smart car, new york - about the car

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about smart

In 1972 Mercedes-Benz developed the concept of a super-compact automobile with a length of two and a half meters. However, at this time technical implementation was still not possible because of the strict safety standards of Mercedes-Benz.

In 1989 Nicolas G. Hayek, the inventor of the Swatch clock, announced that he wants to bring a small city car on the market. For the fast and successful conversion Hayek goes on the search for an experienced partner. The joint venture founded in 1994 united the creative strength of Swatch with the hundred-year experience in automotive engineering of Mercedes Benz. The co-operation led to a unique vehicle concept and to a new automotive brand: smart. Three years after vehicle development work began in 1994, the smart fortwo made its world debut at the International Motor Show in Frankfurt in 1997. Production began in July 1998 in a new plant in Hambach, France.

The following October saw the new car being sold for the first time in nine European countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland). In the same year, smart became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz AG (now DaimlerChrysler AG). In the meantime, the smart fortwo is available in 36 countries. The USA will represent the 37th country to sell the smart fortwo.

As early as 2002, the smart fortwo was included in the permanent collection in New York’s Museum of Modern Art – the only vehicle there that is still produced today. The five other models to attain this honor were the Cisitalia, Jaguar E-Type, Willy’s Jeep, Ferrari Formula 1 and Volkswagen Beetle. smart, like Mercedes-Benz and Maybach, is part of the Mercedes Car Group.

The right car at the right time
It is time for the smart fortwo to make an appearance in the USA; fuel prices are rising again, and city traffic is increasing by the day. In short, the smart fortwo is the right car at the right time.

On the other side of the Atlantic, the two-seater quickly became a popular vehicle following its launch in October 1998. The same is sure to hold true in the USA. More than 770,000 customers have chosen the first generation of the smart fortwo – often to replace a larger car with the lively two-seater. Because the smart fortwo is something special and stands out from the crowd, and because it is simply fun to drive.

Apart from this, the vehicle concept is also highly practical – especially for people who live in cities or urban areas. On most journeys a car carries just a single occupant, and because people make faster progress through the city in a smart fortwo. And because with a smart fortwo, people can make faster progress through city streets and they do not even need to search for a parking space – the smart fortwo can easily fit between in very limited space – they can find one right away.