smarts of the World Come Together in Italy in August

For some reason, probably ancestral in nature, owners of small, cuddly vehicles like to come together in packs, on various occasions, and celebrate the name, the image or the legacy of whatever the name of the car they drive is. These types of gatherings have been made famous by Beetle or Trabant owners, but apparently their time has passed.

German manufacturer Daimler is planning the largest gathering of smart cars ever in the seaside resort of Riccione in Italy this August, with more than 4,000 owners from 22 countries expected to attend. The reason of the gathering? The beginning of what Daimler hopes will become another tradition.

Starting this year, Daimler plans to organize such gatherings annually, each year in a new location, hoping to bring both some value to the existing models and add a few more customers to the rather disappointing pool of customers, in terms of size, smart has had over the years.

“smart times is a fantastic event, where thousands of smart fans come every year from all over Europe to share their enthusiasm and love for the brand, experience road trips and concerts and present their wonderful, resourcefully designed cars at the smart parade” said Annette Winkler, Head of smart.

"In future smart times will take place in a different country each year to increase the appeal of the get-together for the smart family."

To prepare for the August event, Daimler has setup a Facebook page where all those interested can build up their enthusiasm prior to the event.