SMART CARS CITY SCORCHERS

Smart cars for city transportation

 

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Smart car dents DaimlerChrysler

 

DaimlerChrysler has reported a 30% drop in quarterly profits, hit by losses at the carmaker's Smart minicar business.

 

 

 

 

The US-German firm, the world's fifth largest carmaker, said its first quarter net profits fell to 288m euros (£195m; $371m) from 412m euros in 2004.

 

DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes unit, itself beset with quality problems, recently launched a costly restructuring of its troubled Smart car brand.

 

The group's weaker profits follow similar losses at rival US carmakers.

Earlier this month, Ford reported a 40% fall in its first quarter net profits to $1.21bn, while General Motors - the world's biggest carmaker - unveiled a net loss of $1.1bn in the first three months of 2005.

 

 

Smart fortwo
Price Range: £6,810 - £14,620
Body Styles: Convertible / Coupe
Models in the range: 9

 

Strong euro

 

DaimlerChrysler said its German-based Mercedes division reported an operating loss of 954m euros, from profits at the same time last year of 639m euros, linked to restructuring costs at its Smart car business totalling 800m euros.

The distinctive minicar has consistently lost money since its debut in 1998.

 

 

Smart forfour

 

Smart forfour
Price Range: £8,995 - £12,370
Body Style: Hatchback
Models in the range: 10

 

 


 

 

DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

 

When smart was in development, they were thinking about a process-driven environmental management system. Their system was was certified to DIN EN ISO 14001 in February 1997 at our Böblingen facility. Annual internal and external auditing makes sure this system follows a continuous improvement process.

 

 

 

 

Smarts are built from pre-assembled modules. It's this modular system that makes dismantling the cars much simpler. And this in turn makes it much easier to strip-out and grade the materials for re-use - so some parts of a smart see the light of day more than once. That's also why we much prefer to use synthetics as they are easier to recycle.

 

 

 

01/1993

feasibility study started at Mercedes-Benz to develop a small car

04/03/1994

press conference - joint venture planned between Mercedes-Benz and swatch

04/1994

Micro Compact Car AG established Biel (Switzerland)

12/1994

factory site chosen in Hambach (France)

09/1995

smart concept study at the IAA in Frankfurt

14/10/1995

foundation stone laid in smartville (Hambach)

28/11/1995

foundation of Micro Compact Car (MCC) in Hambach

12/06/1997

start of the smart engine plant in the (then) Daimler-Benz AG in Berlin

09/1997

world première of smart city-coupé at the IAA in Frankfurt

27/10/1997

birth of smartville

01/07/1998

production of smart city-coupé begins

10/07/1998

advanced sales start in the smart centres

10/1998

launch of the smart city-coupé in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)

01/11/998

100% take-over of MCC by the (then) Daimler-Benz AG

01/01/1999

transfer of business from Biel (Switzerland) to Renningen (Germany). Micro Compact Car GmbH renamed Micro Compact Car smart GmbH

12/1999

launch of the smart cdi in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)

12/1999

MCC smart is the first manufacturer to sell cars via the internet

12/1999

100,000th smart city-coupé rolls off the production line in Hambach

03/2000

launch of the smart cabrio in nine European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)

10/2000

launch of the smart city-coupé (LHD) in the UK at the Birmingham International Motorshow

03/2001

launch of the smart cabrio cdi in some markets

04/2001

launch of the smart cabrio (LHD) in the UK

10/2001

launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in the UK

11/2001

launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in Japan

03/2002

presentation of the smart crossblade as a production car at the International Motor Show in Geneva

06/2002

launch of the smart crossblade in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and the UK

09/2002

Micro Compact Car smart GmbH (MCC) renamed smart GmbH

09/2002

the new smart roadster production line (smart mall) starts in Hambach

10/2002

5th anniversary of smartville - 430,000 cars produced since launch

01/2003

launch of the 2nd generation smart city-coupé and cabrio in the UK

04/2003

launch of the smart roadster/roadster-coupé and smart city-coupé/cabrio BRABUS throughout mainland Europe

09/2003

launch of the smart roadster and roadster-coupé in the UK

01/2004

smart city-coupé/cabrio renamed smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo cabrio

04/2004

launch of the smart forfour in mainland Europe

09/2004

launch of the smart forfour in the UK

 

 

 

Smart Roadster Coupe  &  Smart Roadster
Price Range: £11,995 - £16,995
Body Style: Coupe
Models in the range: 5

 

