ITALY and Germany continue to be the biggest markets for the Smart whose sales increased by more than 6% during the first half of the year.

The manufacturer sold a total of 62,450 City-Coupe and Cabrio vehicles from January to June this year, up from 58,751 for the same period the previous year, an increase of 6.3%.

It said the largest market continues to be Germany, where just under 21,000 cars were sold, and Italy, which achieved sales of about 17,700 cars.

However, the biggest growth rates were achieved in Japan and the United Kingdom. In the first six months of the UK, the UK sold 4,415 vehicles, up from 2,911 for the same period last year, and Japan sold 3,279 vehicles, up from 2,431.

Smart said sales in Portugal, a new market added last year, were 'showing a pleasing development'.

Commenting on sales generally, Smart marketing and sales director Philipp Schiemer said: 'Customers are increasingly seeing the Smart City-Coupe and Cabrio as an attractive alternative in ecological and economical terms'.