Smart History
smart factfile
- smart GmbH (parent company in Germany) 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), Anders Sundt Jensen & Rudolf Borgenheimer
Quick Glance
01/1993 feasibility study started at Mercedes-Benz to develop a small car
04/03/1994 press conference - joint venture planned between Mercedes-Benz and swatch
04/1994 Micro Compact Car AG established Biel (Switzerland)
12/1994 factory site chosen in Hambach (France)
09/1995 smart concept study at the IAA in Frankfurt
14/10/1995 foundation stone laid in smartville (Hambach)
28/11/1995 foundation of Micro Compact Car (MCC) in Hambach
12/06/1997 start of the smart engine plant in the (then) Daimler-Benz AG in Berlin
09/1997 world première of smart city-coupé at the IAA in Frankfurt
27/10/1997 birth of smartville
01/07/1998 production of smart city-coupé begins
10/07/1998 advanced sales start in the smart centres
10/1998 launch of the smart city-coupé in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
01/11/998 100% take-over of MCC by the (then) Daimler-Benz AG
01/01/1999 transfer of business from Biel (Switzerland) to Renningen (Germany). Micro Compact Car GmbH renamed Micro Compact Car smart GmbH
12/1999 launch of the smart cdi in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
12/1999 MCC smart is the first manufacturer to sell cars via the internet
12/1999 100,000th smart city-coupé rolls off the production line in Hambach
03/2000 launch of the smart cabrio in nine European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
10/2000 launch of the smart city-coupé (LHD) in the UK at the Birmingham International Motorshow
03/2001 launch of the smart cabrio cdi in some markets
04/2001 launch of the smart cabrio (LHD) in the UK
10/2001 launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in the UK
11/2001 launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in Japan
03/2002 presentation of the smart crossblade as a production car at the International Motor Show in Geneva
06/2002 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
09/2002 Micro Compact Car smart GmbH (MCC) renamed smart GmbH
09/2002 the new smart roadster production line (smart mall) starts in Hambach
10/2002 5th anniversary of smartville - 430,000 cars produced since launch
01/2003 launch of the 2nd generation smart city-coupé and cabrio in the UK
04/2003 launch of the smart roadster/roadster-coupé and smart city-coupé/cabrio BRABUS throughout mainland Europe
09/2003 launch of the smart roadster and roadster-coupé in the UK
01/2004 smart city-coupé/cabrio renamed smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo cabrio
04/2004 launch of the smart forfour in mainland Europe
09/2004 launch of the smart forfour in the UKSource: smart
- smart GmbH (parent company in Germany) 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), Anders Sundt Jensen & Rudolf Borgenheimer
Quick Glance
01/1993 feasibility study started at Mercedes-Benz to develop a small car
04/03/1994 press conference - joint venture planned between Mercedes-Benz and swatch
04/1994 Micro Compact Car AG established Biel (Switzerland)
12/1994 factory site chosen in Hambach (France)
09/1995 smart concept study at the IAA in Frankfurt
14/10/1995 foundation stone laid in smartville (Hambach)
28/11/1995 foundation of Micro Compact Car (MCC) in Hambach
12/06/1997 start of the smart engine plant in the (then) Daimler-Benz AG in Berlin
09/1997 world première of smart city-coupé at the IAA in Frankfurt
27/10/1997 birth of smartville
01/07/1998 production of smart city-coupé begins
10/07/1998 advanced sales start in the smart centres
10/1998 launch of the smart city-coupé in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
01/11/998 100% take-over of MCC by the (then) Daimler-Benz AG
01/01/1999 transfer of business from Biel (Switzerland) to Renningen (Germany). Micro Compact Car GmbH renamed Micro Compact Car smart GmbH
12/1999 launch of the smart cdi in 9 European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
12/1999 MCC smart is the first manufacturer to sell cars via the internet
12/1999 100,000th smart city-coupé rolls off the production line in Hambach
03/2000 launch of the smart cabrio in nine European countries (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Austria, Switzerland, Spain and the Netherlands)
10/2000 launch of the smart city-coupé (LHD) in the UK at the Birmingham International Motorshow
03/2001 launch of the smart cabrio cdi in some markets
04/2001 launch of the smart cabrio (LHD) in the UK
10/2001 launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in the UK
11/2001 launch of the smart city-coupé (RHD) and smart cabrio (RHD) in Japan
03/2002 presentation of the smart crossblade as a production car at the International Motor Show in Geneva
06/2002 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
09/2002 Micro Compact Car smart GmbH (MCC) renamed smart GmbH
09/2002 the new smart roadster production line (smart mall) starts in Hambach
10/2002 5th anniversary of smartville - 430,000 cars produced since launch
01/2003 launch of the 2nd generation smart city-coupé and cabrio in the UK
04/2003 launch of the smart roadster/roadster-coupé and smart city-coupé/cabrio BRABUS throughout mainland Europe
09/2003 launch of the smart roadster and roadster-coupé in the UK
01/2004 smart city-coupé/cabrio renamed smart fortwo coupé and smart fortwo cabrio
04/2004 launch of the smart forfour in mainland Europe
09/2004 launch of the smart forfour in the UKSource: smart