MikeT Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 January 2016: Canada: 25 USA: 399 ....ouch Quote
MikeT Posted February 3, 2016 Author Posted February 3, 2016 The new model has been available since last October/November. Plus there were over 600 of these cars in Canada during most of January. Quote
zky Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 At $22000 for a base model I think there is too much competition at that price. I like the new smart but at 2x the price of my pure and higher fuel consumption I doubt I'll see a new one in my driveway. Quote
MikeT Posted February 4, 2016 Author Posted February 4, 2016 Really, if they start at $22K....I guess a well equipped hardtop does without too many options.....a loaded cabrio will be pushing $30K. My sister got a new BMW 320i manual with sunroof, leather seats, heated wheel etc last summer for $33K. So....yup. Quote
zky Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Correction - the 2016 Pure is now showing as $17300 for the base model. That looks better than the initial price at the launch. Sales may pick up. Quote
Huronlad Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 Base price of the 453 in Canada has been the same since day 1. Quote
MikeT Posted February 4, 2016 Author Posted February 4, 2016 I priced out a loaded prime and it came in at over $26K. So the cabriolet will get nearly to $30K. That used to be the price of a simplified BRABUS Tailor Made, in the old days! Quote
Huronlad Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 The $30k BRABUS 10 years ago is a $35k dollar car in today's dollars. A loaded 450 does not equate to a fully loaded 453 by a long shot. Quote
MikeT Posted February 4, 2016 Author Posted February 4, 2016 Still when a new BMW 3er with decent equipment is on offer for only a few grand more, I can see why the 453s are not selling well. Quote
Huronlad Posted February 4, 2016 Posted February 4, 2016 (edited) The 3 series starts at $36k. With taxes that is nearly a Nissan Micra above the price of a cabrio smart. $45k is the starting price for the cheapest BMW convertible. Edited February 4, 2016 by Huronlad Quote
MikeT Posted February 4, 2016 Author Posted February 4, 2016 Yes but my sister's was $33K with sport pack. That plus 0.9% for 5 years, 4 years maintenance included plus 6 year full warranty. My point is that the 453 is really quite an expensive little car, despite being better - using a conventional set of criteria - than the models that preceded it. Quote
MikeT Posted February 6, 2016 Author Posted February 6, 2016 Added to the estimated 70 453s sold in Canada to the end of 2015, and the likelihood that 5 or more of the ones sold in January (to be confirmed) were the electric drive, there are fewer than 90 453s on the road in this country. Quote
MikeT Posted March 1, 2016 Author Posted March 1, 2016 February 2016: Canada: 192 (electric proportion is unknown) USA: 422 (of which 54 are electric 451s) Canada has picked up nicely, so now there are definitely more than 200 453s on the road after 5 months on the market. Quote
Silver Posted March 2, 2016 Posted March 2, 2016 I would expect that with included maintenance, the difference in operating the BMW vs. the smart, the cost will be similar. Servicing the smart for four years would negate the fuel consumption differential with the bimmer. Quote
MikeT Posted April 1, 2016 Author Posted April 1, 2016 March 2016:Canada: 263 (now we're talking, but most are likely Car2Go)USA: 479 Quote
John & Angela Posted April 3, 2016 Posted April 3, 2016 (edited) Brought the grandstyle in to Kelowna for its annual maintenance (and tires ouch) and Giulio took me for a test drive in the 453 coupe they had on the lot. Seems t me it was around 21,000 ish. Way fun. The last time he did this I ended up buying our 451 ED cabrio. This time that wasn't the case and I had the will to resist...or at least until he gets a 453 ED cabrio with all the bells and whistles in.... Anyway, it was a nice ride and the turning radius is freaky tight. Me and my little green grandstyle CDI went home with stars in our eyes. Edited April 3, 2016 by John & Angela Quote
MikeT Posted May 3, 2016 Author Posted May 3, 2016 April 2016: Canada: 55 USA: 466 So the blip last month in Canada was definitely Car2Go stocking up on 453s. The sales figures for April are dismal in both countries. Quote
booneylander Posted May 8, 2016 Posted May 8, 2016 I saw a 453 "in the flesh" in downtown Ottawa the other evening, all black. Looked very nice. Quote
lebikerboy Posted May 9, 2016 Posted May 9, 2016 I've seen four 453's so far... Looks like my son is going to purchase a 453 ED as soon as they're are available... Quote
MikeT Posted June 1, 2016 Author Posted June 1, 2016 May 2016: Canada: 34 USA: 420 - of which 75 are 451 electric drives At this rate, smart USA will be lucky to sell 5000 cars in the USA in 2016, which would be their worst year ever. And the smart Canadian results are even worse, per capita. How many of the 34 sales were the 451 ED is not known yet. The 453 sales are brutally bad even if all 34 cars were that model. Quote
darren Posted June 2, 2016 Posted June 2, 2016 They definitely don't seem to be doing as much sponsorship and marketing spend in recent years. It's almost like they don't want to sell any cars. Quote
MikeT Posted July 2, 2016 Author Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) June 2016: Canada: 31 USA: 407 In the USA this is the lowest monthly sales figure in five years. Edited July 5, 2016 by Mike T Canadian sales added Quote
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