Smart sales down 84%? - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

VTC4198 · 02-03-2010, 12:02 AM

January numbers

:::: Motor Intelligence :::: powered by autodata corporation

New vehicle sales data

jr4488 · 02-03-2010, 12:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VTC4198

January numbers

:::: Motor Intelligence :::: powered by autodata corporation

New vehicle sales data

Wow, that is really disappointing...

jack

jose3030 · 02-03-2010, 10:22 AM

This car is gonna get discontinued, watch.

smartwheel · 02-03-2010, 10:58 AM

I wish I had bought another one of these!
They discontinued the diesel here in Canada in 2007
My guess is it wasn't making enough money for the dealers?
What a great car on fuel and no maintenance except for oil changes.
Convertible, diesel, Air conditioning great stereo who could ask for more.

BARNEY O · 02-03-2010, 11:36 AM

Those sales figures are horrible

vwW12 · 02-03-2010, 01:04 PM

Yeah it is pretty bad. It is becoming apparent that the public really prefers larger, powerful, very comfortable vehicles.

We love our smart ForTwo and it is our primary car but clearly the public at large has a different set of preferences. If you look at January sales, the top 4 vehicles are large trucks and mid-size cars:

Ford F - Series PU 27,630
Chevrolet Silverado 22,772
Honda Accord 19,022
Nissan Altima 18,636

The much-vaunted Prius, meanwhile, is not even in the top 10 and in fact has fallen to spot 18.

You cannot get an Accord or an Altima with any engine smaller than 2.4 liter in the U.S.

Meanwhile, GM says they are coming 18 months from now with a Chevy Volt with a 1.4 liter engine. Incoming crash and burn, baby.

smartmike · 02-03-2010, 01:15 PM

Does Smart run any advertising at all? I sure haven't seen any. I'm not sure what the strategy is, but keeping the car a secret from the American buyer can't be the best way to move them off the lot.

**jwight** · 02-03-2010, 01:19 PM

The gas engine on the Volt does not power the car; it only runs the generator which kicks in once the battery charge gets below a certain level. The electric motor is supposedly good for (est) 160 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque.

24-42 · 02-03-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smartmike

Does Smart run any advertising at all? I sure haven't seen any. I'm not sure what the strategy is, but keeping the car a secret from the American buyer can't be the best way to move them off the lot.

ADVERTISE or DIE !

I GUARANTEE it !

Donald LaFavor

Huronlad · 02-03-2010, 01:45 PM

They need to get bodies behind the wheel and as passengers of the smart and have it's abilities properly demonstrated.