Daimler aims to introduce selling Smarts

reuteurs ^ | Jun 4, 2006 | Juergen Schrempp,

[Flavius]

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler (DCXGn.DE) is leaning toward launching its Smart minicar in the United States, DaimlerChrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said in a newspaper interview on Sunday. ADVERTISEMENT [0]

"At the moment, the tendency is clearly positive," Zetsche said in an interview with Germany's Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung.

A final decision on whether to sell the car in the United States will be taken this month, he said.

Zetsche repeated that he expected the loss-making Smart unit to turn a profit in 2007.

Smart is focusing on building only a two-seat model after deciding to scrap its slow-selling four-seater earlier this year.

The unit, which has been restructuring to stem losses, had already dropped its roadster model a year ago and also abandoned plans for a Smart offroader.

Juergen Schrempp, chairman of Daimler Chrysler is seen on a large video screen behind the new Smart convertible at the Frankfurt car show, September 15. DaimlerChrysler (Reuters)

[demlosers]

That car of Steve Urkel's becomes a reality. No longer a joke.

I've seen these toys on the road and yeah, they are Urkel's type of car.

[HisKingdomWillAbolishSinDeath]

I'll wait for the Smarter model. That way, when my neighbor shows up in the Smart model, I can tell him at least my car is smarter than his.

[D-fendr]

Good grief! It's smaller than a man:

[RandallFlagg]

Okay, Floor it!
In an hour, we'll be doing thirty!

[goldstategop]

With discounts and manufacturer incentives, it'll be priced more around $16-17,000. But for that money, you can get a VW New Beetle or Jetta and it'll carry a lot more and be twice as safe on the road.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[T Ruth]

FWIW, from divest org

Daimler-Chrysler

The automobile giant Daimler-Chrysler opened a large auto plant in Iran back in September of 2005. That plant manufactures the E-class Mercedes Benz and is expected to produce $500 million per year in sales.

Daimler-Chrysler reported that Iran will also start production of sophisticated 900-class Mercedes-Benz engines, and that the company will export Iran-made engines to Germany. They also added that the company is determined to continue cooperation with Iran despite its strong partnership with the United States.

They also reported that Daimler-Chrysler is planning to equip Iran's intercity transport fleet with modern vehicles.

"Iran's bus market is controlled by Mercedes-Benz at present and the company will produce new generation vehicles in Iran to modernize the transportation fleet," said company spokesman Jurgen Kurtz.

In a stark example of how seemingly harmless transactions can end up providing rogue regimes with equipment suitable for military use, in December 2004, some 453 Daimler-Chrysler truck-trailers supposedly sold to Saudi Arabia ended up in Iran. The dual-use heavy truck-trailers had been put to use by the Iranian army.

[twntaipan]

There are many of these cars in the city where I live (in Asia). They are excellent urban vehicles--fast enough for freeway driving, but small enough to park anywhere.

[goldstategop]

Would that be Singapore? They would be ideal in a small country the size of a city.

(Denny Crane: "Every one should carry a gun strapped to their waist. We need more - not less guns.")

[rpgdfmx]

Believe it or not, they have a lot of head/leg room inside -- and better built than they look. I don't think I'd want to drive one around, say, the north woods or Minnesota, or across the country, but in urban areas -- especially where you just need fleet cars to haul people around, they're perfect (and damned easy to park).

[Clink]

Daimler-Chrysler had a billboard advertising this car in South Africa which showed the auto alongside the text:"German Engineering", "Swiss Innovation", "American Nothing".

After many complaints (including an email from yours truly) they withdrew the ad.

Their BS response to my email

Dear Ms. / Mr. …,

Thanks for your e-mail and advice on our recent local (only South Africa) advertising billboard.

Please let us clarify that the message on this billboard refers to the characteristics of vehicles manufactured in various countries. American vehicles are famous for being large in size and as a result are not recognized as very fuel efficient. These characteristics are in no way insulting to American vehicles but are regarded as a general perception of the authentic American vehicle.

smart is a Euro-centric brand and this message aimed to portray the brand image and product characteristics. This billboard was produced by the South African smart organisation and formed part of a local campaign that promotes the smart forfour vehicle features and brand personality.

South Africa hosts a rainbow nation with a melting pot of cultures, races, religious denominations and differences. Its constitution respects each and every individual citizen. As such, the South African smart organisation is also very sensitive to the basic principle of tolerance and understanding and the billboard would never have been permitted to go to production if it was an affront to these principles.

Nevertheless we had to realize that the message on the billboard was not understood and totally misinterpreted. As you might know, we at smart are part of a German-American company and do have customers around the world as well as American employees. Never was it our intention to insult any of these customers, employees or the American public. Therefore please note that we have withdrawn all concerned billboards as soon as the first complains came up and please let us apologize for any confusion or affront caused.

Kindly accept our apologies and take for granted that we will be more careful with our choice of marketing claims in the future.

