Smart ForFour Not Heading to the US

The Smart ForFour will likely not be coming to North American markets, a model that was developed without the U.S. in mind from the get go.

When Smart first began developing the ForFour, the automaker decided not to initially homologate the model for the American market. According to Smart CEO Annette Winkler, “what is needed here costs extra money,” money that might not be justifiable given Smart’s modest sales in North America. Last year, the ForTwo only sold 9,264 units, a seven-percent drop compared to 2012.

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Regardless, it’s still an interesting decision considering that Smart’s competitors are releasing new four-seater models for the North American market. Fiat, for example, recently launched its 500L while MINI has expanded its model lineup with larger offerings such as the Countryman.

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[Source: The Detroit Bureau]

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