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Smart cars are cars that can do stuff that you would normally do. Like driving and parking but instead of you doing it the car can. Smart cars are equipped with such things as sensors,GPS, and security features.

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Many people who drive smart cars are stereotyped as being conscious and careful drivers, so their insurance is lower than usual. So their higher tech than normal cars.

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Many people who drive smart cars are stereotyped as being conscious and careful drivers, so their insurance is lower than usual. So their higher tech than normal cars.

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How Smart Cars Will Change Cityscapes | GlobalLogic

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Which technologies do we need to improve the quality of life for people in the city and make governance more effective? What role does a car play in the city of the future,...

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This is a smart car with scissor doors. Pretty impressive, right?

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So the next time you see a smart car, think of Nicolas Hayek, and why he made, the smart car.

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One time my dad was driving me to soccer practice and I saw a small car. It had a cool design and it was really small compared to my car then I said, "What kind of car is that?'

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Access all of your smart resources below, from how-to videos and manuals, to maintenance and recall info.

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The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-Benz was formed with the merger of Benz & Cie. and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft in 1926. The company was renamed DaimlerChrysler upon acquiring the American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation in 1998, and was again renamed Daimler AG upon divestment of Chrysler in 2007. In 2021, Daimler AG was the second-largest German automaker and the sixth-largest worldwide by production. In February 2022, Daimler was renamed Mercedes-Benz Group.

The Mercedes-Benz Group's marques are Mercedes-Benz for cars and vans (including Mercedes-AMG and Mercedes-Maybach) and Smart. It has shares in other vehicle manufactures such as Daimler Truck, Denza, BAIC Motor and Aston Martin.

By unit sales, the Mercedes-Benz Group is the thirteenth-largest car manufacturer.[when? ] The group provides financial services through its Mercedes-Benz Mobility arm. The company is a component of the Euro Stoxx 50 stock market index. The central company headquarters, the Mercedes-Benz offices, a car assembly plant, the Mercedes-Benz Museum and the Mercedes-Benz Arena are situated in the Mercedes-Benz complex in Stuttgart . China is currently the company's largest market, accounting for around 37% of all sales in 2021.

The Mercedes-Benz Group origin is in an Agreement of Mutual Interest signed on 1 May 1924 between Benz & Cie. (founded in 1883 by Karl Benz) and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft (founded in 1890 by Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach). Both companies continued to manufacture their separate automobile and internal combustion engine marques until 28 June 1926, when Benz & Cie. and Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft formally merged - becoming Daimler-Benz AG ( Aktiengesellschaft) - and agreed that thereafter, all of the factories would use the brand name of " Mercedes-Benz" on their automobiles. The inclusion of the name Mercedes in the new brand name honored the most important model series of DMG automobiles, the Mercedes series, which were designed and built by Wilhelm Maybach. They derived their name from a 1900 engine named after the daughter of Emil Jellinek. Jellinek became one of DMG's directors in 1900, ordered a small number of motor racing cars built to his specifications by Maybach, stipulated that the engine must be named Daimler-Mercedes, and made the new automobile famous through motorsports. That race car later became known as the Mercedes 35 hp. The first of the series of production models bearing the name Mercedes had been produced by DMG in 1902. Jellinek left the DMG board of directors in 1909.

The name of Daimler as a marque of automobiles had been given by Gottlieb Daimler[dubious ] for use by other companies. It is or was used principally by Daimler Motor Company and Austro-Daimler later Steyr-Daimler-Puch but also, very briefly by Daimler Manufacturing Company and Panhard-Daimler, and others. The new company, Daimler-Benz, did not obtain consent to include Daimler in its brand name and used the name Mercedes to represent the Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft interest. Karl Benz remained as a member of the board of directors of Daimler-Benz AG until his death in 1929.

Although Daimler-Benz is best known for its Mercedes-Benz automobile brand, during World War II, it also created a notable series of engines for German aircraft, tanks, and submarines. Its cars became the first choice of many Nazi, Fascist Italian, and Japanese officials including Hermann Göring, Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini and Hirohito, who most notably used the Mercedes-Benz 770 luxury car. Daimler also produced parts for German arms, most notably barrels for Mauser Kar98k rifles. During World War II, Daimler-Benz had over 60,000 concentration camp prisoners and other forced laborers to build machinery. After the war, Daimler admitted to its links and coordination with the Nazi government.

