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Get Smart, with a New Car
By One Eyed View | December 7, 2007
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Whether or not you’ve read my previous post on the Pay by the Mile Car Insurance company MileMeter that’s coming soon, you may be interested to learn of another great idea coming to America in 2008; the Smart Car.
I can’t speak for all Americans, but I am fed up with the slow movement of the car industry to move toward more fuel efficient cars, and the Smart Car is a huge step in the right direction. Although the Smart Car isn’t the “end all” solution for fuel economy and environmentally minded transportation, I truly believe that we are ready to embrace a change.
Here’s the latest from Yahoo News:
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.
Many analysts question the ability of the super-small Smart, which measures a mere 2.5 meters (eight feet) in length, to succeed in the country of hulking gasoline-guzzling vehicles.
“Times have changed,” Zetsche said, pointing to growing concerns of American consumers about global warming.
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 dollars, excluding tax. The company said that a Smart equipped with all the options was expected to cost some 20,000 dollars, including tax.
“We are not looking for customers looking for the cheapest vehicle,” Zetsche said.
Daimler clearly signaled it was aiming to emulate Apple’s success with electronics gadgets in the US market.
“Like owning an Apple i-Mac, i-Pod or i-Phone, Smart documents the open-minded attitude of the ‘thought leaders,’ who choose innovative solutions as an existential part of their everyday lives,” the company said in a press brochure.
What’s your opinion? Do you think we’re ready?
Here are some other efficient ideas:
Topics: Community, Future, Global Citizenship, Positivity, Social Responsibility |
December 7th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
I was at a red light today when a Hummer passed. I thought to myself, “THAT is one of the reasons gas prices are so high. Some Americans believe the car they own means how well off, or what their status is in the community.” I’d rather have a small, inexpensive car that had good gas mileage than one I’d have to spend $100 on each time I filled up. Even if I had the money. What are your thoughts on the Toyota Prius?
December 8th, 2007 at 9:32 am
The only trouble they’ve had with it that I know of is that one time on a road trip the warnings lights went on, it still ran fine, it was just a notification that they needed a software upgrade.
Like I said, a geek’s dream;)