Asians Get Smart. Or not.

Business Week reports that newly divorced Daimlers got the hots for the Asian market. On the eve of sending the FourTwo on its America adventure (via AutoNation), Mercedes CEO Rainer Schmueckle says hes contemplating selling the self-same city car in China and its nearby neighbors. Although the move is not exactly unanticipated (where else would you sell such a titchy car?), its hardly a slam-dunk. Not only does China have its own faux Smart, but the vehicle faces the same "THATS not a Mercedes" headwind thats bedeviled the entire brand since birth-- to the tune of billions of dollars in losses. Anyway, Schmeuckle is deeply impressed by the possibilities provided by Chinese Smarts: "We have a profound production base there now, primarily for the domestic market," he said. "It cant be ruled out that we might export from there to other Asian markets at some point." Now thats what we call confidence!

12-09-2007 17:43:58 | The Truth About Cars