Smart, the microcar brand of Mercedes-Benz, still believes a market exists for its vehicles in North America, albeit a modest one. Executives now say they envision the potential to sell about 20,000 Smart vehicles a year in the United States.
Smart previously had said it was considering entering the United States with its Fortwo two-seater city car. The brand killed a proposed mini sport-utility vehicle, the Formore, which was intended primarily for North American buyers.
Smart will decide by year's end whether to build a U.S. dealer network and bring its products to the States, probably not before 2008, according to Reuters.
Smart launched a new convertible concept, the Crosstown, at the international auto show here. It has no immediate plans to market the car, a gas-electric hybrid based on the Fortwo, in North America.
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