October and YTD sales numbers (check post #1)

**JPaul** · 07-01-2008, 05:05 PM

smart sales (registrations) in the USA so far:

3.476 cars through March
2.683 cars in April
2,695 cars in May
2,545 cars in June
2,559 cars in July
2,420 cars in August
1,778 cars in September
2,236 cars in October
20,392 total YTD

note: this thread's top post will be updated monthly as warranted, and its title changed accordingly.

maxtraxduffy · 07-01-2008, 05:26 PM

looks like 25000 cars a year to me. saw a news story today talked about mb sales numbers up due to smart!!

**JPaul** · 07-02-2008, 08:00 AM

Quote:

New York, NY – Daimler AG (stock exchange abbreviaton DAI) today [July 1] reported sales for the Mercedes-Benz Cars division (Mercedes-Benz and smart combined) of 22,121 units in the U.S. for June 2008. All sales figures in this release are on an unadjusted basis unless otherwise noted.
Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) today [July 1] reported sales of 19,576 new vehicles for June 2008, bringing the year-to-date total to 119,279 units, marking the best first-half sales in the company’s history.
Sales for the smart fortwo remain strong with deliveries totaling 2,545 for the month of June. This brings the year-to-date total to an incredible 11,399 units in less than six months of being offered in the US market. The vehicle is attracting an overwhelming number of buyers who want a solution to high gas prices, a reduced environmental footprint and increased urban mobility on congested city streets – all in a package that's fun to drive. The fortwo offers a powerful combination of outstanding fuel efficiency, innovative safety, environmental friendliness and low cost of ownership. There are currently 69 smart centers open in 31 states.

A separate similar statement was issued by MB USA.

**SmartCard** · 07-02-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxtraxduffy

looks like 25000 cars a year to me. saw a news story today talked about mb sales numbers up due to smart!!

Extending the last 3 months sales average, looks like they can deliver over 31,000 smart/year! That should make those waiting a little happier!

Karl Roth · 07-02-2008, 08:54 AM

Daimler AG (DAI) german company owns a bunch of vehicle manufacturing companies I don't naturally assosiate with the company like Freightliner trucks, Detroit Diesel, Mitsubishi Fuso, Thomas built buses and others. One company called Mercedes- Benz Cars, German Company again builds the car line including our smarts. smart is a seperate company but still under the umbrella of Mercedes-Benz Cars. They handle the manufacture of all the car lines around the world. Mercedes-Benz USA LLC is an American Company that Imports and sells MB automobiles in the United States. They build nothing other than Fancy showrooms ect. In the US and only in the US the car (smart) is imported and sold by smart usa distribututor LLC an American Company
The reason we are getting smarts here in the US 10 years after the introduction is MB USA wanted no part of it and still don't.
Thank you Mr. Penski for bringing us the cars...
So where did i go wrong
karl

idahosmart · 07-02-2008, 10:31 AM

So there are now about 9 times as many 2008 smart cars in the US as there are the 2002-2006 models converted by G&K (about 1300 cars).

Tom

John_H · 07-02-2008, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

The reason we are getting smarts here in the US 10 years after the introduction is MB USA wanted no part of it and still don't.

I don't believe this is the case at all. Ron Tonkin (dealership) in Portland, OR was trying to get the imported cars modified by a 3rd party to meet US safety and emissions. The company he was trying to work with claimed they were being strong-armed by the US folks that were supposed to certify their work such that they couldn't deliver in the early stages. By the time they may have been able to get things moving out of this limbo, MB announced the intent to develop a US-compliant model and sign up distributors. Ron Tonkin lost out to the Kuni group locally (much to my disappointment for Ron Tonkin's efforts).

I have seen no value-add from Penske, they're just the chosen middle-man as far as I can tell.

Karl Roth · 07-02-2008, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John_H

I don't believe this is the case at all. Ron Tonkin (dealership) in Portland, OR was trying to get the imported cars modified by a 3rd party to meet US safety and emissions. The company he was trying to work with claimed they were being strong-armed by the US folks that were supposed to certify their work such that they couldn't deliver in the early stages. By the time they may have been able to get things moving out of this limbo, MB announced the intent to develop a US-compliant model and sign up distributors. Ron Tonkin lost out to the Kuni group locally (much to my disappointment for Ron Tonkin's efforts).

I have seen no value-add from Penske, they're just the chosen middle-man as far as I can tell.

Not to take away from an individual "franchise" owner the heads of the company are the problem. As far as Penskis value you have a US spec car from the factory because he stepped up to the plate and said I will do it and took the risk. Big value in my book.
karl

**jwight** · 07-03-2008, 06:45 AM

+1 No PAG involvement, no US spec smarts for us.

Little John · 08-01-2008, 12:01 PM

Mercedes Benz Sales Jump 11.6% For July Sales Period - AutoSpies Auto News

Sales for the smart fortwo remain strong with deliveries totaling 2,559 for the month of July. This brings the year-to-date total to an incredible 13,958 units in a little more than six months of being offered in the US market. The vehicle is attracting an overwhelming number of buyers who want a solution to high gas prices, a reduced environmental footprint and increased urban mobility on congested city streets -- all in a package that's fun to drive. The fortwo offers a powerful combination of outstanding fuel efficiency, innovative safety, environmental friendliness and low cost of ownership. There are currently 69 smart centers open in 31 states.