SMART
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We've been reporting that the future of SMART in the U.S. was uncertain. In an email to TechCrunch, Daimler has announced that SMART will end sales of their one model, the SMART EQ Fortwo, at the end of this model year. Mercedes-Benz dealers in the US and Canada will continue to service and support SMART owners. The SMART EQ Fortwo is a electric only vehicle with a range of about 58 miles. SMART stopped selling the gasoline version of the car after 2017. Daimler is not killing the brand entirely. They have joined with Chinese manufacturer Geely to produce the SMART brand for China and other global markets. SMART vehicles are the primary vehicle in car sharing…
Last reply by daves87rs, -
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We recently reported that Daimler could possibly kill off the SMART brand after years of losing money. One of our own suggestions was that SMART expand into a regular car brand instead of staying in just the micro-car segment. Well, things change quickly in this industry. Yesterday, Daimler paired with Chinese manufacturer Geely in a 50-50 joint venture to bring the next generation of SMART vehicles to China. Part of that expansion will be a move up into the sub-compact market, a fast-growing market in China. SMART will remain an electric car brand and will be a joint development between the two companies. Though not disclosed at this time, it is possible that …
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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SMART may be the next brand heading for that great parking lot in the sky. German newspaper Handelsblatt has reported that the brand's fate may be decided by the end of this year. CEO Dieter Zetsche is leaving in May to be succeeded by Olin Kallenius. Mr. Kallenius has no strong love for the brand, established in 1998 and is said to be more than willing to kill the brand if finances warrant it. Since birth, SMART has lost billions of euros for Daimler, though the company does not break out financials by brand. Back in 2017, SMART revamped its lineup into an EV only brand, further denting sales while increasing costs. The current Smart FourTwo and FourFour …
Last reply by ocnblu, -
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A new report from Automobile Magazine says that smart is living on borrow time and could disappear by 2026 at the earliest. According to various sources, Renault will be pulling out of partnership when the current Twingo/ForFour ends production. The two models share the same architecture in an effort to save costs. Without a partner, Mercedes-Benz isn't as keen to keep smart around. A key question is whether or not Mercedes-Benz will produce a new model with a three-pointed star to compete against the likes of the Mini Cooper and Audi A1. A decision by the board needs to happen by 2021 when it must sign off the next-generation A-class, Why? That's because the ne…
Last reply by smk4565, -
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Earlier this year, Smart announced that it would be ending sales of the gas models and switch over to selling electric only models. This announcement has many Smart dealers running for the exit. According to Automotive News, dealers had until the end June to make a decision whether to keep selling Smarts or move to a service-only operation. Out of the 85 dealers in the U.S., 58 (about two-thirds) would move to the service-only operation. Smart spokeswoman Donna Boland said these numbers are preliminary. Dealers that opt out of selling Smart will transition to service once they sell out of inventory. The 'vast majority' are expected to transition by the end of th…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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Smart already finds itself in a small niche by selling small city cars in North America, but a new letter reveals that the brand will be entering an even smaller one. Automotive News obtained a letter from Dietmar Exler, CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA which says the brand will cease sales of gas-powered models by the end of this year, becoming an electric-only brand. “Developments within the micro-car segment present some challenges for the current Smart product portfolio. Therefore, with the launch of the fourth-generation Smart ForTwo electric drive this summer, the Smart lineup will consist exclusively of the zero-emissions Smart electric-drive coupe and cabrio in …
Last reply by 67impss,
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