From the source!

[JPaul]

Have a reservation and wish to guess a delivery date?
Let's tackle the issue from the other end: the source!
Too often do we get the answer "soon". But what does that mean, a week, a month or a season? Instead of asking questions to the local Dealership, or the Bloomfield's offices, I thought that the whole distribution process depends first and foremost on how many cars are actually coming out of Smartville's plant, and how many of those are "made for US". Independently from how many reservations are placed, confirmed or not; or what ever expectations one may have according to what the Dealer may say or Smart USA doesn't or can't say, we cannot expect cars that are not actually built. (We will adress the shipment and distribution procedures later.)
[We understand that our reservation number is but a chronological time and date stamp of our $99 deposit/reservation acceptance. And that our confirmation is but a pre-order form that Smart USA uses to place orders to the manufacturing planners.
Then we realize that the whole concept of Smartville is an integrated plant of various companies congregated in Hambach in order to limit long-distance movements and stockpiles of parts, and to streamline the production process. Smart/Daimler doesn't like the idea of scores of finished cars waiting on holding parking lots for potential customers. Big inventory is not acceptable. So, let's move those cars! ASAP.]
Here is what I can say at this stage. I got in touch with the people in Hambach and asked lots of questions in French. (Note that neither did I hide the fact that I'm a retired francophone journalist, nor that I'm a waiting customer.) Here is what the Media Representative of smart told me this very morning:
At this date, 600 cars roll out of Smartville everyday, a third of them for US. That's 1.000 cars/week for US. They are then transported by road (trucks) to Bremerhaven, where the shipping company hired by Daimler transports them to our shore (on ships that will then return to Europe with US made Mercedes).
More later.

[Carnut]

thats 45K figuring French vacation days. Plenty to go around boys and girls. I'm guessing we will start seeing commercials and ads by end of summer. ;)

[jwight]

Originally Posted by Carnut

thats 45K figuring French vacation days. Plenty to go around boys and girls. I'm guessing we will start seeing commercials and ads by end of summer. ;)

You mean folks reserving today won't get their 2009 models?

[Smartdavis]

Great information. I wonder if that "third" going to the states can be adjusted up without much difficulty by reducing some of the production to other countries. If so they could put even more cars into the states this year.

[MinnySmart]

Well Done JPaul!

Thanks for making that call!

[gamernotwatcher]

Then that means all March reservations have been shipped based on our earliest estimations on reservations per week....... But I have recieved no communication, nada, nothing, oh well, patience zen

[SmartCard]

Originally Posted by Carnut

thats 45K figuring French vacation days. Plenty to go around boys and girls. I'm guessing we will start seeing commercials and ads by end of summer. ;)

of course the accuracy of those daily figures really gets compounded over the course of a year! A third of the daily production doesn't have to mean exactly 200, could be about a third....and what if it was really about a third going to North America, Canada included, soooo ....maybe its really closer to 100 a day for the US, and low and behold - we're back to 24K per year!

[bmx43]

Originally Posted by SmartCard

of course the accuracy of those daily figures really gets compounded over the course of a year! A third of the daily production doesn't have to mean exactly 200, could be about a third....and what if it was really about a third going to North America, Canada included, soooo ....maybe its really closer to 100 a day for the US, and low and behold - we're back to 24K per year!

true. and that's also assuming that the factory works 5 days a week, every week, which in France, they do not. maybe they only produce cars 4 days a week. we all know about the notorious French vacation and work schedules.

just more speculation as i see it.

[august8pm]

Originally Posted by gamernotwatcher

Then that means all March reservations have been shipped based on our earliest estimations on reservations per week....... But I have recieved no communication, nada, nothing, oh well, patience zen

How do you arrive at that? (I'm not questioning the accuracy or anything, just curious how you came to that estimation.)

[meaux61]

Gamernotwatcher**- Wait until March 1 I think they will call you then. I got my email on Feb 1 and my car reaches the dock on Sunday the 17th.

Meaux