smart Canada delivers its 10,000th smart fortwo

• More than a three fold increase in planned volume over a three year period
• New generation smart scheduled to arrive in November

Toronto - The smart division of Mercedes-Benz Canada delivered its 10,000th smart fortwo to Mr. Bryan Moul of Vancouver, British Columbia.  This important milestone happened two months before  smart's 3rd anniversary in Canada.

Mr. Moul is 46, married, a father of two adult children and an Associate Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers; he uses his smart fortwo for his 45 to 60 minute daily commute from North Delta to Vancouver, British Columbia.

He said , "This is the first new car I have ever bought.  I wasn't expecting the smart fortwo to attract this much attention - everywhere I go, people want to look inside and ask all kinds of questions.  Earlier today, two ladies stopped me outside a coffee shop; they wanted to look in the back to see if their golf clubs would fit, one of the women actually climbed into the driver's seat!"

He added, "We have owned the car only for a few days and we already have 1,400 kilometers on the odometer. It's great to fill up the tank for $18."

In February 2004, Mercedes-Benz Canada announced at the Canadian International Auto Show that it would start selling the smart before year end. In early October , President and CEO Marcus Breitschwerdt held a press conference in the newly built Midtown smart centre in Toronto announcing the official launch of smart car operations in Canada, including a dealer network comprising 46 smart centres across the country.

Fast forward to August 2007: following two years and ten months of unmitigated success, the first generation of smart is virtually sold out.

Canadian consumers welcomed the smart fortwo with open arms for obvious reasons: its compelling and unique design, its intelligent advanced safety construction including the proven tridion safety cell, its ecologically sound approach to manufacturing, and its unparalleled fuel economy.

During the course of the first three years of smart in Canada, the car converted many skeptics. Customers and journalists provided countless testimonials on how the smart fortwo totally delivered on its promise during coast-to-coast trips, long-distance winter driving and fuel economy records.

While the smart was first hailed as the consummate urban car, it is interesting to note that the fortwo has also done extremely well outside of the major markets. In fact, in the first three years, more than 50% of sales were transacted in smaller secondary and tertiary markets, some of them quite rural.

In short, the diminutive car performed large in every way - including its volume. When Mercedes-Benz Canada decided to import and distribute the fortwo coupes and cabriolets, it had a goal of 3,000 units for the three year period.  With continuous soaring sales and repeated sales records throughout the last three years (including record breaking results in several of the last few months), Mercedes-Benz Canada sold more than three times its original smart car planning volume.

President and CEO Marcus Breitschwerdt said,, "A three-fold volume increase versus our original objective is a tribute to the power of the car and what it stands for.  While the Canadian launch of smart was timely, it was the Canadian car buyer who was receptive to the concept and had an open mind towards a revolutionary 2.5 metre car that made a difference. Not coincidentally, the smart car's slogan is "Open your mind." We knew that the smart would dramatically change the landscape of intelligent mobility in our country and less than three years after the launch, there is no doubt that it has."

The new generation smart fortwo, scheduled to arrive in Canadian showrooms in November, will offer additional comfort and agility and will again set new standards in safety and ecology.  It will feature a host of advances that complement a dynamic and more aggressive look designed to enhance the lifestyle, practical needs and personal style of the customer.

The tridion safety cell, esp®, brake assist, active safety systems, advanced seats with integral seat belts, full-size driver and passenger airbags, side airbags and head/thorax side airbags are some of the key safety features offered on the second generation models.

The smart has been redesigned with a new, more powerful gasoline engine and better acceleration and higher maximum speed without compromising a top notch fuel economy.  Its longer wheelbase and wider track and stance make for a more comfortable ride.

Its lower emissions and fantastic fuel consumption combined with 100% recyclable body panels make it the ideal choice for consumers who are conscious about making a difference.  The smart will continue to be manufactured in Hambach, France - an energy-saving, eco-friendly production environment.

Marcus Breitschwerdt further comments, "The 10,000th unit sold in Canada symbolically represents the transitional point between the end of the first generation of the smart fortwo and the beginning of the next generation.  With consistent monthly sales volumes, the first three years have been nothing short of amazing. While the smart is still causing a lot of excitement three years after its launch, we're convinced that the best is yet to come."

He adds, "The smart fortwo is fun to drive, functional, safe, affordable and socially responsible. For many years now, the smart brand has been the quintessential expression of urban mobility in most markets around the world.  Mr. Moul's purchase has officially given the smart fortwo its rite of passage in Canada."

For more information, please visit www.media.mercedes-benz.ca or contact:

JoAnne Caza         416-847-7550        caza@mercedes-benz.ca
Arden Nerling       416-847-7556        nerling@mercedes-benz.ca

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