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Smart
car dents DaimlerChrysler
DaimlerChrysler has reported a 30% drop in quarterly profits, hit by
losses at the carmaker's Smart minicar business.
The
US-German firm, the world's fifth largest carmaker, said its first quarter
net profits fell to 288m euros (£195m; $371m) from 412m euros in 2004.
DaimlerChrysler's
Mercedes unit, itself beset with quality problems, recently launched a
costly restructuring of its troubled Smart car brand.
The
group's weaker profits follow similar losses at rival US carmakers.
Earlier
this month, Ford reported a 40% fall in its first quarter net profits to
$1.21bn, while General Motors - the world's biggest carmaker - unveiled a
net loss of $1.1bn in the first three months of 2005.
Smart
fortwo
Price Range: £6,810 - £14,620
Body Styles: Convertible / Coupe
Models in the range: 9
Strong
euro
DaimlerChrysler
said its German-based Mercedes division reported an operating loss of 954m
euros, from profits at the same time last year of 639m euros, linked to
restructuring costs at its Smart car business totalling 800m euros.
The
distinctive minicar has consistently lost money since its debut in 1998.
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Smart
forfour
Price Range: £8,995 - £12,370
Body Style: Hatchback
Models in the range: 10
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DEVELOPMENT
HISTORY
When
smart was in development, they were thinking about a process-driven
environmental management system. Their system was was certified to DIN EN
ISO 14001 in February 1997 at our Böblingen facility. Annual internal and
external auditing makes sure this system follows a continuous improvement
process.
Smarts
are built from pre-assembled modules. It's this modular system that makes
dismantling the cars much simpler. And this in turn makes it much easier
to strip-out and grade the materials for re-use - so some parts of a smart
see the light of day more than once. That's also why we much prefer to use
synthetics as they are easier to recycle.
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01/1993
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feasibility
study started at Mercedes-Benz to develop a small car
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04/03/1994
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press
conference - joint venture planned between Mercedes-Benz and
swatch
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04/1994
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Micro
Compact Car AG established Biel (Switzerland)
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12/1994
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factory
site chosen in Hambach (France)
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09/1995
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smart
concept study at the IAA in Frankfurt
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14/10/1995
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foundation
stone laid in smartville (Hambach)
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28/11/1995
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foundation
of Micro Compact Car (MCC) in Hambach
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12/06/1997
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start
of the smart engine plant in the (then) Daimler-Benz AG in
Berlin
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09/1997
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world
première of smart city-coupé at the IAA in Frankfurt
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27/10/1997
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birth
of smartville
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01/07/1998
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production
of smart city-coupé begins
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10/07/1998
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advanced
sales start in the smart centres
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10/1998
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launch
of the smart city-coupé in 9 European countries (Belgium,
Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain
and the Netherlands)
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01/11/998
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100%
take-over of MCC by the (then) Daimler-Benz AG
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01/01/1999
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transfer
of business from Biel (Switzerland) to Renningen (Germany).
Micro Compact Car GmbH renamed Micro Compact Car smart GmbH
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12/1999
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launch
of the smart cdi in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany,
France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the
Netherlands)
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12/1999
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MCC
smart is the first manufacturer to sell cars via the internet
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12/1999
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100,000th
smart city-coupé rolls off the production line in Hambach
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03/2000
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launch
of the smart cabrio in nine European countries (Belgium,
Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain
and the Netherlands)
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10/2000
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launch
of the smart city-coupé (LHD) in the UK at the Birmingham
International Motorshow
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03/2001
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launch
of the smart cabrio cdi in some markets
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04/2001
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launch
of the smart cabrio (LHD) in the UK
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10/2001
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launch
of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in the UK
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11/2001
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launch
of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in Japan
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03/2002
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presentation
of the smart crossblade as a production car at the International
Motor Show in Geneva
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06/2002
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launch
of the smart crossblade in Belgium, Germany, France, Italy,
Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Sweden,
Switzerland, Spain, Taiwan, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovak
Republic and the UK
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09/2002
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Micro
Compact Car smart GmbH (MCC) renamed smart GmbH
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09/2002
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the
new smart roadster production line (smart mall) starts in
Hambach
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10/2002
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5th
anniversary of smartville - 430,000 cars produced since launch
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01/2003
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launch
of the 2nd generation smart city-coupé and cabrio in the UK
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04/2003
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launch
of the smart roadster/roadster-coupé and smart city-coupé/cabrio
BRABUS throughout mainland Europe
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09/2003
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launch
of the smart roadster and roadster-coupé in the UK
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01/2004
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smart
city-coupé/cabrio renamed smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo
cabrio
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04/2004
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launch
of the smart forfour in mainland Europe
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09/2004
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launch
of the smart forfour in the UK
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Smart
Roadster Coupe & Smart
Roadster
Price Range: £11,995 - £16,995
Body Style: Coupe
Models in the range: 5
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smart GmbH (German parent company) is a 100% owned subsidiary of
DaimlerChrysler AG
- established: April 1994
- no. of employees: 1,140 (status @ Jan 2003)
- administrative headquarters: Böblingen (Germany)
- production facility: Hambach (France)
- represented in 35 countries (status @ Feb 2004)
- management: Ulrich Walker (CEO), Rudi Hammerschmidt, Dr. Roberto Klimmek,
Anders Sundt Jensen, Dr. Helmut Wawra
Smart
convertible
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