In 1966, Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH merged with Mercedes-Benz Motorenbau Friedrichshafen GmbH to form Maybach Mercedes-Benz Motorenbau GmbH, under partial ownership by Daimler-Benz. The company is renamed Motoren und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH (MTU Friedrichshafen) in 1969.

In 1995, MTU Friedrichshafen became a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler-Benz.

In a so-called "merger of equals," or "marriage made in heaven", according to its then CEO and architect Jürgen E. Schrempp, Daimler-Benz and United States-based automobile manufacturer Chrysler Corporation, the smallest of the main three American automakers, merged in 1998 in an exchange of shares and formed DaimlerChrysler AG. Valued at US$38 billion, it was the world's largest ever cross-border deal.

The terms of the merger allowed Daimler-Benz's non-automotive businesses such as Daimler-Benz InterServices AG, "debis AG" for short, to continue to pursue their respective strategies of expansion. debis AG reported revenues of $8.6 bn (DM 15.5 bn) in 1997.

The merger was contentious with investors launching lawsuits over whether the transaction was the 'merger of equals' that senior management claimed or actually amounted to a Daimler-Benz takeover of Chrysler. A class action investor lawsuit was settled in August 2003 for US$300 million while a suit by billionaire investor activist Kirk Kerkorian was dismissed on 7 April 2005. The transaction claimed the job of its architect, Chairman Jürgen E. Schrempp, who resigned at the end of 2005 in response to the fall of the company's share price following the transaction.

Another issue of contention is whether the merger delivered promised synergies and successfully integrated the two businesses. Martin H. Wiggers' concept of a platform strategy, like the VW Group's, was implemented only for a few models, so the synergy effects in development and production were low. As late as 2002, DaimlerChrysler appeared to run two independent product lines. Later that year, the company launched products that did integrate elements from both sides of the company, including the Chrysler Crossfire, which was based on the Mercedes SLK platform and utilized Mercedes's 3.2 L V6, and the Dodge Sprinter/ Freightliner Sprinter, a re-badged Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

In 2000, DaimlerChrysler acquired the Detroit Diesel Corporation and placed its on-highway division under Daimler Trucks North America. The off-highway division was placed under MTU Friedrichshafen to form MTU America. Detroit Diesel branding has been maintained by DTNA and MTU America. In 2005, MTU-Friedrichshafen was sold to the Swedish investment firm EQT Partners. That same year, DaimlerChrysler entered into an alliance with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in an effort to reach the Asian market. The alliance resulted in the platform sharing between the 2002-2013 Colt and first-generation Smart Forfour, but the declining performance of Mitsubishi led DaimlerChrysler to sell its shares back by 2004.

Chrysler reported losses of US$1.5 billion in 2006. It then announced plans to lay off 13,000 employees in mid-February 2007, close a major assembly plant and reduce production at other plants in order to restore profitability by 2008.

Through most of its history, Chrysler has been the smallest of the "Big 3" U.S. automakers, but in January 2007, DaimlerChrysler, excluding its luxury Mercedes and Maybach lines, also outsold traditionally second place Ford, though behind General Motors and Toyota.

DaimlerChrysler had reportedly approached other carmakers and investment groups to sell Chrysler in early 2007. General Motors was reported to be a suitor, but Daimler agreed to sell the Chrysler unit to Cerberus Capital Management in May 2007 for US$6 billion and completed the sale on 3 August 2007. The original agreement stated that Cerberus would take an 80.1 percent stake in the new company, Chrysler Holding LLC. DaimlerChrysler changed its name to Daimler AG and retained the remaining 19.9% stake in the separated Chrysler LLC.

DC Aviation rose in 2007 from the previous DaimlerChrysler Aviation, an auxiliary of DaimlerChrysler AG, which was established in 1998.

