About SmartSwatch watches were a huge success in the 1980s, in large part due to their low cost and ease of personalization. And by the end of the decade, SMH, maker of the Swatch watch, was looking to expand. The idea of building a city car with the same type of build strategy and customization seen in the watch division was born, and from that came Smart, which was officially launched in nine countries in October 1998.SMH CEO Nicolas Hayek spearheaded the idea after realizing there was a relatively untapped market for small and stylish city cars. The first prototypes were unofficially called "Swatchmobiles", featuring a hybrid drivetrain for excellent mileage and seating for two adults. Soon after, SMH paired with Volkswagen to help share the costs of design and distribution. But by 1993, the project was terminated by new management at VW. SMH shopped the project around to several other European manufacturers before signing on with Daimler-Benz AG, forming Micro Compact Car AG in 1994. SMH was to then work with MCC GmbH on the design. Swatch Mercedes... View more Art was to be the new name, which became the acronym Smart. A factory in Hambach, France was set up in 1994, with assembly starting in October, 1997. SMH was bought out by Daimler-Benz soon after production started, and the new company, Smart GmbH, was announced in 2000. But by 2006, the company was liquidated, and the car is now built under the Mercedes-Benz division. Smart's best known product is the Fortwo, introduced at the 1998 Paris Motor Show. It featured interchangeable body panels and a small 698-cc gasoline engine. In 2006, G and K auto conversions was able to secure DOT, NHTSA, and EPA certification to sell Euro-spec Smarts in the U.S., after extensive modifications were made. Around 1,000 such conversions were sold. The second generation Smart, launched in 2007, found its way into the U.S. in 2008. Penske Automotive Group started a network of dealerships known as Smart USA, which were to offer the car at around $11,990, with a cabrio version priced at $16,990. It's the most fuel efficient small gas-powered car on the U.S. market today, with an EPA rating of 33 mpg city and 41 mpg highway. The timing was perfect for Smart, as its U.S. introduction coincided with a housing market crash and soaring gas prices. Fuel-sipping Smart Fortwos became a great alternative for commuters tired of fueling SUVs for daily use. Demand was such that some customers had to wait up to a year to take delivery of a new Fortwo. Despite their diminutive size, Fortwos are relatively safe cars, thanks to a very stiff structure called the Tridon Safety Cell. It's designed to take advantage of the crumple zones of other vehicles. Thanks to this, in the U.S., the IIHS has given it "good" ratings for both front and side crash protection. An all-electric version is currently in the works, with Tesla signing on to provide battery packs for the first 1,000 cars. The model is scheduled for a U.S. release in 2012. View less Other Smart Models | |||
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