Smart (automobile)
Smart (short for Swatch Mercedes Art, sometimes called the MCC Smart ) is a brand of compact automobiles. The original Smart was a very small 2-seater automobile, but a coupe convertible and small SUV have been added, extending the brand into a true marque, part of DaimlerChrysler as Micro Compact Car GmbH.
History
The cars are manufactured at a purpose-built factory complex (called Smartville) in Hambach, France, established in 1994 as a joint-venture of Daimler-Benz and the watch manufacturer Swatch. The project was originally supported by Swatch (the Swiss watch company), and was nicknamed the Swatchmobile.
Being inexperienced in automobiles, Swatch teamed in a joint venture with Daimler-Benz to finalize and produce the product. The joint venture experienced heavy losses and Swatch pulled out.
Fortwo
The Fortwo, intended primarily for urban use, is powered by small petrol or diesel engines. It is light (740 kg), its construction based on a reinforced steel shell with plastic body panels. Its short length (2.5 m) means that two Smarts can share a normal-size parking bay. The car was launched in 1998.
The car was supposed to be full of very innovative features (such as hybrid engine) and to be an affordable car for young people. When the car issued it was far from expectations: technology was conventional and it was more expensive than most small 4-seater cars sold in Europe.
The car is popular in Europe and Japan. It is the only non-Japanese car that fulfills the regulations for Keicars. Although one of the cars is an exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City, the car is not available in the USA. It is scheduled for US release in 2006.
Formore
The larger Formore will be released worldwide (including the United States) in 2005. It is a small all wheel drive SUV and rides on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The architecture will be shared with the Mercedes-Benz X-Class. Power will come from a 1.8 L straight-4 or a 3.0 L V6. It will be built at a DaimlerChrysler factory in Brazil rather than the French Smartville factory.
See also
