DaimlerChrysler's struggling smart brand has signed a memorandum of
understanding to sell a licence for its defunct Roadster model to a British consortium called "Project Kimber", smart said on Monday.
"The goal of the memorandum of understanding is to jointly draft a
contract in the coming months that allows the British to redesign,
build and sell the former smart Roadster and Roadster Coupe models under a different brand," the unit said in a statement.
smart also intends to sell production equipment for the two models that are no longer needed, it said.
The unit discontinued the Roadster
and its coupe derivative last year as part of an initial broad
restructuring of the brand, which has not made a profit since its
creation. It also scrapped plans to build a compact off-roader
(rumoured to be called the 'formore'), instead focusing its efforts on
just the brand's original fortwo mini-car and the subcompact forfour.
Last week, Daimler Chief executive and Mercedes-Benz
head Dieter Zetsche told a conference call with analysts that smart had
narrowed its operating loss in 2005 from around $716.5 million in the
year before.
While Zetsche has said he wants to give smart time to achieve
its target of breaking even next year, he has already tasked Goldman
Sachs with the job of screening parties potentially interested in
buying the brand.
Kilde: The CarEnthusiast