All Cars, All the Time

Dieter is Looking for a smart Partner in the USA

In our continuing saga of smart in the USA, the latest word is that Mercedes is definitely looking for a partner to help sell the car. "The sales network is decisive...It is certain that we want to cooperate with a third party," said Dieter Zetsche in an interview with Germany's Capital magazine. What does that quote mean? I think it means that MB dealers and probably more importantly MBUSA's President Paul Halata don't want to see the economy model in their showrooms. So, who's on Mercedes' dance card? Roger Penske. The Penske Corporation includes Penske Automotive and United Auto Group so it definitely has the resources. We should find out more information very shortly! Click here for the Reuter's article.

[Update:] There is another translation to the Capital magazine interview over at Market Watch. It seems to be pretty clear that it will definitely not be Mercedes/Chrysler/Dodge dealers selling the fortwo. Dieter says he wants a distribution model that is flexible and can be setup with little investment. Full article here.