Thank you for your understanding and best regards, smart infocenter team.

[goldstategop]

Or in the original German:

Liebe Frau / Herr …,

Vielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail und Rat über unseren neuen Vorortszug (nur Südafrika) Werbewerbetafel.

Lassen Sie uns bitte klären, dass sich die Nachricht auf dieser Werbetafel auf die Eigenschaften von in verschiedenen Ländern verfertigten Fahrzeugen bezieht. Amerikanische Fahrzeuge sind berühmt, wegen in der Größe groß zu sein, und werden infolgedessen als sehr Kraftstoff- effizient nicht anerkannt. Diese Eigenschaften sind zu amerikanischen Fahrzeugen keineswegs beleidigend aber werden als eine allgemeine Wahrnehmung des authentischen amerikanischen Fahrzeugs betrachtet.

Smart ist eine Eurozentrische Marke, und diese Nachricht hatte zum Ziel, das Markenimage und Produkteigenschaften zu porträtieren. Diese Werbetafel wurde durch die südafrikanische Kluge Organisation erzeugt und bildete einen Teil einer lokalen Kampagne, die die klugen forfour Fahrzeugeigenschaften und Persönlichkeit der Marke fördert.

Südafrika hat eine Regenbogen-Nation mit einem Schmelztiegel von Kulturen, Rassen, religiösen Bezeichnungen und Unterschieden zu Gast. Seine Zusammensetzung respektiert all und jeden individuellen Bürger. Als solcher ist die südafrikanische kluge Organisation auch zum grundlegenden Grundsatz der Toleranz und des Verstehens sehr empfindlich, und die Werbetafel würde nie erlaubt worden sein, um zur Produktion zu gehen, wenn es eine Beleidigung zu diesen Grundsätzen war.

Dennoch mussten wir begreifen, dass die Nachricht auf der Werbetafel nicht verstanden und völlig missdeutet wurde. Wie Sie wissen könnten, sind wir an klug ein Teil einer deutsch-amerikanischen Gesellschaft und haben wirklich Kunden um die amerikanischen sowie Weltangestellten. Nie war es unsere Absicht, einigen dieser Kunden, Angestellter oder des amerikanischen Publikums zu beleidigen. Bemerken Sie deshalb bitte, dass wir alle betroffenen Werbetafeln zurückgezogen haben, sobald die ersten Beschwerden heraufkamen, und lassen Sie uns bitte uns für jede Verwirrung entschuldigen oder verursacht beleidigen.

Akzeptieren Sie freundlich unsere Entschuldigungen und betrachten Sie das als selbstverständlich wir werden mit unserer Wahl von Marktansprüchen in der Zukunft vorsichtiger sein.

Vielen Dank für Ihr Verstehen und mit besten Grüßen, Smart Infozentrum Mannschaft.

I'm sure something got lost when they sent the translation down to South Africa. ;-)

[elmer fudd]

$16-17K is still about $10K more than I'd be willing to spend on a vehicle of this type. Basically the only thing this kind of vehicle is good for is cheap transportation, and if the price is too high then it's not even good for that.

[jebeier]

I would buy one as a station car and for tooling around town. For that it would be perfect. I could save $600 a year by parking it on the street.

[jebeier]

$25K? You gotta be kidding me! A Mini costs a lot less, and that is a real car, sorta...

[jamaksin]

B-Class sold in America, especially their CDi models (e.g., B180 CDi diesel) would be a real winner priced at $20k.

[RoadTest]

"There are many of these cars in the city where I live (in Asia). They are excellent urban vehicles--fast enough for freeway driving, but small enough to park anywhere."

You're very right. However, you're going to have a hard time convincing Americans of this. I must be inconsistent, because I'm an American Conservative who does not like SUVs on the road. They belong in the dirt, which is supposedly what they were designed for.

Americans just can't get their cars big enough. The Hummer is the closest yet to the American ideal car. Then we come up with the argument, "You're unsafe on the road in a small car (because of the big vehicles). ?

[The South Texan]

Coming soon to a showroom near you.

The Algore mobile.

[Fresh Wind]

What did it look like before the accident?

[Mister Da]

Can you drive these things on the fairway?

[12B]

Thoughts from someone who has actually driven one:

You have to view it as basically motorcycle mileage but with two Passengers and a tiny bit of cargo. It's a bit loud but lots quicker than you'd think. I've driven one on the Autobahn dozens of times without problem. It'll go maybe 145 kph floored.

The diesel gets 50 mpg and the gasoline engine somewhat less. They have much more head and leg room than most compacts. They are the safest car in the micro-class and are actually much safer than nearly all other cars in the normal compact class. The body is built out a sort of cage, apparently like race cars. Like I said, it's motocycle mileage with small car safety.

Basically if you need cheap urban transportation and have another car to do the shopping, this is a great (and super cheap) alternative. If you need a great big SUV to drive the kids to soccer, or to compensate for a small penis, then you won't want this one.