Back in Feb. I sent the following letter to Dave Schembri and Ken Kettenbiel. I did not request a reply and haven't recieved one but am curious if I'm the only person that would be interested in such an event or if others would be as well. I am interested in what you think?
February 18, 2008
To: Dave Schembri & Ken Kettembiel
smart USA
1765 S. Telegraph Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302
From: Ken Wagar
Dear Dave and Ken,
I hope this note finds you both well and things moving along well at smart USA.
I’m writing to suggest that you consider some long range planning for smart and smart owners in the USA. I’m sure you have plenty to do already but would like to make a wild suggestion to you.
I have owned a Harley Davidson motorcycle for 15 years and am a member of the Harley Owners Group. I also previously owned a Mini Cooper and It is from my experience with these organizations that this suggestion comes.
I would like to see smart USA organize and put together a national rally next year in Detroit. I fully realize that there is a wide discrepancy between the number of Harley owners and smart owners but please bear with me.
The smart is generating a great deal of excitement and the owners appear to be passionate about their cars. I am guessing you will deliver some 20,000 to 25,000 smarts during 2008 and at least that many in 2009. So by early summer next year there should be some 35,000 smarts driving around the country.
My thought is that you have a “Coming Home” party for a three day weekend, home being Detroit, the home of smart USA and PAG. It could be a Friday noon to Sunday noon event . I am thinking a central gathering place where all the cars could park and where there could be a picnic and possibly bands or entertainment on Friday evening. Custom smart-ware could be designed and sold at this event.
Possibly it could be arranged to showcase the history of the smart car including having original models there as well as a four-four, roadster etc so everyone could see these cars that had such short lives. There could be accessory sales and possibly even invite aftermarket suppliers to participate.
During Saturday there could be some kind of parade route laid out where everyone could show off their smarts. Tours of the dealership and offices would be nice and some optional entertainment choices could be listed for those wanting to run around on their own.
Sat evening would again be some type of entertainment-one of the silly ideas I had was if there are any drive in movies left in the area it could be rented out just for smart USA and we would see how many smarts could fit into the drive in for a first run movie.
Sometime during the weekend it would be cool for everyone to be addressed by Roger Penske and by Dave and have a chance to meet them both.
Sunday morning could be a blessing of the smarts before people hit the road to head home.
One of the cool parts of this could be a take away from Harley where routes are laid out for the drive to the event from various parts of the country. Examples are a route from the Northeast, one from Texas, one from California, and one from Florida. For those that want to they can fall into one of these caravans to the big weekend which could be a blast with hundreds of smarts converging on Detroit.
This would work like a Wednesday morning departure from Miami Florida, I would join in when they come through Central Fl the same day, others would join as we go. Spend the night somewhere in the Atlanta area. Others join on Thursday as we drive through Tenn, Kentucky and into Ohio maybe spending the night again around Dayton or Columbus, then on into Detroit on Friday to a central gathering place.
I suppose this is the last thing in the world you need at this point in the development of smart USA but it could be a great event and could generate a lot of interest and press. I realize it is a significant undertaking. I’m also not suggesting that this event be free. There should be a charge to cover food and entertainment etc. Somewhere between $100 and $150 per person would not be unreasonable.
Just some incomplete thoughts, there is no need for you to get back to me, I just wanted to plant an idea.
We drove our 2007 Passion from Guadalajara to North Carolina and back; no fuss, no bother. Of course, we're retired and have time to play. If you want to have those older models, roadsters and 4/4, maybe a location in Mexico would be adviseable. We can throw in great weather any time of the year. Why Detroit, Ugh! Or are you just rubbing salt into the self-inflicted wounds of the 'Big-3'?
We have been on board with many national car gatherings in the past, but unfortunately with the smart one might be a little more limited on the distance willing to travel to get to such an event. In these case, Detroit would be doable.
A 5000 Mi. round trip for me would cost $520 in gas, $1152 for lodging and modest meals, $500 in other costs, so over $2100 and I've put 5k on the new car.
If you pick somewhere more central, like Denver; you might twist my arm into going!!!
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