Interest in Smart cars has picked up again with a group announcing plans to open a Smart dealership as soon as January. Island Motors has however expressed surprise at the news as it holds the exclusive dealership for Smart with Daimler-Chrysler.

The people behind the new company are Bermudian lawyer Rick Woolridge and two English car dealers. Mr. Woolridge is a member of the local firm Peniston & Associates and also practises law in the United Kingdom. His partners, Alan Heather and Peter Inwards, already distribute the Smart and other vehicles through their company Inward Speciality Sales based out of London.

They have approached TCD with their plans and have acquired a shell company which they are in the midst of renaming Smart Bermuda Ltd. They have also secured space for the dealership at the old Baselands and are looking to open up with six cars on display in the new year.

"We will be set up with Smart cars on site at the beginning of January," Mr. Woolridge said adding that because one person has already brought the car to the island there should not be a problem bringing more in.

"We know there is no problem getting it past TCD and so it is a question of importing the cars and being able to effectively offer sales and effective service."

John Powell, owner of Island Motors, already holds the exclusive right to sell the Smart car through Daimler-Chrysler but he is only bringing the cars in on a on-demand basis right now because he does currently not have a showroom in which to display them.

"I have permission from TCD to import Smart and permission from Daimler Chrysler out of Germany to sell them," Mr. Powell said. "What these guys are not going to get is they probably are not going to get the guarantee back-up. Good luck to them. Competition is good if they can get them and sell them less than me it is good for the public."

As for pricing, Mr. Woolridge said that his company is still working on final numbers, "but it will certainly be competitive with cars in a similar class".

In the UK, prices for the car run from 6,560-9,995. Mr. Powell said his cars start at $24,000.

The trio plan to initially bring in six cars from London with more arriving to meet demand. They plan to bring in all four models that Smart makes which include a two seater version with either a hardtop or convertible, a Smart 4-4 which is a 4-door version and a Smart Roadster which is a sports car.

Mr. Woolridge says that the Smart addresses Bermuda's serious congestion and parking problems because it runs just 2.5 metres from front to back.

"Many people drive in massive four door cars and there is only one person. The Smart car offers a solution in that it is a small car and it eases traffic congestion. It is easy to get around. It is simple to park in the smallest of spaces. In the UK you are allowed to actually park them either face in or reverse into the sidewalk because the length is no longer than the width of most cars. Whether you will be allowed to do that here is another story, but the smallest of spaces will be open to Smart. It is also the most Eco friendly combustion engine on the market, very low emissions which is another topical concern."