In this case, an impossibly tiny vehicle called the Smart Fortwo that isn't even for sale in the United States until January, but its manufacturer says its limited production is sold out through much of 2008.
...More than 30,000 prospective buyers have made $99 deposits on the Fortwo on Smart's Web site since June 2006.
...Schembri wouldn't give a sales projection for 2008, though analysts have pegged the number at about 20,000. Someone who places a deposit now probably would not receive a car until "the very later part of 2008," he said.
Given the increase in gas prices and worries over CO2 emissions, it should come as no surprise that the Smart Car is going to be a major hit. After all, look back at the Toyota Prius; even with the $20,000+ price tag, a lot of people, myself included, purchased the Prius.
So now the Smart Car comes in at a price that's way lower than the Prius. It seems reasonable to expect that even more people will go for the Smart Car.
"Regrettably, sources at the parent company Smart GmbH advises that smart USA will only be receiving some 16,000 Smart cars for their entire dealership network for the 2008 model year. So, regardless of the number of Smart cars reserved or orders received, the sales potential is very limited." (2008 Smart Car link)
Last edited by CruisingAZ; 11-26-2007 at 09:55 AM.
Not too long ago, Penske or Schembri said there would be between 20,000 and 25,000 in the year's run. My guess, to give smart GmbH a firm round number to work with, is 24,000 at a steady rate of 2,000 per month. That looks like a number that the logistics and delivery chain could accomodate.
Regrettably, sources at the parent company Smart GmbH advises that smart USA will only be receiving some 16,000 Smart cars for their entire dealership network for the 2008 model year. So, regardless of the number of Smart cars reserved or orders received, the sales potential is very limited.
Although you haven't surrounding anything with quotes, it appears as if you're quoting from something here. Do you have a source and a date? I didn't see it in the article mentioned in the thread start. Am I missing something here?
Maybe, just maybe with the demand of smart cars being what it is, they will build a plant or retro-fit one that has been shuttered in the continental US to produce them here in the states. It may be just a pipe dream now, but with oil and gasoline doing what they are, it may just happen.
they will build a plant or retro-fit one that has been shuttered in the continental US to produce them here in the states. It may be just a pipe dream now...
Depends on what you are smoking... wouldn't happen here for a very long time. Easier to ramp up production in smartville, France. That could happen pretty quickly.
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