In May 2010, the Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co., Ltd., trading as "Denza" was established between BYD and Daimler to produce luxury electric vehicles.

In November 2014, Daimler announced it would acquire 25 percent of Italian motorcycle producer MV Agusta for an undisclosed fee. MV Holding acquired the 25 percent of MV Agusta back from Daimler in December 2017.

On 3 August 2015, Nokia announced that it had reached a deal to sell its Here digital maps division to a consortium of three German automakers- BMW, Daimler AG, and Volkswagen Group, for €2.8 billion. This was seen as an indication that the automakers were interested in automated cars.

In 2017, Daimler announced a series of acquisitions and partnerships with car startups focused on car sharing, in a move towards what it sees as the next generation of car ownership and usage. Part of its corporate strategy is to "transition from being an automobile manufacturer to a mobility services provider".

In April 2017 it announced a partnership with Via, a New York-based ride-sharing app, to launch a new ride-sharing service across Europe. In September, it was announced that Daimler had led a fundraising round for car-sharing start up Turo, which is a platform that lets owners rent their vehicles out to other users. It also acquired Flinc, a German startup that has built an app for peer-to-peer-style carpooling, has invested in Storedot, Careem, Blacklane and FlixBus, and has acquired car2go and mytaxi (now Free Now).

Li Shufu of Chinese automobile manufacturer Geely took a 9.69% stake in the company, through Tenaciou3 Prospect Investment Limited, in February 2018, making it the company's largest single shareholder. Geely is already known from its ownership of Volvo Car Corporation. In September 2018, Daimler invested $155 million in US-based electric bus and its battery management technology manufacturer Proterra.

In July 2019, BAIC Group purchased a 5% stake in Daimler, which is a reciprocal shareholder in BAIC's Hong Kong listed subsidiary.

In September 2019, Daimler announced that it would be "stopping its internal combustion engine development initiatives as part of its efforts to embrace electric vehicles."[better source needed ]

In February 2020, Daimler partnered with Twelve to create the world's first C-pillar made with polycarbonate from CO ₂ electrolysis in an effort towards a fully carbon neutral fleet.

In February 2021, Daimler said it planned to rename itself adopting the name of its flagship marque, Mercedes-Benz, and spun off its heavy commercial vehicles unit, Daimler Truck, into a separate listed company. Daimler Truck is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and its first trading day was on 10 December 2021.

In the 2021 review of WIPO's annual World Intellectual Property Indicators Daimler ranked 8th in the world, with 65 of its designs in industrial design registrations being published under the Hague System during 2020. This position is up on its previous 10th place ranking in 2019.

On 28 January 2022, CEO Ola Källenius announced that Daimler will be rebranded as Mercedes-Benz to pursue a higher valuation for the company as it shifts deeper into high-tech electric vehicles. On 1 February 2022, Daimler officially changed its registered company name to Mercedes-Benz Group AG.

Ola Källenius became the Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Group and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars on 22 May 2019. As of May 2018, the members of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG were:

Ola Källenius: Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG and Mercedes-Benz AG.

Renata Jungo Brüngger: Integrity and Legal Affairs.

Jörg Burzer: Production and Supply Chain Management.

Sabine Kohleisen: Human Resources and Director of Labor Relations.

Markus Schäfer: Chief Technology Officer responsible for Development and Purchasing.

Britta Seeger: Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.

Hubertus Troska: Greater China

Harald Wilhelm: Finance and Controlling and Head of Mercedes-Benz Mobility

According to the German Securities Trading Act (Wertpapierhandelsgesetz, WpHG) paragraph § 38 owner of rights like financial options to buy common shares with voting rights have to be reported in case certain threshold values are achieved. These owners must report the sum of owned common shares and potential rights to buy additional shares.

In April 2013, Daimler sold its shares in EADS, and the same year, EADS restructured itself into a new aerospace company named Airbus.

