Road Trip! Smart Cross-Country Tour Showcases Fortwo
Smart USA is starting off the U.S. marketing of the Smart Fortwo with a bang: a cross-country road tour, starting May 19, that will let prospective buyers in 50 cities test-drive the DaimlerChrysler unit's little car.
The tour starts in Los Angeles and continues until November. Smart will be visiting festivals, sporting events, college campuses and dealerships to build interest in the two-seat city car.
The road show will showcase four drivable vehicles at each stop and stay for four days in each city. The show will go through San Diego, Las Vegas and other points West, then head to the "central region" including Minneapolis, Cleveland and Detroit in mid-June and July before heading to the Southeast and East, finishing up in Miami in November. Complete schedules are available at the Smart USA Web site.
The United Auto Group of dealers, of which Smart USA is a subsidiary, reported today that 12,600 people have already plunked down $99 deposits to hold a place on a waiting list to buy a Fortwo. The cars go on sale in the U.S. market in 2008, expected to be priced under $12,000 and retailed by a group of 50-60 exclusive dealers.
