Daimler's Smart launches online store

German automaker Daimler said Thursday its Smart subsidiary has launched an online store, allowing customers to order a car on the Internet and have it delivered to their home.

"For the first time, the smallest vehicle in the product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Cars can be bought on the Internet and then delivered directly to the customer's home," Daimler said in a statement.

"With our new online store, we are opening a further sales channel and are thus primarily addressing young and Internet-savvy customers who like to try out new things," said Smart's chief executive Annette Winkler.

Customers could order a car at any time of day and pay for it via credit card or bank transfer, or it could be financed, the company said.

The online store is available at first in Smart's second-largest market, Italy, but if the pilot scheme proves successful, it could be extended to other countries, a spokeswoman told AFP.

Smart sold nearly 100,000 cars worldwide last year.