Free Republic

DaimlerChrysler is to shake up its loss-making Smart car brand in a move that unions say will mean 700 job cuts. The German-US car maker said it wanted to put Smart on a sound financial footing, and set the brand the goal of breaking even by 2007. It said the restructuring would cost 1.2bn euros ($1.56bn; £824m), hit profits this year and bring job losses. DaimlerChrysler said it would step up development of a new version of the compact car to suit the US market. Production of Smart's roadster model is to end this year, and a sports utility vehicle...

Can the Smart car move America? By André Vornic BBC News, New York The Smart car is a familiar sight in Europe as it squeezes through traffic to find parking spaces too small for anyone else. But how will the tiny car fare on the streets of the US where size really matters? Big, as far as most US car-makers is concerned, is definitely beautiful. Anyone trying to convince drivers to take to a Smart car in the States may well have their work cut out. Which may be the reason why, even though the car is being promoted aggressively...