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4U4ME
11-29-2004, 09:16 AM
Smart Cars Coming to U.S.

The Daily Auto Insider
Monday, November 29, 2004
November 2004


A small California company is set to start selling Smart cars in the U.S. in the second quarter of 2005, the Dow Jones Newswires reported.

ZAP, which is located in Santa Rosa, Calif., said it had received notice from the Environmental Protection Agency that the cars conform to U.S. regulations. That's the last major regulatory hurdle needed to start selling the cars in the U.S., the DJN said, citing Alex Campbell, a spokesman for ZAP. The company can now sell the cars in 45 states, and is awaiting regulatory approval from the remaining states. California, which has tough emission standards, won't be one of the first states to get the gas-sipping cars.

The two-passenger, 60-mile-per-gallon cars are manufactured by DaimlerChrysler AG and have been on the market in Europe for five years. They're currently sold in 34 countries. ZAP will import the Smart cars from Europe. They'll be priced between $15,000 and $25,000, Campbell said. ZAP aims to sell 15,000 vehicles a year through a network of 150 dealers nationwide who were not named.

DaimlerChrysler plans to introduce the Smart formore, an SUV, in the U.S. during the third quarter of 2006, the story said.

Vans
11-29-2004, 09:31 AM
Too bad the company isn't turning a profit

M_TYPE_X
11-29-2004, 04:15 PM
Junk! Eurotrash alert.

hiwayman17
11-29-2004, 05:54 PM
How and why is there no mention of DaimlerChrysler in this deal?

M_TYPE_X
11-29-2004, 06:06 PM
How and why is there no mention of DaimlerChrysler in this deal?



They don't want to be blamed for Eurotrash imports. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

CoCo_PuFf
11-30-2004, 06:10 AM
How and why is there no mention of DaimlerChrysler in this deal?



They don't want to be blamed for Eurotrash imports. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/smirk.gif



Smarts have been available in Canada for at least a month now (could be even longer). I've seen people driving them and there's actually a Smart dealership (attached to an MB dealer) in my area. Honestly these things would make awsome little things to run your errands in.

M_TYPE_X
11-30-2004, 06:33 AM
How and why is there no mention of DaimlerChrysler in this deal?



They don't want to be blamed for Eurotrash imports. http://forums.freshalloy.com/images/graemlins/smirk.gif



Smarts have been available in Canada for at least a month now (could be even longer). I've seen people driving them and there's actually a Smart dealership (attached to an MB dealer) in my area. Honestly these things would make awsome little things to run your errands in.



As a second or third car. I want one well-built model that'll do it all for me. These cars aren't a revolution.
They're playthings like Miatas.