Year

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Revenue( € billions)

114.297

117.982

129.872

149.467

153.261

164.330

167.362

172.745

154.309

133.893

Net Income(€ billions)

6.095

6.842

6.962

8.424

8.526

10.525

7.249

2.377

3.627

23.006

Assets( € billions)

162.978

168.518

189.635

217.166

242.988

255.605

281.619

302.438

285.737

259.831

Employees

275,087

274,616

279,972

284,015

282,488

289,321

298,683

298,655

288,481

250,768

On 5 March 2015, Daimler AG announced a 1,200-job package to the North Charleston region for its van plant, to allow the company to start manufacturing Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans from scratch to meet demand in North America. From 2010, these vans were set up in Germany, then shipped to the United States partially disassembled for reassembly to avoid import tariffs. A Daimler official said that the Sprinter's popularity in North America was making that process less efficient. The North Charleston plant had been employing only 100 workers. The Sprinter is available on the U.S. market as a panel van, crew bus and chassis in several variants with three lengths and roof heights, six-cylinder diesel or gasoline engines. The Sprinter has been assembled and sold in the United States since 2001.

The Mercedes-Benz Group sells automobiles under the following brands worldwide:

The Mercedes-Benz Group has a worldwide network of production plants and research centers. The following list describes all locations around the world.

In 2015, Daimler held interests in the following companies:

Until the end of 2011, the company had also held shares in McLaren Group. Daimler held 25% of MV Agusta of Italy until 2017. Daimler sold its 50% stake in Engine Holding, to its joint venture partner, Rolls-Royce Holdings in 2014. It is now called Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG. Daimler used to own 50.1% Automotive Fuel Cell Cooperation of Canada but the joint venture was closed in 2018.

From 1986 to 1989, Daimler produced the Mercedes-Benz W123 (200 and 230E) sedans in China under a joint venture with FAW Group, with 828 units assembled in Changchun.

Beijing Jeep was a joint venture between Chrysler and BAIC Motor. After DaimlerChrysler was formed, its legal name was changed to Beijing Benz in 2004, and it started producing Mercedes-Benz models in 2006. The partnership has continued during the Daimler AG era.

In February 2013, Daimler acquired a 12% stake in BAIC Motor, becoming the first western car manufacturer to own a stake in a Chinese company.

Daimler has partnered with Force Motors since the 1950s, they let Force Motors use the OM616 on the Force Gurkha and Trax.

In 2010 BYD Auto and Daimler AG created a new joint venture Shenzhen BYD Daimler New Technology Co., Ltd. In 2012 the new brand Denza was launched by the joint venture to specialise in electric cars.

In 2007 Daimler created a joint venture with Fujian Motors Group and China Motor Corporation and created Fujian Benz (originally Fujian Daimler Automotive Co.).

Between 1990 and 2010 SsangYong partnered with Daimler-Benz. The deal was for SsangYong to develop an SUV with Mercedes-Benz technology. This was supposedly to allow SsangYong to gain footholds in new markets without having to build their own infrastructure (utilizing existing Mercedes-Benz networks) while giving Mercedes a competitor in the then-booming SUV market. This resulted in the Musso, which was sold first by Mercedes-Benz and later by SsangYong. SsangYong further benefited from this alliance, long after Daimler-Benz stopped selling the Musso, producing a badge engineered version of the Mercedes-Benz MB100, the Istana and using Daimler designs in many other models, including the second-generation Korando (engine and transmission), the Rexton (transmission), the Chairman H (chassis and transmission) and the Kyron (transmission). Ssangyong Also Partnered with Daewoo Motors to sell the Chairman, Korando, Istana, and Musso to the rest of South Korea and Asia, Ssangyong later partnered with SAIC (Roewe) to rebadge the Chairman W in china as the Roewe R95/850 and the Kyron as Roewe W5 and also use the Mercedes-Benz 5G-Tronic transmission for the W5, SAIC has been working with Daimler since the 1964 with the Shanghai SH760 using a modified W121 chassis. Micro another company that rebadged Ssangyong's like Kyron, Actyon and Rexton using Mercedes-Benz engines.

On 7 April 2010, Renault- Nissan executives, Carlos Ghosn and Dieter Zetsche announced a partnership between the three companies. The first fruits of the alliance in 2012 included engine sharing ( Infiniti Q50 utilising Mercedes diesel engines) and a re-badged Renault Kangoo being sold as a Mercedes-Benz Citan.

