Smart Cars May Hit U.S. Showroom in 2007

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Washington DC June 7, 2005; The AIADA newsletter reported that consumers in the U.S. may be able to shop for Smart mini cars as early as 2007, pending favorable market and currency conditions, said Ulrich Walker, head DaimlerChrysler AG’s Smart unit, reports The Detroit Free Press.

"The U.S. is attractive for us, and we want to make money there," Walker told journalists during a briefing in Stuttgart, Germany on Monday. In addition, Walker said he expects small passenger cars to account for 50 percent of the world’s vehicle market by 2010, thus, helping sales of Smart’s tiny two-seater ForTwo and the bigger four-seater ForFour. DaimlerChrysler will reportedly spend another 400 million euros ($491.6 million) on Smart’s restructuring plan, according to DaimlerChrysler CFO Bodo Uebber -- that’s in addition to the 1.2 billion euros ($1.5 billion) the company already announced it will plug into the small car division.

According to Freep, Smart’s upcoming ForTwo model will hit European showrooms in 2007, and will be designed to meet U.S. regulations.