Smart In Canada
In a somewhat surprising turn of events, Mercedes-Benz Canada has announced that it will begin to sell a pair of Smart city cars in Canada this fall.
The company had previously announced that it would begin to sell the six-year-old concept in 2005 with the launch of the ForFour sedan.
But dealers across the country will have the diesel-powered Smart ForTwo coupé and cabrio models in the early fall of this year, starting from $16,000 for the base model coupe and at less than $20,000 for the convertible.
The ForTwo cdi is a two-seater available in either a coupé or cabrio version, both of which are powered by an 0.8 litre inline-three with ''state-of-the art'' common rail diesel engine.
This tiny engine delivers 40 hp and 74 lb.-ft. of torque and can take the tiny (it's only 2.5 metres long) car to a top speed of 120 km/h will using only 3.5 litres of diesel to go 100 km.
Standard equipment includes ESP stability control and brake assist on its anti-lock brake system, among other features.
''It has also performed brilliantly in all of its safety tests,'' says JoAnne Caza of Mercedes-Benz Canada. ''Smart has clearly taken the world by surprise with an intelligent city car concept that also proffers incomparable safety and comfort features for a vehicle in this category.''
''This category'' would primarily include the Mini lineup of cars from Mercedes-Benz's arch rivals at BMW, who are themselves launching a convertible version of the larger subcompact at the Geneva motor show soon.
The car was a co-production of Mercedes-Benz and the Smart watch company when it launched in 1998, but now it's pretty much the exclusive preserve of the German car company. It already sells in more than 700 outlets in 31 countries around the world.
Marcus Breitschwerdt, Mercedes-Benz Canada president and CEO, says, ''We decided to launch the current generation of ForTwo smarts in Canada in response to strong consumer demand. Based on the success of the ForTwo models around the world, it was the consensus that there is an unequivocal need for this type of intelligent, fuel efficient mobility in Canada.''
Breitschwerdt says ''The advanced common rail diesel cdi technology lends itself perfectly to the demands of today's sophisticated driver who is looking for clean energy, performance and fuel economy.
Smart will become an integral part of the product and brand portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Canada, he adds, ''and we will expand and complete the smart line up in the coming years with additional models including an SUV.''
