PLEASE NOTE:   You're currently viewing a story posted in the legacy archive of eMercedesBenz. To view new stories and use commenting features, please use the navigation menu above.

 

 
 
Smart ForTwo Makes Its Official Debut At The Detroit Auto Show
Posted January 8th, 2007 At 9:30 AM CST

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side view

 

1. At a Glance
2. The Design of the smart fortwo
3. The Safety Features of the smart fortwo
4. The Ecology of the smart fortwo
5. The equipment of the smart fortwo
6. Fact Sheet
7. Frequently Asked Questions
8. Technical Data

 

UnitedAuto Group: Frequently Asked Questions

Who is smart?
smart is a member of the Mercedes Car Group. smart vehicles are sold in 36 countries throughout the world. The vehicle which will be sold in the United States is the smart fortwo, which means a vehicle designed for two people. Over 770,000 smart fortwo vehicles have been sold since the products original introduction. The United States will represent the 37th country to sell the smart fortwo vehicle.


Who will lead the smart USA team?

Roger S. Penske is Chairman of smart USA and UnitedAuto Group. Roger is also the Chairman of Penske Corporation, a closely-held diversified transportation services company. Penske Corporation and its subsidiaries manage and operate businesses with annual revenues in excess of $17 billion and employ 38,000 people at more than 1,700 worldwide locations.

Dave Schembri is President of smart USA. Dave is a passionate smart enthusiast and brings over 30 years of automotive experience, including various executive management positions in sales and marketing at Mercedes-Benz, to smart USA.


When will smart vehicles be available for purchase in the United States?

The smart fortwo is scheduled to be available in the first quarter of 2008.


How will smart USA select its retail partners?

Currently smart USA is in the process of identifying dealer selection criteria which may include the following requirements:

  • Dealers must show a passion for the smart brand.
  • They must be willing to commit to new, unique and non-traditional dealership processes/procedures. And
  • they must exhibit high levels of customer service and satisfaction.

smart USA is currently reviewing market data to determine dealership locations – no specific locations have been identified to date. We will announce the dealer organizations during the second half of 2007.

Dealers will include a selection of UnitedAuto Group, DaimlerChrysler, and non-affiliated dealers. The exact mix has not been determined.


How much will a smart vehicle cost?

Pricing for the smart fortwo is expected to start under $15,000, excluding destination charges, tax, title, license and optional equipment. Exact pricing will not be determined until late 2007. Once this information has been determined, it will be posted on www.smartusa.com.


Can I order a smart now?

No, smart fortwo’s cannot be ordered at this time. We expect to announce a reservation process in the near future. As soon as the reservation process is established we will notify you immediately if you register as an “insider” on our website – www.smartusa.com.

Once this information has been determined, it will be posted to www.smartusa.com.


What smart models will be available for purchase in the United States?

The models expected to be available in the United States are a base version, a well-equipped version and a well equipped cabriolet version. Initially, the U.S. version will only offer one naturally aspirated gasoline powered engine, that does an average of 40 miles to the gallon (combined city/highway).


What will be the initial volume level?

The number of units to be sold at the retail level in the United States is still being determined.


What are the exact dimensions?

The smart fortwo is small on the outside and big on the inside. The smart fortwo that will be available in the United States will be:

  • 8.8 feet long (you can usually fit two smart fortwos in an average parking space!)
  • 5.1 feet tall (the smart fortwo still has as much headroom as most luxury vehicles!)
  • 5.1 feet wide (two six foot, five inch plus people can sit side by side with plenty of shoulder room to spare!)


How fast does the smart fortwo go?

The top speed of the smart fortwo is approximately 90 mph.


What is the gas mileage of smart?

Engineering and testing continues to take place on the vehicle that will be produced for the United States. Gas mileage is expected to be 40 mpg combined for city and highway.


Is the smart vehicle safe?

The safety management system for the smart fortwo is comprehensive and sophisticated.

The highlight of the safety management system is the tridion safety cell. The safety cell is made from three layers of steel that are reinforced at strategic points. The cell is designed to keep occupants protected. The reinforced steel and the design of the car allow for the absorption of impact and redistribution of crash energy. Because of the size of the vehicle, most crashes will also involve one of the wheel bases which also absorbs energy. Both doors are also reinforced with steel bars.

The smart fortwo, which will be for sale in the United States in 2008, will come standard with four airbags (two front and two side for head and thorax protection). Other safety features such as esp® (electronic stability program) and abs brakes are also standard.


How much space does smart have for storage?

The smart fortwo has storage space that can easily fit numerous bags of groceries, gym bags and other items that are commonly transported every day, including golf clubs! This storage space can accommodate various size suit cases as well.

The front passenger seat also folds down creating additional space for other items such as skis.


What will be the further timeline?

There will be additional USA product information as well as smart USA marketing plans in the second quarter of 2007. Additional dealership information we will announce in the mid of 2007.


How can I find out more about smart?

The best source of information about smart coming to the United States is our website – www.smartusa.com. The site has changes frequently and as information becomes available about dealership locations, ordering, USA model selection and other information it will be posted on the website.

Also, please register for our monthly e-newsletter on our website and become a smart “insider”. Timely and current information will be delivered to your email account monthly.

 

Previous Page | Next Page

 

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side view

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side view

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, rear and side view

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side view

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, rear view

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front dashboard view

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of dashboard

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of dashboard and navigation system

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, view of seats

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of center console

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, dashboard view

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, view of steering wheel and dashboard

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, dashboard view

Interior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, dashboard view

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of headlight

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of tail light

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side view in city setting

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side view in city setting

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side view in city setting

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side view in city setting

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side view driving shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side view in city setting

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side shot, parked outside of restaurant in Italy

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot, parked outside of restaurant in Italy

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot, parked in front of market in Italy

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, driving rear shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of rear panel and wheel

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, closeup of front panel and wheel

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front and side shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, front shot

Exterior view of the new 2007 smart fortwo, side shot

The 2007 smart fortwo driving alongside taxis in Los Angeles, California

Rear view of the 2007 smart fortwo alongside a trolley in San Francisco, California

The 2007 smart fortwo driving on a Los Angeles, California street

Rear view of the 2007 smart fortwo driving in Los Angeles, California

Copyright © 2007, DaimlerChrysler AG

 
 
 
 
 

 
About Us
Article Archives
 
Have A Story?
 
Links
 
Resources
 
RSS Feeds
RSS 2.0 Articles
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Copyright © 2010, eMercedesBenz.com. All rights reserved.