Daimler AG and the utility company RWE AG were set in 2009 to begin a joint electric car and charging station test project in the German capital, Berlin, called "E-Mobility Berlin".

Following trials in 2007 and then with Tesla in 2009, Daimler is building a production Smart electric drive car using Tesla's battery technology. Daimler temporarily invested in Tesla, saving it from bankruptcy. Daimler's joint venture with BYD has resulted in the creation of the new brand Denza.

In 2016, Daimler subsidiary ACCUMOTIVE announced their stationary batteries, to store up to 20 kWh of solar power for later use. Daimler plans to invest €1.5 billion in battery technology, and unveiled a factory in Kamenz in May 2017.

In September 2019, Daimler redirected its internal combustion engine development initiatives to focus on electric vehicle technologies, leaving electric propulsion rather less of an "alternative" and more the Daimler mainline. Their Research and Development department has developed a compostable battery that uses graphene-based organic cell chemistry. This means that no rare, toxic metals are needed for the battery, which makes it 100% recyclable.

Daimler has been involved with fuel cell vehicle development for some time, with a number of research and concept vehicles shown and demonstrated, the first being the 2002 Mercedes-Benz F-Cell car and the Mercedes-Benz Citaro hydrogen bus. In 2013, the Renault-Nissan/Daimler alliance was joined by Ford to further develop the fuel cell technology with an aim for production by 2017.

Mercedes-Benz launched its first passenger car model equipped with a hybrid drive system in summer 2009, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class 400 Hybrid. and the Citaro Hybrid bus in 2007. Daimler Trucks and Mitusbishi Fuso have also trialed various hybrid models including the Mitsubishi Fuso Canter Eco Hybrid and Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Star Aero Star Eco Hybrid bus.

Daimler AG is involved in a joint project with Archer Daniels Midland Company and Bayer CropScience to develop the semi-evergreen shrub jatropha curcas as a biofuel.

On 16 November 2009, Daimler and Aabar Investments purchased a 75.1% stake in Brawn GP (Daimler holding 45.1%). The company was rebranded as Mercedes GP with its base in Brackley, UK and Ross Brawn remaining team principal. The Brawn purchase led to Daimler selling back its stake in McLaren in stages, completed in 2011. Mercedes continued to provide sponsorship and engines to McLaren until 2014.

Prior to the 2011 season, Daimler and Aabar Investments purchased the remaining 24.9% stake owned by the team management in February 2011. In November 2012 Aabar Investments sold its remaining shares, leaving the team (rebranded as Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team) wholly Daimler-owned.

Daimler also owns Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains which, as of 2021, supplied engines to Aston Martin, Williams and McLaren, in addition to Mercedes AMG Petronas.

The O-Bahn system was conceived by Daimler-Benz to enable buses to avoid traffic congestion by sharing tram tunnels in the German city of Essen. However, the project did not materialise there; the project was built in the Australian city of Adelaide.

On 1 April 2010, Daimler AG's German and Russian subsidiaries each pleaded guilty to two counts of bribery charges brought by the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The parent company made a US$185 million settlement, but the company and its Chinese subsidiary remained subject to a two-year deferred prosecution agreement requiring further cooperation with regulators, adherence to internal controls and meeting other terms before final sentencing. Daimler would face harsher penalties should it fail to meet the terms of the agreement during the two-year period.

Additionally, Louis J. Freeh, a former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, served as an independent monitor to oversee Daimler's compliance with anti-bribery laws.

The SEC case was sparked in 2004 after David Bazzetta, a former auditor at then DaimlerChrysler Corp, filed a whistleblower complaint after he was fired for raising questions about bank accounts controlled by Mercedes-Benz units in South America. Bazzetta alleged that he learned in a July 2001 corporate audit executive committee meeting in Stuttgart that business units "continued to maintain secret bank accounts to bribe foreign government officials", though the company knew the practice violated U.S. laws.

