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Tiny Cars are Coming Stateside

Since 1998 there has been one car that has taken Europe by storm. The Smart Car, a tiny egg-shaped two-seater vehicle, has helped solve parking problems through out major European countries, and has even shown up in smaller countries such as Israel. The Smart Car however, has not been found in the US, yet. It seems that as Smart as the Smart Car sounds, it was not the best business plan for Mercedes-Benz. Since its development, business profits off of the particular model have not really been apparent.

Along side lack of profits, finding the correct business marketing plan to bring the car to the US has not been easy. The US is a country where people believe that bigger is better. Bigger people, bigger meals, bigger homes and most of all bigger cars. Business models across the US have been changing to encompass the larger side of life, and yes, this does have to do with the fact that the US has over 60 million obese citizens.

So, how does Mercedes-Benz plan on marketing this tiny car in a country that wants nothing to do with tiny? DaimlerChrysler chairman, Dieter Zetsche has been heard hinting to the fact that the Smart car will be coming stateside. The Smart Car that will be seen in the States will be an updated version of the one that is currently distributed in Europe. It will be redesigned in order to meet US emission and crash standards, and redesigned to meet the expectations of the US market. On a business stand point, the best selling point for the Smart is the fact that it gets great gas mileage: 70.6 mpg on the highway to be exact.