Tiny "smart car" is making inroads against gas guzzlers
March 29, 2008 |12:36 | Gossips | New Launches | SMART By : Team X
The name is instantly appealing, and though an IQ test isn't required to own one, you immediately become brighter behind the wheel of a "smart" car.
These European imports are just starting to be sold on American soil, though some form or another has been driving around Europe forever, and smart (the lower case "s" is the way they like it) cars made it to Canada in 2004.
You may have seen one around, but it's not likely: Before this year, the only smart cars in America were "gray market" imports brought over from Europe and modified to meet emissions and safety standards. Although this won't be one of the cars on display at this weekend's Dayton Auto Show, there will be plenty of other cutting edge models to peruse.
Today, "smart centers" are popping up all over the place, though only two sales centers have made it to Ohio one in Bedford and one in Columbus.
The cars three versions of the smart fortwo (pronounced sort of like it's spelled, "for two") are coming from Germany, courtesy of Smart GmbH (part of DaimlerChrysler AG's Mercedes Car Group) and Roger Penske's United Auto Group, which partnered up to sell the cars in the United States. When the deal was announced back in 2006, smart enthusiasts jumped at the chance to reserve their car, registering online and paying $99.
"We delivered about 90 when they first became available Jan. 14," said Andrea Price, a sales rep for the Bedford smart dealership. "We have two here, used for demos, and all three models in the showroom for people to look at and we get a lot of people in here looking."