In another attempt to silence Bazzetta, Daimler later offered to settle his termination of employment suit out of court and he eventually accepted a settlement. But Daimler's strategy with Bazzetta proved to be a failure as the U.S. criminal investigation for violating anti-bribery laws was already underway in what has been one of the most wide-ranging cases brought against a foreign corporation.

According to the charges, the bribes were frequently made by over-invoicing customers and paying the excess back to top government officials or their proxies. The bribes also took the form of luxury European vacations, armored Mercedes vehicles for high-ranking government officials and a birthday gift to the dictator of Turkmenistan, Turkmenbashi ( Saparmurat Niyazov), including a golden box and 10,000 copies of his personal manifesto, , translated into German.

Investigators also found that the firm violated the terms of the United Nations' Oil-for-Food Programme with Iraq by giving kickbacks worth 10% of the contract values to officials within the Iraqi government, then led by Saddam Hussein. The SEC said the company made more than $4 million in profit from the sale of vehicles and spare parts in the corrupt oil-for-food deals.

Prosecutors said that Daimler engaged in a "long-standing practice" of paying bribes, due in part to a corporate culture that encouraged the practice.

"Using offshore bank accounts, third-party agents and deceptive pricing practices, [Daimler AG, its subsidiaries and its affiliates] saw foreign bribery as a way of doing business," said Mythili Raman, a principal deputy in the Justice Department's criminal division.

As per the agreement with prosecutors, the two Daimler subsidiaries admitted to knowingly violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which bars companies and their officials from paying bribes to foreign officials to win business. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act applies to any company that lists its shares on U.S. stock exchanges. Daimler AG was listed with the symbol "DAI" on the New York Stock Exchange, giving the Justice Department jurisdiction over the German car maker's payments in countries around the globe. Judge Richard J. Leon of the United States District Court in Washington, D.C., approved the plea agreement and settlement, calling it a "just resolution". Daimler AG agreed to settle for $2.2 billion to US and California state regulators.

Barthel, Manfred (1986). Daimler-Benz: die Technik [Daimler-Benz: The Technology] (in German). Mainz: v. Hase & Koehler. ISBN 3775811168.

Becker, Alfred (1986). 100 Years of Motor-Cars: Daimler Benz 1886-1986: A Birthday Magazine. Stuttgart: Daimler-Benz. OCLC 220449416.

Hirschel, H (1986). 100 Jahre Automobil Daimler-Benz 1886-1986 [100 Years of Daimler-Benz Automobiles 1886-1986]. Mercedes-Benz in aller Welt. Zeitschrift für die Freunde des Hauses Daimler-Benz, no. 199 (in German). Stuttgart-Untertürkheim: Daimler-Benz. OCLC 472985331.

Hoppe, Heinz C. (1992). Serving the Star Around the World: the "Simple Life" in East Prussia to the Daimler-Benz Board of Management. München: Südwest Verlag. ISBN 3517013609.

Kimes, Beverly Rae (1986). The Star and the Laurel: The Centennial History of Daimler, Mercedes, and Benz, 1886-1986. Montvale, NJ, USA: Mercedes-Benz of North America. ISBN 0936573015.

Kruk, Max; Lingnau, Gerold (1986). 100 Jahre Daimler-Benz: das Unternehmen [100 Years Daimler-Benz: The Firm] (in German). Mainz: v. Hase & Koehler. ISBN 3775811176.

Walz, Werner [in German]; Niemann, Harry [in German] (1997). Daimler-Benz: wo das Auto anfing [Daimler-Benz: where the car began] (in German) (6th ed.). Konstanz, Germany: Verlag Stadler. ISBN 3797703643.

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The Mercedes-Benz Group AG (previously named Daimler-Benz, DaimlerChrysler and Daimler) is a German multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is one of the world's leading car manufacturers. Daimler-Benz was formed with the merger of Benz & Cie. and Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft in 1926.

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Nicolas Hayek                                     

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Nicolas Hayek                                     

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The first smart car was made in 1998 October By Dailmer-Benz, but Nicolas Hayek the CEO of the Swatch group made the first model of a smart car. The reason he made the smart car was because he wanted to make a car as customized as watches.

