobs or stick-on graphics boldly advertising the associated product or service. As of March 2006, Smart Canada says that the government is still testing the Forfours for import to Canada.

United States

Smart announced on March 16, 2006 that its Fortwo automobile is ready to be sold in the United States. Previously, Smart cars have not been officially sold in the U.S. by its manufacturer owing to a fear of possible market positioning confusion, Mercedes-Benz wishing to maintain an aura of high priced luxury that enables it to keep profit margins high. Autoweek has suggested September 2006 or 2007 as a possible introduction date for Smart in the USA.

It is theoretically possible for an individual to purchase a Smart as a used vehicle from Canada, although impractical for most people due to various state title and licensing issues. U.S. Federal regulations allow certain "grey market" importing in large quantities provided the vehicles are modified and tested to conform to U.S. safety regulations. Appropriate certifications for safety (DOT) and emissions (EPA) have been obtained by Zap Motors, who purchase the car from a direct importer, but are not an official distributor of Smart vehicles.

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