US Cash For Clunkers (scrappage incentive) Passed: Maximum Reward for Smart smart Buyers

SEE ALSO: Cash For Clunkers Guide

US president Barack Obama has signed a law for a scrappage incentive for old cars based on the European model, which draws the attention of car buyers to the smart fortwo. In future, Americans who trade their old car for the two-seater with its exemplary environmental credentials will receive the maximum premium from the state.

Buyers of new cars will receive a maximum scrappage bonus of $4,500 in future (currently the equivalent of around €3,200) when they exchange a gas-guzzling old car for an environmentally friendly new one. Unlike the German system, the Car Allowance Rebate System (Cars) - commonly called "cash for clunkers" plans for a sliding scale with the amount of the bonus depending on the fuel consumption of the new vehicle. smart fortwo buyers will always receive the maximum premium - irrespective of the old car being scrapped. The innovative smart concept with its outstanding fuel efficiency therefore presents a further attractive advantage to customers in the USA.

According to the American Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the smart fortwo is America's most fuel-efficient car without hybrid drive. The US authority confirms independent European studies that had previously established the clever two-seater as the most economical car. In addition, the smart already exceeds US standards for fleet consumption (CAFE = Corporate Average Fuel Economy) that will apply from 2020 and it has been classified as an ultra-low emission vehicle by the California Air Resources Board on account of its extremely low exhaust-emission figures.

Thanks to its outstanding features and its fresh design that combines functionality with joie de vivre, the smart fortwo has become a sought-after city car in many countries. smart fortwo models take up an unrivalled amount of road and parking space and yet they bring two people including luggage to their destination extremely comfortably and safely. smart provides lots of unique answers to questions concerning individual and eco-friendly urban mobility.