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Posted by
Dave Schembri on August 25, 2008 at 9:11am
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Hello smart insiders!
As promised in my last blog, I’d like to take a moment and share with you an update on our 2009 smart fortwo models. The 2009 models will start production in Hambach on October 1, and cars will begin arriving at smart centers in November.
There won’t be many changes to the 2009 model, but we are making a few minor adjustments, including changes to our current color palette and offerings.
As many of you have speculated, the 2009 model will have two color changes. A sporty “rally red” will replace the “light yellow” panels, and a sleek “gray metallic” will replace the “red metallic” panels. I trust many of you will find the new colors to be exciting additions to our current colors. And for those of you worried about replacement panels or full bodypanel kits for the “light yellow” and “metallic red,” these will still be available through your smart center.
On the interior, we’re modifying the “design red” fabric interior color to better match the “rally red” panels, which will be a deeper red than the current color. Also, we’re replacing the solid storage area on the insides of the doors with a flexible storage net. I’ve seen on the forums that many owners have had their “Check Engine Light” turn on when the gas tank cap is not fully locked. We’re now adding a helpful “Loose Gas Cap” indicator light to the dashboard instrument cluster – this should help differentiate this smaller safety reminder from an actual service issue.
We are also going to add a solid roof option to the passion coupe, which may help keep some of the heat out of the car for owners in warmer climates. This is the same roof from the pure coupe. We will no longer offer a panorama roof option on the pure coupe. If we add any more additional factory-installed options to the 2009 model, I will be sure to let you know here on smartusainsider.com. The pricing for 2009 is not yet confirmed, and I will let you know of any changes if they arise.
Finally, I wanted to extend a warm thank you to all of our smart owners who have been participating in the many local events around the country. Your enthusiasm clearly shows in the photos and videos of your gatherings and drives that you’ve generously shared on Insider. I would especially like to thank the over 60 smart owners that attended the Woodward Dream Cruise here in Michigan last weekend. It was a pleasure to meet with you and hear about your personal ‘smart’ experiences. And for those of you who attended the Lombard Street Photo, I can sum up my reaction in one word: “Wow!”
Again, thanks for your very helpful suggestions and comments on my previous entries. I look forward to your feedback on the other topics discussed here on smart USA Insider.
Until next time - kind regards,
Dave
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