Mercedes-Benz USA Intends to
Transition the Distribution of smart from Penske Automotive
Group
Stuttgart/Montvale, NJ -
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC and Penske Automotive Group announced they
have started discussions to transition the distribution rights,
management, sales and marketing activities of smart USA from
Penske Automotive Group to Mercedes-Benz USA. The transition is
expected to occur by the end of the second quarter of 2011.
The proposed change marks a
further step in implementing the future growth strategy of the
smart brand. It also reflects last year’s reorganization at
smart headquarters in Germany, where smart is now managed as an
independent brand, but is fully integrated into Mercedes-Benz
Cars business unit of Daimler AG.
“We are very excited about working
toward integration of smart into the MBUSA organization, and
look forward to working with our dealer partners to exceed
customer expectations for this unique vehicle,” said
Mercedes-Benz President and CEO, Ernst Lieb. “The addition of
smart, combined with our Autohaus dealer initiative, will help
us build upon the tremendous momentum the Mercedes-Benz brand
had achieved here in the U.S.”
“Introducing the smart brand to
the U.S. has been a unique opportunity for us,” said Penske
Automotive Group Chairman Roger Penske. “Over the last three
years I’ve experienced the passion consumers express for the
brand as we delivered over 45,000 vehicles. Aligning smart
distribution with Daimler, as it is worldwide, is the logical
next step for the smart brand in the U.S. This alignment will
enable the smart brand to grow through the Mercedes-Benz
dealership network and lead the way in conservation and meeting
future fuel economy standards.”
“Roger Penske and his team
successfully paved the way for the smart brand in the US. The
integration of the smart wholesale into our own national sales
organization is an important part of our global growth strategy
for smart,” said Dr. Annette Winkler, Vice President smart.
“This is an important step towards the success of the smart
brand in the US market.”
The addition of the fuel efficient
smart fortwo and smart fortwo electric vehicles to the
Mercedes-Benz USA’s product portfolio underscore the company’s
commitment to meet even more stringent fuel economy standards in
the future. The smart fortwo achieves EPA estimated 41 mpg in
highway driving. Manufactured by Daimler AG, smart is currently
sold in more than 40 countries, and more than 1.2 million smart
fortwo have been sold worldwide since 1998. Since then smart has
established itself as the think tank for urban and electric
mobility for Daimler AG and plays an important role in the
Corporation’s plans to make innovative future mobility concepts
such as car2go available in Europe and the United States.
