Apparently the rumors of Daimler-Chrysler finally making the smart car available in California are getting confirmed, but not before 2008. Dieter Zetsche announced that they would start by distributing the smart brand throught an independant dealership network rather than using the current Mercedes-Benz infrastructure.

CEO Dieter Zetsche said DaimlerChrysler (DCX) plans to make money selling its Smart cars in the USA — something it has yet to do elsewhere in the world. The tiny two-passenger ForTwo model, just over 8 feet long and nearly 5 feet wide, will arrive in the first quarter of 2008. It will be priced under $15,000 and distributed through 30 to 40 United Auto Group (UAG) dealerships, mainly in major urban markets such as New York, Los Angeles, Washington and Chicago. The automaker would not say how many it hopes to sell in the USA, but has sold 750,000 since the brand's launch in 1998.

The smartusa.com website still contains nothing much, but vague propaganda, but today's announcement is on the front page. UPDATE: I did find, however a some spy and concept pictures of the new 2007 model which will possibly be available with a hybrid drive as well as slightly updated but virtually unchanged exterior.

Since I'm a strong believer in instant gratification, I've been trying to get some serious information about the cars imported and modified by ZAP but I haven't been succesful in getting any one to answer my emails and other requests eventhought I've said I would be willing to buy within the next month. I think that the eventual news of Daimler-Chrysler distributing the smart was already factored into the current ZP stock price, but trying to deal with the company as a potential buyer and getting no response at all, doesn't give me much confidence in the grey market importer.

In the meantime, I feel a little bit like chicken little, or like the columnist at the Orlando Sentinel who says: Don't hold your breath for Smart.