- smart city-coupe on sale from $21,900
- Sporty 45kW smart & pulse equipment line standard
- New smart Centres in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane
- Sales commence with more comfortable, safe and powerful
second generation
- Australian debut of the smart roadster in November 2003
DaimlerChrysler Australia Pacific today announced recommended
retail prices for its new smart city-coupe and smart cabrio models, which go on sale in Australia from June this year.
The arrival of the second generation of the two smart cars heralds the brand's official entry into the Australian new car market, with prices starting from $21,900 for the smart city-coupe and $26,900 for the smart cabrio.
The new smart cars will be on display in Australia for the first time at this year's Melbourne International Motor Show.
Both smart models will be available from two newly developed smart Centres located in Sydney and Melbourne (smart Centre Sydney and smart Centre Mel-bourne) - two of the key smart markets in the initial Australian launch phase.
A smart Centre Brisbane is planned to open early in 2004.
Additional sales and service outlets will open in Australia in line with sales growth projections for the smart brand.
The new smart model range in Australia will feature the highly specified and powerful smart & pulse performance and equipment package as standard.
Both the smart city-coupe and smart cabrio feature a redesigned and larger ca-pacity (698 cc) three-cylinder SUPREX turbo engine, which delivers 45 kW, and a sequential six-speed transmission.
The second generation smart city-coupe and smart cabrio are equipped with the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) as a standard feature. ESP includes fur-ther functions, which enhance the comfort and safety of the vehicle, such as Hill Start Assist, Brake Assist and Acceleration Skid Control. Moreover, the Anti-lock Braking System ABS including Electronic Brake-force Distribution is integrated in ESP.
Other standard-fitted items include the glass roof with sun-screen (city-coupe), leather steering wheel, front airbags, remote central locking, power windows, airconditioning, CD player and 15-inch alloy wheels.
The smart's basic design consists of short crumple zones around an extremely rigid TRIDION safety cell. The sandwich platform construction locates all the assembly units under the passenger compartment. The outer skin consists of flexible body panels. They are made of coloured thermoplastic which is 100-per cent recyclable.
smart GmbH, a company of the DaimlerChrysler Group, produces the smart city-coupe and cabrio at smartville, the smart production plant in Hambach, France.
The coming years will be strongly characterised by the extension of the smart brand from one model range - the smart city-coupe and smart cabrio - to three model ranges.
In addition to the smart roadster, which will go on sale in Australia from November 2003, smart is working on a concept for a small four-seater car together with the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, which will have its market premiere in 2004.
|
