"Joseph Oberlander" > wrote in message
nk.net...
>
>
> FanJet wrote:
>
> > why isn't this available in the US - Honda, Toyota, GM, Ford, Chrysler,
> > Anyone?
>
> The Government won't allow it to be tested - they have this Suzuki
> Samurai fake image in their heads despite it being tested extensively
> in Europe and passing much tougher standards. They just say that
> it's "too small" and know that it can't possibly be "safe". Idiots.
>

Um, plenty of motorcycles out there allowed to be on the roads - the
government couldn't possibly consider a Samurai safer than a Kawasaki.

I think the real problem is that ZAP got their 10 year exclusive
distributorship
before fuel prices went through the roof and everybody suddenly fell out of
love
with the SUV. At the time Smart probably figured they would be lucky
to sell a thousand vehicles a year in the US. If Smart hadn't signed that
deal and was looking to come into the US market today, their expectations
would be far different and they would never have agreed to that deal.


Ted