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A brief history of the smart fortwo | SHARE NOW Blog

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In this mini-series, we're engaging reverse and taking a look back into what made the cars of the past and present the icons they are today.

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A used smart car cost 9,250 US dollars and a new one cost 30,000 dollars.A used normal car usually cost 34,000 and a new one cost around 48,000. One of their most expensive smart cars is the Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition.

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Aren't Smart Cars little beautiful little machines? They come in small, compact sizes (smaller than a Mini Cooper) that make them easy to park anywhere in urban areas.

That's right; in congested towns, you don't want to spend hours looking for a parking spot or fight for one with a rude driver when you go shopping.

They are also convenient and fuel-efficient enough to beat a typical vehicle. That's particularly true when you go with a Smart Car Fortwo electric drive.

As a result, you can save a lot of gas money and keep the environment clean as you drive around to do your errands.

Surprisingly, Smart Cars boast of quick acceleration when you take off and immediate acceleration at slow speeds.

You also get to enjoy fun and distinctive interior design because, let's face it, we're talking about Mercedes-Benz here. Plus, using your smartphone screen for infotainment is also a swell idea.
However, are Smart Cars worth your time and effort? What is the Smart Car price?
What's the actual cost of owning a Smart Car? And is a Smart Car a better option than, say, a typical SUV that's way better for the city and rough roads? How much does it cost to maintain a Smart Car? How about insurance?

All in all, how much cash will you have to spend? What is the Smart Car price?

In today's post, we answer all the above questions so that you can decide whether a Smart Car is worth buying. Keep in mind Smart Cars don't come cheap, even with their tiny size.

They are also more delicate to maintain than, say, a Toyota Camry. However, they are cheap to insure, which is great news if you're looking to save on auto insurance.

Without further ado, let us start.

How Much Does a Smart Car Cost To Buy?

How Much Is a New Smart Car?

The first thing you obviously want to consider when buying a Smart Car is the selling price. So, how much does a brand-new Smart Car cost? And for such a small car, doesn't it make more sense to spend your money on a different type of car?

Unfortunately, Smart USA Cars are no longer sold in the United States of America (USA) since 2019, according to the official website, smartusa.com.

The 2019 Smart EQ Fortwo was the last model that was produced to be sold in the US. However, don't worry if you already own a Smart USA Car - Mercedes-Benz dealerships will continue providing service and spare parts for both gasoline- and electric-powered Smart Fortwo models.

But how much does a Smart Car cost to buy? According to Edmunds.com, a used 2018 Smart Car Fortwo costs about $9,250 dollars to drive off the lot. For that amount, you can get other car models, such as a used 2009 Mercedes-Benz E-Class, 2012 Honda Fit, and 2010 Toyota Avalon, among others.

A brand new 2020 Smart Car ForFour Hatchback will set you back about $28,230 in the UK. It's a great and compact family car for city dwellers (it is small, so it gives you a lot of maneuverability in the streets), but is it better than, say, a brand-new 2021 Chevrolet Equinox?

Keep in mind there are many cars you can get under $30,000 in 2020 and beyond. These prices are a Smart Car's MSRP (manufacturer-suggested retail price) which usually is the gauge for a new smart car's price.

So, basically, a used Smart Car costs about $10,000 bucks in the US. A brand-new Smart Car costs about $30,000 - give or take.

For that price range, do you think you can get something bigger and maybe bigger? Perhaps driving a Smart Car isn't all about utility but passion.

Smart Cars are expensive to buy, especially the new models. If you live in the US, you must import these new models from countries where they are still sold.

If you don't mind an older model, you can find a used Smart Car at your local car dealership.

But how much does it cost to maintain a Smart Car?

How Much Does a Smart Car Cost To Maintain?

We've already established Smart Cars don't come cheap. But how much does it cost to maintain a Smart Car? How many times per year do you need to take in a Smart Car for service? And how much do spare parts cost?

