Daimler's incoming CEO considering killing Smart, report says
The Smart car brand has long been a money-loser for parent company Daimler, and now its days may be numbered.
The future of Daimler's city car brand Smart is looking increasingly uncertain, according to a report published on Monday by Automotive News Europe.
The Smart brand has long been a money-loser for Daimler, and the group's new boss Ola Källenius -- who is set to replace longtime CEO Dieter Zetsche in May -- seems to be feeling reasonably unsentimental about it.
The most recent plans for the brand have it pivoting to become an all-electric urban car, but it's looking increasingly like that ambitious (and likely expensive) plan might not come to fruition.
It's hard to say how much money the brand has cost Daimler over the past 21 years since the parent company doesn't break out Smart's financials in its public reports, but that the number could be in the billions of euros.
The Smart brand launched officially in the US in 2008 and currently offers two EQ Fortwo models here -- the Coupe and the Cabrio, both electric -- in a variety of trim levels starting at around $24,000.
Representatives from Daimler didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
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