smart in USA

[Mike_T]

Quote:

Jim Mateja in the Chicago Tribune Gas-saving cars charging into the picture Published March 27, 2007 Worried about gas hitting, if not topping, $3 a gallon again this year? No fear, Smart is coming with its promise to consume no more than an eye dropper of gasoline to get you to work and back and back and back 400 miles or more before the need to pull up to a high-priced pump. And the Fortwo model, a DaimlerChrysler product, is expected to arrive in the U.S. in the first quarter of next year. But starting Monday, you can "reserve" your low-price, high-mileage Fortwo. Of course, like they say, there's no free lunch. There are a couple hurdles, one being that you can reserve one, but it won't arrive in the U.S. for another year. And when it does, there's no guarantee of who when buyers will take delivery. Still Ken Kettenbeil, spokesman for Smart USA, doesn't want to dissuade consumers -- credit card in hand -- from placing their order at SmartUSA.com. And before you recoil at the thought of charging a car, you don't have to put up the full $12,000 for the Smart Pure Fortwo coupe or $14,000 for the Smart Passion Fortwo coupe or $17,000 for the Smart Passion Fortwo cabriolet -- or do you say convertible? A $99 deposit, which will be applied to the purchase price, will reserve you a car. And interested parties shouldn't be discouraged by the fact that those who sign up beginning Monday are second in line to the Smart "insiders," who have been sending in their $99 since March 19. Insiders are those who visited the Web site months ago, when word got out that sales of the car available in Europe for about seven years would expand to the U.S. in early 2008. They've been seeking information regularly via e-mail. Not to be a killjoy, but there are 43,000 "insiders." With estimates of about 20,000 sales annually to start -- Kettenbeil won't say -- have to suspect there will be a rather lengthy "waiting" list. Kettenbeil, however, insists that many of those 43,000 insiders who raised their hands won't raise a checkbook when it gets down to actually buying one. So, that's why those who visit SmartUSA.com now for the first time can sign up to be insiders, too, and probably be approved within an hour. If it gets you up higher on the list, why wait until Monday? Kettenbeil says the car seats two and gets 40 to 60 m.p.g. from its 1-liter engine teamed with an automatic transmission that can be shifted manually. Smart is roughly 5 feet wide, 5 feet tall and 8 feet 8 inches long, about 40 inches shorter than a Mini Cooper. Smart tips the scales at about 1,600 pounds, or about 900 pounds less than a Mini. It's so small, two of them fit in the space allotted for one car to park now. The real test of consumer acceptance comes when the motorist taking one out for a drive looks up in the rearview mirror at an approaching 18-wheeler. At least it has to have air bags and adds anti-lock brakes. Its navigation system, however, is called a map. Initial sales are expected in congested cities and resort communities to take advantage of its mileage despite its size. Kettenbeil said only 50 dealers will be open for business the first year. Once they are named later this year, the dealers will contact consumers on the reservation list to arrange for sale and delivery. The cars will be sold through United Auto Group, the country's second-largest auto dealer chain, owned by racing legend Roger Penske. It has 296 dealers in 19 states. HAR, MATEY: Last year Volvo teamed with Disney to stage a treasure hunt in conjunction with Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. More than 100,000 took part in the Internet hunt and seven ended up in the final (three from the U.S.). They were sent to the Bahamas to find a buried Volvo XC90. The hunt is on again. Visit VolvoCars.us/thehuntsignup.com to register and visit the blog at TheHunt07.spaces.live.com for details on this year's contest, expected to get under way in mid-April. ----------- Read Jim Mateja on Sunday in Transportation and Tuesday and Thursday in Business. Hear him on WBBM-AM 780 at 6:22 p.m. Wednesdays and 11:22 a.m. Sundays. jmateja@tribune.com

-----------------

Mike T, Kanada

[ Diese Nachricht wurde editiert von Mike_T am 04.04.2007 um 06:46 Uhr ]