Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Smart For-Us pickup making its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/07/smart-for-us-pickup-making-its-world-premiere-at-the-detroit-aut/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/07/smart-for-us-pickup-making-its-world-premiere-at-the-detroit-aut/http://www.autoblog.com/2011/12/07/smart-for-us-pickup-making-its-world-premiere-at-the-detroit-aut/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Smart For-Us pickup rendering

The lads and lasses at Smart have teased numerous different versions of their urban two-door in an effort to get more Americans to pay more attention to it. Car2Go is a worthy attention getter, and the Smart For-Us concept might be another, because who among us red-blooded U.S. of A'ers doesn't love a pickup truck - even one the size of a ladybug?

It "translates the practical loading concept of a pickup to the reality of 21st century urban traffic for the first time" with a longer wheelbase and wider track, a tiny bed, a 75-horsepower, 98-pound-foot electric motor, a "friendly yet assertive face" and (unlike other Smarts?) "extremely short overhangs."

We'll be at the Detroit Auto Show next month to capture all 11.6 feet of it. Until then, you can read about it in the press release after the jump and have a look at sketches in our high-res gallery of images.

Continue reading Smart For-Us pickup making its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show

Smart For-Us pickup making its world premiere at the Detroit Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2012 detroit2012 detroit auto showdetroitdetroit 2012detroit auto showfor-usnaiassmartsmart for-ussmart pickupsmart usaWed, 07 Dec 2011 09:30:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/20122450/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2011/12/07/smart-for-us-pickup-making-its-world-premiere-at-the-detroit-aut/20122450/article-detail.xml 20122450 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/smartforusdetroitwp_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2011/12/smartforusdetroitwp.jpg <![CDATA[Report: Smart looking to stem the gloom with first U.S. lease program]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/20/report-smart-looking-to-stem-the-gloom-with-first-u-s-lease-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/20/report-smart-looking-to-stem-the-gloom-with-first-u-s-lease-pr/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/20/report-smart-looking-to-stem-the-gloom-with-first-u-s-lease-pr/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

2009 Smart Fortwo - Click above for high-res image gallery

Intent on putting 2009 - and its devastating 41-percent sales plunge - into distant memory, Smart USA is rolling out its first lease incentive program designed to kick-start sales (along those lines, former Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak was appointed as president of the company just two weeks ago). Smart has run pilot leasing programs in the past, but this is the first program offered nationwide.

Launched two years ago, sales of the tiny Fortwo were initially strong. However, as the novelty wore off the unimpressive subcompact and gas prices dropped, customers grew cold. The failing economy only made matters worse. First year sales were 24,622 units. In 2009, Smart USA moved just 14,595 cars.

The terms of the Daimler Financial Services deal include a 36-month/10,000-mile lease with less than $2,000 out of pocket. Payments are $169 plus tax. The program is scheduled to run through the end of February.


Gallery: Review: 2009 Smart ForTwo


[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

Report: Smart looking to stem the gloom with first U.S. lease program originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Jill Ladjiakjill lajdziakJillLadjiakJillLajdziakleaseleasing dealLeasingDealSmart FortwoSmart Leasesmart leasing programSmart USASmartFortwoSmartLeaseSmartLeasingProgramSmartUsaWed, 20 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19321750/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/20/report-smart-looking-to-stem-the-gloom-with-first-u-s-lease-pr/19321750/article-detail.xml 19321750 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/fortwo630_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/fortwo630.jpg <![CDATA[Penske appoints Jill Lajdziak to run Smart USA hoping to stem sales collapse]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/penske-appoints-jill-lajdziak-to-run-smart-usa-hoping-to-stem-sa/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/penske-appoints-jill-lajdziak-to-run-smart-usa-hoping-to-stem-sa/http://www.autoblog.com/2010/01/05/penske-appoints-jill-lajdziak-to-run-smart-usa-hoping-to-stem-sa/#commentsFiled under: ,

Just a few weeks ago, former Saturn general manager Jill Lajdziak was hired by Penske Automotive to head sales and marketing for its Smart USA operations. Now, Smart has announced that Lajdziak will take over the entire operation as the new president of Smart USA, replacing Dave Schembri who has held the post since its inception.

In the past several months, sales of the Smart Fortwo have collapsed in the States, with November down 65 percent. From where we sit, Lajdziak has a tough job ahead of her, trying to find a way to convince buyers that a tiny but not inexpensive car with disappointing fuel economy and a horrible transmission is a good idea. To be fair, tilting at windmills is nothing new for Lajdziak, who worked at Saturn throughout its entire nearly twenty year run. Revamping the sales network will apparently be a big part of her job, since a revamped version of the Fortwo is not on the immediate horizon. You can check out the official press release after the jump.

