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Mercedes-Benz brand smart demonstrates
technological expertise at the Geneva Motor Show
smart on track:
New models form the basis for success
Photo: Automotive Intelligence
smart electric vehicle
Böblingen - smart's
key message at the International Motor Show in Geneva is "smart
forward!" At today's press conference Ulrich Walker, President of
smart gmbh, presented a whole host of new products. Fascinating
model variants and technical expertise in alternative drives are
the highlights of smart's presentation at the show.
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Within the
framework of a press conference, Ulrich Walker also described
the main factors that led to smart achieving its targets
in 2005: The 20% increase to the number of sales outlets,
the further qualification of the dealer network and the
focused marketing concept which brings smart even closer
to customers.
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Photo: Automotive Intelligence
smart concept
Potential for individualisation
is a defining feature of all smart models. So it's no surprise that
the number of special fortwo models that have been successfully
launched on the market now totals 19. The smart fortwo edition nightrun,
edition red and edition grandstyle are being presented in Geneva.
The latter has been sold more than 6,000 times within the space
of just a few weeks! With the BRABUS and BRABUS Xclusive variants,
attractive new equipment lines of the smart forfour that are precisely
tailored to the target group are now also available. Also on show
in Geneva is the first car of a final small limited "collector's
edition" of the smart roadster for collectors and enthusiasts.
The presentation of
alternative drives is a further focus at smart's almost 1000m2 stand.
Putting these into series production would be a matter of ease -
as Ulrich Walker demonstrated with the example of the smart fortwo
ev, the familiar two-seater smart with electric drive. The smart
crosstown show car shows the technical feasibility of a hybrid drive.
According to Walker "Its hybrid drive combines the advantages of
a small, economical turbocharged petrol engine with the strengths
of an electric drive that produces no emissions whatsoever." Visitors
to Geneva are impressed by the attractive new interior ideas realised
in the smart crosstown and by its unusual matt paintwork. As well
as the smart crosstown, the smart roadster "collector's edition"
and the smart forfour BRABUS SBR, a further new model at smart's
stand in Geneva, also feature this completely new matt paintwork
concept. Ulrich Walker is convinced that the combination of the
new models, the qualified and extended distribution network, the
focused marketing approach and the strength of the brand in its
36 markets resulted in sales growth for smart in 2005 - for the
seventh year running. According to Walker, the sum of these measures
also forms the basis for "smart forward!"
(Feb
27, 2006)
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