Europe's Smart Car Heading to US

DETROIT, Mich: Smart, and getting smarter. The tiny, fuel sipping European Smart car might find new homes across the big pond as DaimlerChrysler looks to import to the United States. But are Americans ready for the definitive two-seater?

The curious crowds at the 2007 North American International Auto Show in Detroit might be proof that a market exists in the United States. The Smart "fortwo" held its own amid it bigger competitors and tantalized the press that it was "Coming to the USA in 2008."

The "fortwo" is just 2.5 meters long (8 feet, 2 inches). It is half the length and a third of the weight of a typical SUV, like the Ford Expedition.

They have become popular throughout Europe where they were introduced by the Mercedes-Benz division of the German-US company DaimlerChrysler AG in 1998.

The Smart has yet to turn a profit but over 770,000 Europeans have embraced the compact convenience that can almost fit sideways into a parking spot. Some urban areas have created Smart-only parking out of unused inches of cityscape.

Does the little Smart have a chance against the mean SUVs congesting the US highways? They are street viable and believe it or not are even a frequent site on Germany's superhighway, the Autobahn. Smarts are gaining popularity among commuters and zip amongst the blurs of Porsches and massive transit caravans.

The safety concerns are definitely the biggest hurdle DaimlerChrysler AG will face on the US market. Industry analysts predict that it will take a lot of marketing to win over US consumers on that issue.

However, DaimlerChrysler AG sees the very near future as an ideal time to present Americans with the Smart. The ever-increasing fuel prices and pressurized gridlock of US highways and cities are the company's incentive to give the US market a try. The Smart gets more than 40 miles to the gallon.

Already, Smart has found success in Canada where the brand has sold almost three times better than expected. And US car dealers are indicating demand with requests to DaimlerChrysler AG asking them for supply.

To give the "cute" cars a little edge for their US debut, DaimlerChrysler AG has signed up with racing legend Roger Penske through Penske's UnitedAuto distribution group. The team is expected to launch Smart in the US in early 2008.

Roger Penske was on hand at the recent auto show in Detroit and said that "the Smart 'fortwo' is coming to the USA at the right time. Volatile gas prices, urban congestion and America's acceptance of smaller vehicles will make the Smart 'fortwo' a real home run here in the United States."

And he just may be right. Smart may squeeze its way onto precious US highway space while giving consumers the most bang for their gas bucks. For city dwellers, the Smart is a wise choice.

The first generation Smart appealed to Europeans with a hip image and its low operational costs. Of course, unless your overnight bag can fit in a glove box you may want to be sure that alternative long haul transportation exists before driving one off the lot.

Then again, Smart's bubble-gum-like car dispensers are temptation enough to indulge in a little impulse purchase.

Source: "Lilliput car heads for land of giant trucks" Jitendra Joshi, AFP, January 8, 2007.
See Smart's bubble-gum-like car dispenser: http://www.pbase.com/saintj/image/37079068