[Source: Smart USA | Image: Stan Honda/Getty]

Continue reading Penske appoints Jill Lajdziak to run Smart USA hoping to stem sales collapse

Penske appoints Jill Lajdziak to run Smart USA hoping to stem sales collapse originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Jill Ladjiakjill lajdziakJillLadjiakJillLajdziakPenske Autopenske auto groupPenske Automotivepenske automotive gr...Penske Automotive GroupPenske Automotive Group IncPenskeAutoPenskeAutoGroupPenskeAutomotivePenskeAutomotiveGr...PenskeAutomotiveGroupPenskeAutomotiveGroupIncsmart ussmart usasmart usa presidentSmartUsSmartUsaSmartUsaPresidentTue, 05 Jan 2010 11:01:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/19303273/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2010/01/05/penske-appoints-jill-lajdziak-to-run-smart-usa-hoping-to-stem-sa/19303273/article-detail.xml 19303273 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/lajdziak-getty-headshot-250_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/01/lajdziak-getty-headshot-250.jpg <![CDATA[20,000 pre-orders for the Smart fortwo]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/11/20-000-pre-orders-for-the-smart-fortwo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/11/20-000-pre-orders-for-the-smart-fortwo/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/07/11/20-000-pre-orders-for-the-smart-fortwo/#commentsFiled under: , ,



DaimlerChrysler's U.S. distributor for the tiny Smart fortwo has taken more than 20,000 reservations for the upcoming minicar, with customers paying $99 upfront for the privilege of being one of the first in the country to own one. With base models expected to start below $12,000 and rising up to roughly $17,000 for a convertible version, the cost effective model took less than four months to tally up its pre-release orders.

Set to go on sale in January, the new Smart will likely be sold through a network of dealers under Roger Penske's United Auto Group, with a bulk of the cars selling through Mercedes-Benz stores.

The tiny two-seater is, in fact, built by Mercedes and features a 0.7L three-cylinder motor. The car has yet to undergo U.S. crash testing, but it's expected to do much better than the previous model, which scored just three stars our of five in Europe's NCAP tests. There's still no word on whether the recent micro-hybrid Smart will come to the U.S.

[Source: The Detroit News]

20,000 pre-orders for the Smart fortwo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2007 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Smart fortwoSmart USASmartFortwoSmartUsaWed, 11 Jul 2007 20:04:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/937446/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/07/11/20-000-pre-orders-for-the-smart-fortwo/937446/article-detail.xml 937446 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/07/image31010_c_smart_fortwo_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/07/image31010_c_smart_fortwo.jpg <![CDATA[$300,000 buy-in to sell Smarts in U.S.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/15/300-000-buy-in-to-sell-smarts-in-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/15/300-000-buy-in-to-sell-smarts-in-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/01/15/300-000-buy-in-to-sell-smarts-in-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Smart USA has begun recruiting North American dealers to sell the diminutive two-seater and is starting with current DaimlerChrysler dealers. While those already selling DC products would not be required to build a stand-alone Smart showroom, they would have to dedicate 2,000 sq feet to the product and provide a separate entrance. Automotive News reports dealers would be expected to invest about $300,000 apiece for the priviledge of selling Smarts. AutoNation, which runs 13 Mercedes dealerships, says it is among 400 candidates hoping to get Smart franchises.

To build U.S. awareness of the Smart brand, three tractor trailers will tour the country this summer, taking Smart cars to the masses in 37 cities. Potential buyers will then have a chance to test drive the ForTwo and find out just how intimidated even the smallest SUV will make them feel. Those still interested in buying, can look forward to the first of 2008, when the cars should actually hit dealer lots.

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]

$300,000 buy-in to sell Smarts in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Jan 2007 09:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>smartsmart dealersmart dealerssmart fortwosmart fortwo dealersmart usaSmartDealerSmartDealersSmartFortwoSmartFortwoDealerSmartUsaMon, 15 Jan 2007 09:06:00 EST http://www.autoblog.com/feed/736046/article-comments.xml http://www.autoblog.com/feed/2007/01/15/300-000-buy-in-to-sell-smarts-in-u-s/736046/article-detail.xml 736046 http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/01/smartcjt_450_thumbnail.jpg http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2007/01/smartcjt_450.jpg -1 2