O'Brien Auto Group today announced the arrival of the state's first factory-authorized Smart cars. The announcement, made at the company's new Smart center Seattle, paves the way for car buyers here to own a certified US version of the car that comes with warranty and factory authorized service.

"This is a major announcement for anyone in the state who's wanted to purchase a Smart car but balked at the high-cost and inconvenience of buying a gray market version of the car," said Michael O'Brien, CEO of O'Brien Auto Group.

O'Brien Auto Group was chosen last year by Smart USA as the exclusive authorized factory dealer of the cars in Washington state. The company has already received hundreds of deposits on the cars and expects demand to remain strong through 2008. Nationally, Smart USA has received more than 30,000 deposits through its 74 dealerships located in 31 states.

"We carefully selected dealers from across the country who can best represent the Smart brand," said Dave Schembri, president of Smart USA. "Each dealer participated in our dealer qualification process, including an assessment of reputation for exceptional customer care. We are very pleased to have O'Brien Auto Group as part of our dealership network and welcome them to the Smart family."

During the past year, a number of European-model Smart cars have reached Seattle-area and been sold as unauthorized, or what the automotive industry terms "gray market" cars. These "gray market" versions of the Smart car aren't covered by any factory warranty and require conversion to US specifications to be legal to operate on US roadways. The extremely expensive conversions are completed by non-factory trained technicians and, in the end, sell for about twice as much as dealer-authorized versions.

O'Brien believes that the factory-authorized cars will have a stronger appeal to potential buyers throughout the state.

One of Europe's most-popular cars since the late 90's, the new Smart fortwo is just now making its way to the US with Seattle among the first major cities to take delivery. The fun and affordable cars get 40-miles-per-gallon, have ultra low emissions and are small enough to fit in even the tightest parking spots - sideways.

"The fortwo is, in a lot of ways, the perfect car for the Pacific Northwest driver as it delivers a blend of style and substance," said Michael O'Brien, CEO of O'Brien Auto Group. "Around here, people want a car that not only looks and drives well but, as importantly, aligns with their personal lifestyles and values."

The cars are expected to be a great fit for a number of different types of drivers.

"The cars appeal to a wide range of consumers including first time buyers with a limited budget, urban dwellers in areas with tight parking, and empty nesters who don't require a large car," said O'Brien.

The new Smart center Seattle, located at 301 Baker Boulevard near Southcenter mall, sells all three versions of the Smart fortwo including a pure coupe starting at $11,590, a passion coupe starting at $13,590 and the well-equipped passion cabriolet starting at $16,590. For an additional $850, each car can be upgraded with a "comfort package" that includes power steering, leather seats, rain and lights sensor and auto-off headlamps with exit delay. The most popular colors are red, blue, black, yellow, silver and white.