 


 

 

- smart GmbH (German parent company) is a 100% owned subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler AG
- established: April 1994
- no. of employees: 1,140 (status @ Jan 2003)
- administrative headquarters: Böblingen (Germany)
- production facility: Hambach (France)
- represented in 35 countries (status @ Feb 2004)
- management: Ulrich Walker (CEO), Rudi Hammerschmidt, Dr. Roberto Klimmek,
  Anders Sundt Jensen, Dr. Helmut Wawra

 

 

 

Smart convertible

 

 

ELECTRIC VEHICLES

 

Any form of electric vehicle is better than petrol or diesel, but an electric vehicle that can refuel in a few minutes will obviously have much more customer appeal than an EV that has to wait 30 minutes or even hours to charge up.

 

Battery technology is improving daily. A car with the new generation of battery cartridge exchange built in and the ability to load its own cartridge, will encourage energy companies to build service forecourts.

 

The Blueplanet Ecostar (BE3) LSR Team would be pleased to advise any energy company interested in this technology and of course any vehicle manufacturer who might be considering whether or not to include a future proof system into their next generation of road cars.

 

 

 

 

Video

 

 

 


 

 

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Yamaha

Yugo

 

 

Please click on the links above to find out about these famous automotive makers.  If your company is not included and you would like to be listed, please let us know.

 

 

UK VEHICLE INSURANCE ONLINE A - Z

 

No matter what car, van or bike you drive, we're all looking for great value and quality in our UK motor insurance?  But who is the best - who is the cheapest and who offers the great service in the event of a claim?

 

See the insurance companies below who claim to offer competitive cover at sensible prices, our guide to the jargon and tips for cutting your quote - Good Luck:-

 

 

1ST QUOTE

4YOUNG DRIVERS.CO.UK

17 TO 40

A QUOTE INSURANCE

AA CAR INSURANCE

ACCEPT DIRECT

ADMIRAL CAR INSURANCE

ADRIAN FLUX - SPECIALIST INSURANCE

ASDA CAR INSURANCE

AUTOTRADER

AXA

BARCLAYS

BELL

BUDGET

CENTRAL DIRECT VEHICLE INSURANCE

CHURCHILL

COMPARE THE MARKET

CONFUSED.COM

CORNHILL DIRECT

DIAL DIRECT

DIAMOND

DIRECT LINE

EAGLE STAR

EASY MONEY INSURANCE

ECARINSURANCE.CO.UK

ELEPHANT.CO.UK

ENDSLEIGH

EQUITY RED STAR MOTOR POLICIES

ESURE

FOOL.CO.UK

FORD CAR INSURANCE

FORTIS

GROUPAMA

HALIFAX ONLINE CAR INSURANCE

HASTINGS DIRECT

HSBC car insurance

INSURANCE NOW.CO.UK

INSURE.CO.UK

ITS4ME

 

 

KWIK FIT

LEGAL & GENERAL

LIVERPOOL VICTORIA

LLOYDS TSB CAR INSURANCE

LOCAL BROKER.CO.UK

MASTER QUOTE

MARKS & SPENCER

MONEY SUPERMARKET.COM

MORE THAN - Sun Alliance

MOTOR QUOTE DIRECT

MOTOWORLD

N.I.G CAR INSURANCE

NORWICH UNION

PEOPLES CHOICE

PERFORMANCE DIRECT

POST OFFICE

PRIVILEGE

PROVIDENT FINANCIAL

PRUDENTIAL

QUOTE DIRECT

RAC

ROYAL & SUN ALLIANCE

SABRE INSURANCE

SAGA

SAINSBURYS BANK

SCREENTRADE CAR INSURANCE

SHEILAS WHEELS

SMARTER MONEY.COM

SONAR DIRECT.CO.UK

SWIFTCOVER

QUICK CAR QUOTE

QUINN DIRECT CAR INSURANCE

QUOTE ZONE CAR INSURANCE

TESCO 

THE INSURANCE CENTRE

TINY QUOTES.CO.UK

VIRGIN

YES INSURANCE.CO.UK

YOUR FINANCE.BIZ

ZURICH

 

Automotive Prehistory Links

CONTACTS

 

 

A taste for adventure capitalists

 

The world's fastest electric land speed record car, a blue bird eco streamliner

 

The world's fastest electric car: 350mph + using energy from nature. Featuring built in battery cartridge exchange, charged using renewable solar energy. Sponsors sought for the 2016 season.

 

 

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