SMART cars in the US

Some sales centres have one smart fortwo on the display floor. They are doing the survey to gauge the response to the product and to see if they ought start selling smart cars in the USA in 2006. Please find out which sales centre has one in your area and do the survey. Also, please contact 1 800 FOR MERC and tell them to stop dragging their feet on smart cars for US market. The smart cars have been engineered to meet US regulations since they are sold in Canada whose safety and emission regulations mirror US counterpart with very small difference.

ZAP in Santa Rosa, California had engineered and certified the smart cars for US market last November and received over $20 million in orders within a few weeks of announcement. I believe you can find them for sale in the states that don't have California emission regulations.

I think Mercedes-Benz USA is feeling the heat from the American public because of exposure and sales by ZAP as well as the surprising success of MINI cars in the USA and the rising petrol price.

Oliver

snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com schrieb:

This I find hard to believe.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

Don't 20 million mean circa 2000 - 2500 Smart? Is that really so unbelieveable?

Juergen

Well, put like that it looks more likely. I should have stopped a bit longer to think.

Still, 2000+ Smarts from one dealer in the USA?...

DAS

Sorry, due to vacation my answer late (before I immediately disappear for more vacation)

Hmmm, then we have to investigate a bit:

the price at 15k - 25k USD - let'sassume 20.000 per each car ...aeh: mean_Smart_ ;-) that means 1000 vehicles only,half of that what I assumed (shame on me,I should have checked the sales price first). And then I read on the above mentioned page _ZAP is beginning to distribute cars through authorized and technically trained dealers._ and reading on page 11, 2004) - ... ZAP ...to be the exclusivedistributor and licensed manufacturer in the UnitedStates for its 60-MPG SMART Car._I conclude the mentioned $20 million covers thewhole US (45 states, not 5 states with California And how does that combine with the info from tht they think aboutbringing the Smart to the US?On page say _ZAP purchases its vehicles from non-affiliated direct importer Smart-Automobile LLC._ and _ZAP is not affiliated with, or authorized by, smart gmbh, the manufacturer of SMART automobiles, or the smartUSA division of Mercedes-Benz LLC, the exclusive authorized U.S. importer and distributor of those vehicles._

Plus on page

can read that _ZAP Files Legal Action Against DaimlerChrysler and Affiliated Companies_

Juergen

Sorry, due to vacation my answer is late (before I immediately disappear for more vacation)

the price at 15k to 25k USD - let'sassume 20.000 per each car ...aeh: mean_Smart_ ;-) that means 1000 vehicles only,half of that what I assumed (shame on me,I should have checked the sales price first!). And then I read on the above mentioned page _ZAP is beginning to distribute cars through authorized and technically trained dealers._ and reading on page 11, 2004) - ... ZAP ...to be the exclusivedistributor and licensed manufacturer in the UnitedStates for its 60-MPG SMART Car._I conclude the mentioned $20 million covers thewhole US (45 states, not the 5 states withCalifornia emissions regulations).So roughly 1000 cars do not seem tha unlikelyto me for all these 45 states. But ZAP seems not to be an official importer, see and on page say _ZAP purchases its vehicles from non-affiliated direct importer Smart-Automobile LLC._ and _ZAP is not affiliated with, or authorized by, smart gmbh, the manufacturer of SMART automobiles, or the smartUSA division of Mercedes-Benz LLC, the exclusive authorized U.S. importer and distributor of those vehicles._

Plus on page

can read that _ZAP Files Legal Action Against DaimlerChrysler and Affiliated Companies_

So I wonder what will happen to ZAP and their customers and the servicing of the already delivered Smarts (if any)...

Juergen

Another holiday is no excuse. You are obliged to answer instantly.

BTW, where were you/are you going to? Driving in your Merc (I have to keep this relevant)?

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

This world would be a better place if every country has the same social benefits and long vacations of certain European countries.

Dori A Schmetterl> Another holiday is no excuse. You are obliged to answer instantly. >

I thought Jürgen is retired. He was just saying he took/is taking a trip away.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling

I could not resist making a comment on social policies.

How do you make the letter u with the two dots over it?

.

öäÖÄ ß....

Go to Regional and Language settings (in XP) or similar.

Then Languages/Details and set up any language keyboard you like (that's available).

To visualise the new keys it is easiest to download Microsoft Visual Keyboard foc.

This allows you to type the characters on a virtual keyboard and shows the physical keyboard layout.

If you still have difficulty let me know. You may e-mail me directly.

With German it is not too difficult to memorise the positions as the core keys are not so different (though its QWERZ). The A-Umlaut is where the @ sign is, for example.

DAS

For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling