Daimler expects huge US demand for tiny Smart car

German car maker Daimler said Tuesday that next month’s launch of its tiny Smart car in the United States will unleash such stiff demand the company will have trouble meeting it.”We will not be able to meet demand thus far” for 2008, Daimler chairman Dieter Zetsche said here at a news briefing.More than 30,000 US customers have put down 99-dollar deposits to reserve one of the fuel-saving, two-seat Smart Fortwo, which will begin arriving in the massive US market in January, he said.

“Down payments are going far beyond the production capacity we have,” the chairman said, without providing a sales forecast for the US market.

The Smart Fortwo will be marketed via 70 dealerships in the leading US cities, the company said.

In its most basic version, the micro car will sell for $11,590, excluding tax. The company said that a Smart equipped with all the options was expected to cost some $20,000, including tax.

Source: physorg.com

It is being marketed as an environmentally friendly vehicle, and is targeted toward younger drivers.

I would like to see some of the Insurance Institute crash/safety ratings before I would buy one.

NowPublic

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