Smart- (short for Swatch Mercedes ART) - German Microcar Manufacturer

                 THE HISTORY OF SMART

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 Smart roadster. FORTWO The Fortwo' is the original Smart model that was launched in 1998 as City Coupe. The name Fortwo was introduced when Smart began to produce new models. The car is intended primarily for urban use, is one of the lightest cars in the European market with a weight of 730kg due to its reinforced steel shell with plastic body panels and by normal standards is considered particularly fuel efficient, averaging 4.7L/100 km (50mpg) for the gasoline model and 3.4L/100 km (69mpg) for the Diesel. The Smart Fortwo's length of only 2.500m means that the vehicle may be parked back-in in parallel parking zones. The Fortwo is available with a convertible version (originally City Cabrio, now Fortwo Cabrio), introduced in 2000, and was restyled in 2002. Curiously, the Smart Fortwo has its engine positioned at the rear of the vehicle. The engine range is composed of only turbocharged three cylinder motors. Originally, the base petrol engine had 600cc, but displacement was increased to 700cc along with the restyling. It's available in 37kW (50PS) or 45kW (61PS) variants. The turbodiesel engine has 800cc displacement with 30kW (41PS). All Smart Fortwo versions have a choice of two different six-speed sequential gearboxes. The car does not have a clutch pedal and uses an electronically controlled clutch instead of a torque converter like an automatic, but the gearbox has to be operated manually to change gears (a computer controlled automatic shifter is also offered). The car is popular in Europe and Japan. There is a Japan-only variant called the Smart K which is the only non-Japanese car that fulfills the regulations for Keicars. On 26 June 2002, Smart Fortwo was exhibited at the new Museum of Modern Art in Queens, New York for the first time. It is the only model still in production today. Although one of the cars is an exhibit at the (MoMA), the car is not available in the USA. The turbodiesel variant was introduced in Canada as a 2005 model in September 2004 and as of June 2005 Vancouver customers had a six month wait for delivery. These have proven popular in major Canadian cities as light commercial vehicles carrying extensive graphics promoting the owner's business. Electric vehicle manufacturer Zap plans to import Smart Fortwos from a German dealer and modify them for sale in the United States in 2005. In September, 2005, Smart President Ulrich Walker announced that a decision on entry of the Smart into the US market would be made before the end of 2005. Crossblade In 2002, Smart introduced a limited edition variant of the City Cabrio, called the Crossblade. It was a roadster version without a roof or conventional doors, weighing 740kg, and powered by a Brabus-tuned engine, developing 52kW (71PS) from its 600cc engine. After Robbie Williams purchased Crossblade number 001, Smart began a marketing association with the British singer, using Williams to promote the brand. Crosstown The Crosstown is a prototype based on the Fortwo and presented at IAA Frankfurt in 2005. It is a convertible with a foldable windshield. FORFOUR The Forfour was introduced in 2004. Unlike its little "brother", this is a more conventional car, a real hatchback supermini with a roomy interior, and four- or five-seater configuration. The car is produced at the NedCar factory in the Netherlands in conjunction with Mitsubishi Motors. This is the same factory that produced Volvo 340 cars in 1970s and 1980s. To save production costs, the Smart Forfour shares most of its components with the 2003 Mitsubishi Colt, including chassis, suspensions and a new generation of MIVEC petrol engines, three- and four-cylinder, ranging from 1.1 to 1.5L with power up to 80kW (109PS). The 1.5L cdi diesel engine, on the contrary, is a three-cylinder Mercedes-Benz engine derived from the four-cylinder of the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. A Brabus-prepared sports version is available since 2005. It is powered by a turbocharged Mitsubishi 4G15 engine, developing 130kW (177PS), 27PS more than its "brother", the Mitsubishi Colt CZT. It can reach a maximum speed of 221km/h and accelerate up to 100Km/h in 6.9 seconds. FORMORE The larger Formore was to be released worldwide (including the United States) in 2006. It was a small all wheel drive SUV, riding on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The architecture would be shared with the Mercedes-Benz MLK-Class, a proposed SUV that would be smaller than the M-Class. Power would have ranged from a 1.8L straight-4 to a 3.0L V6, including Diesel versions. Production was to have been carried out at DaimlerChrysler's factory in Juiz de Fora, Brazil, rather than the French Smartville factory. The Formore was to be Smart's first official entry in the United States market. However, DaimlerChrysler is considering a limited entry into the market, with just the Fortwo, essentially in urban areas. Development of the Formore has been halted since April 2005, due to DaimlerChrysler's monetary concerns (the Smart brand had yet to make a profit after eight years in operation, and the Formore was costing more money to develop than anticipated). ROADSTER AND ROADSTER-COUPÉ The Smart roadster and roadster-coupé were introduced in 2003, based on a stretched platform of the Fortwo (full length is 3427mm). The two variants are meant to be reminiscent of the British roadster of yore, such as the Triumph Spitfire or the MG B. The roadster is powered by 45 or 60kW (61 or 82PS) versions of the turbocharged straight-3. The roadster-coupé used only the more powerful engine, although they are both available in Brabus-prepared versions with power increased to 74kW (101PS). The roadster-coupé's name is actually a misnomer, as the car possesses a targa top. With weight as low as 790kg, because of low weight it is meant to provide the emotion of driving a sports car at an affordable cost. Still, the roadster's price is not very far from that of a Fiat Barchetta or Mazda MX-5. In 2003, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Solituderennen, Smart created a prototype version of the roadster-coupé with two merged straight-3 engines. The twin turbo 1.4L V6 powerplant had a maximum power of 125kW (170PS) for a weight of only 840kg, and Smart claimed the car could accelerate to 100Km/h in only six seconds, comparable to a much larger Porsche Boxster. Eight cars were built, but not available for sale. Unfortunately, sales figures for the roadster and roadster-coupé have been far under the projected number and, with Smart's uncertain future, it was decided to halt production of both models at the end of 2005. The final Smart roadster ran off the production line on November 4, 2005. Project Kimber and the "MG" Smart roadster Project Kimber is an acquisition group, run by David James, that was founded to buy the assets of the MG Rover group. In 2006, it was reported that David James had entered talks with MG Rover's new owners the Nanjing Automobile Group to buy the MG brand in order to produce a number of sports cars based on the Smart roadster design On Friday February 17, 2006, The Times newspaper reported that Mr James was in discussions with DaimlerChrysler to buy the roadster's design, technology and equipment for approximately £13 million. The equipment would be then transfered from the Smart factory to a former Dunlop tyre factory in Coventry where the roadster would be built under the MG brand. It is understood that Project Kimber is being funded by Grant Gazdig's Access Capital firm, as well as a private equity firm called European American Securities. 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 The Smart has 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. The Smart USA website claims that "Smart is planning for America". 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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