Is it smart to buy a Smart Car now or is it smart to wait?

Smart Cars have been in Europe since 98 or so. They have been in Canada since around 2004.
They are made by a a spinoff company of Mercedes Benz and appear to be very safe for their size and are extremely fuel efficient.
A company apparently chose to import some Smart Cars to the U.S. and some are available in Las Vegas.
However, a dealer L.E. Fant contacted desires $24,000 for one (2005 or 2006 model year). A similar car, but new and U.S. compliant will be available for $12,000-$14,000 (we are told) in early 2008.
One may see and drive these cars at the Fashion Show later this month (22-24).
If the U.S. version manages the gas mileage of its Euro cousin-these cars could be a way to save $$. They expect to get over 40 mpg-city.
L.E. Fant concludes that it may be wise to wait a few months to save around $10,000. What do you think?