"Well, according to Edmunds, it will cost you about $5,640 to maintain a Smart Fortwo car over the course of five years if you drive only 15,000 miles per year. It's just an estimate, but you get the picture. On average, it costs about $1,400 per year to maintain a Smart car for ordinary service." - Carnewscafe.com

What about a typical vehicle? How much does it cost to maintain? Well, according to a study by AAA, a new car's routine maintenance and repairs could cost an average of $1,186 each year. That's why it's important to budget for this expense.

Don't forget that "the average cost of owning a car ranges from $6,354 annually for a small sedan to $10,054 annually for a pickup truck. The expected cost of routine maintenance may surprise you." - Balance.com.

If we are using the average, that's about $8,000 for a typical car. But don't forget that the cost of maintaining a typical car can be as slow as 1,200 per year.

It goes to say that maintaining a Smart Car costs as much as maintaining a typical car. There are no big disparities.

A Smart Car is sensitive and requires regular maintenance, you know, just like any other type of car. Check every part regularly, and please visit a registered Mercedes-Benz dealer for the best service.

You can try servicing your Smart Car, but unless you know what you're doing, just don't do it.

The Cost of Gas

Of course, you also have to factor in the cost of gas. Smart Cars have, on average, an MPG (miles per gallon) of 40, which means that you get 40 miles of driving for every gallon of gas purchased.

When the cost of gasoline is high, then you can save a lot of money. However, there are a lot of cars made by other car companies that also have great MPG.

Maintenance aside, how much does a Smart Car cost to insure?

How Much Does a Smart Car Cost To Insure?

If you're looking to save money on your car insurance, you'll be glad to learn that Smart Cars are some of the cheapest types of vehicles to insure.

Smart Cars might be sophisticated and expensive, but they are relatively cheaper to insure than typical automobiles.

According to the insurance comparison engine The Zebra, "the average cost of Smart car insurance is less than 1,000 per year. That's less than the national average cost of auto insurance.

If you want to save on auto insurance premiums for your Smart Fortwo or Smart Fortwo electric drive, consider Progressive or GEICO, which offer the most affordable premiums for these models."

That's definitely great news for any driver who wants to save some money on their car insurance. At the same time, always ensure you have adequate coverage from a reputable insurance company. Just don't go with the cheapest offer out there, and you're good to go.

Hi! I am a millennial mom with a passion for personal finance. I have always been "into" personal finance but got inspired to start my blog after a period of extended unemployment. That experience really changed the way I viewed my relationship with money and the importance of accessible personal finance education.

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The Real Cost of Owning and Driving a Smart Car - A Dime Saved

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The Real Cost of Owning and Driving a Smart Car: When you factor in cost, maintenance, and insurance how much does it really cost to own and drive a Smart Car?

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The Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition will set you back almost $75,000

The Smart ForTwo is exceptionally small and quite affordable, making it one of the best city runabouts on the market. However, tuning company Brabus thought the tiny two-door could do with some alterations and has presented the Ultimate E Shadow Edition at the Geneva Motor Show.

The most important thing to know about the Smart ForTwo is that it isn't cheap. In fact, it starts at an eye-watering €64,900 ($73,870) in Germany.

It may be hard to justify such a price tag for a Smart, but Brabus has done quite a lot of work on the car.

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For starters, the tiny electric powertrain driving the ForTwo EQ Cabrio has been tweaked to now produce 91 hp and 133 lb-ft (180 Nm) of torque, a 10 hp and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) jump over the standard car. As a result, the Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition can hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in 10.9 seconds and top out at 81 mph (130 km/h).

Brabus has also worked extensively on altering the looks of the car. It has outfitted the Ultimate E Shadow Edition with a complete bodykit that includes flared arches, a new front spoiler, sharp rear diffuser, and new rocker panels. There's also a set of 18-inch wheels with 205/35 front and 235/30 rear tires.

Further modifications made include tweaks to the suspension to deal with the vehicle's new weight, wider track and low-profile tires.

The interior of the Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition includes bright red leather, carbon fiber and aluminum accents, as well as bespoke floor mats.

Just 28 units of the car will be built.

Photo Credits: Guido ten Brink - SB Medien for Carscoops.com

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Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition Is One Expensive Smart Car

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The Brabus Ultimate E Shadow Edition will set you back almost $75,000