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A Difference of 20 years - Euro NCAP


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A series of photos that shows the difference between the crashability of cars from 1997 and 2017.  I was struck by how poorly even the premium brands of the nineties performed.

http://www.msn.com/en-au/motoring/news/then-and-now-shocking-crash-test-pics-revealed/ss-AAmvSti?li=AA8ewQ&ocid=spartandhp&parent-title=upgraded-ford-mustang-manages-three-star-euro-ncap-crash-rating&parent-ns=ar&parent-content-id=BBDPcyG&fullscreen=true#image=8

Pity there are no banged up 993's and 991's

ss-AAmvSti?li=AA8ewQ&ocid=spartandhp&par

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The difference can be seen in the a pillars - as anyone driving a modern car can attest.  A lot of these cars were at the end of their design life at this time - things like the 1 star rover were rehashed seventies designs.  The e36 was the start of BMW designing with CAD (subframe cracking anyone?) and things really started to improve after that.

the 911 is a 60's design and will probably fare badly.  I haven't seen many ex-head on crashed 911 photos but I'm guessing those slender a pillars and close windscreen are not good.   There seems to be a lot of pictures of 911s with rear quarter pane damage - they seem to hold up to that pretty well though!

this stuff concerns me because I think about what the kids might drive when it comes time.  I think I have to shelve the idea of getting a classic and look at post 2000 cars as a starting point.  But the question is : do 20 year old airbags still work?

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The history of crash testing is interesting. Obviously MB was one of the pioneers , even before seat belts became mandatory in the 70s.
https://www.fanmercedesbenz.com/1959-mercedes-benz-w111-fintail-crash-tests/

They certainly went to more trouble than Porsche , who just dropped cars from a crane!

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The impact forces from old the new look vastly different to me. All of the old tests the cars seem to "jump" up and around more, are the two tests equivalent? Not by the looks to me.

I did have a 97 Mercedes and it did indeed hit a tree and then roll off a cliff, I walked away unscathed, no test can account for this and I would still rather be in that car in a crash than a lot of this newer stuff...

I am not saying that there have not been improvements, just that comparison does not look even.

The question on 20 year old airbags, probably not, mine did not. My wife's Volvo has a sticker saying something like check after 10 years....

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The impact forces from old the new look vastly different to me. All of the old tests the cars seem to "jump" up and around more, are the two tests equivalent? Not by the looks to me.

Since 1997 the 40% offset test with the deformable barrier has been performed at the same speed of 64kph.  That's why this comparison is so remarkable to me.

I suspect the reduced "jump up" is due to more consistent crumpling on the newer cars.  A few more kgs probably helps too! 

 I haven't seen many ex-head on crashed 911 photos..

Yes, that struck me as odd too.  Truck load of side and rear damage examples from spinning though.

Exhibit A:

1440453463-screen-shot-2015-08-24-at-555 

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The difference in car movement has to do with energy absorption.  More energy transmitted through the car = more moving around.  The newer cars absorb the energy better.

there are many downsides to new vehicles but crash survivability is not one of them.

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The question on 20 year old airbags, probably not, mine did not. My wife's Volvo has a sticker saying something like check after 10 years....

I took my Landcruiser in after 10 years (the sticker had a warning)  and asked them about it ; 40 minutes later after lots of scratched heads and phone calls to the mainland they said "no need to do anything unless you have some problem with it" ???

Imagine the cost of replacing old airbags (all 9-10 of them these days). Nah , modern cars are junked well before their time, aren't they?

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Imagine driving around with 20-year-old explosive charges in front of your face... oh wait.

the history of car safety is something i could watch a good documentary on - from automobile manufacturers resisting safety due to extra cost, Tucker with the 'crash cell' and the pop out windsheild, volvo with seatbelts, Mercedes with ABS, the invention of the collapasble column etc

I'm surprised Magnus Walker didn't get more greif for that accident, considering the way he was driving and the speed he was doing at the time

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I took my Landcruiser in after 10 years (the sticker had a warning)  and asked them about it ; 40 minutes later after lots of scratched heads and phone calls to the mainland they said "no need to do anything unless you have some problem with it" ???

Imagine the cost of replacing old airbags (all 9-10 of them these days). Nah , modern cars are junked well before their time, aren't they?

Nope, my Merc is 12 and my wife's Volvo is 13, and they will do us for many years yet....

Yet another costly thing to make modern cars a disposable item....

What the comparison failed to show was how the top end cars from Merc, BMW, etc faired? How does a 97 S or E class stack up today?

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I did have a 97 Mercedes and it did indeed hit a tree and then roll off a cliff, I walked away unscathed...

Hot lap?

 

 

I took my Landcruiser in after 10 years (the sticker had a warning)  and asked them about it ; 40 minutes later after lots of scratched heads and phone calls to the mainland they said "no need to do anything unless you have some problem with it" ???

Trust they provided an Apple Isle Toyota service dept document covering off on that!

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I looked up the rating for my 97 BMW - it was 4 stars at the time, much higher than the e36.  But then it was an all-new design at the time, with signature fat a-pillars and curtain airbags etc etc.  The same year that Clarkson drove in Africa when he set off an airbag on a heavily corrugated road.

I suspect the late model 90s top end cars aren't in this comparison because the diffferences are not as dramatic.  That is likely because the new tech is brought in at the top end first and trickled down.  So a 97 s-class like a 2005 c class.

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They rang Melbourne , so would no doubt stickynote that call in the computer

You're a trusting soul...

 

MartiniMini came out looking the best.  Went in that way too....

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