By now, many people know that a 1959 car cannot withstand an offset crash test. And they know that car safety has been evolving rapidly. But... 1990? Any of us who are of driving age as of this post have been in at least one 1990 or earlier car in our lifetimes, and most of us have been in - or driven - or owned, something far older. But as it turns out, even these cars from less than twenty-five years ago may prove to be a death sentence in even a modest head-on collision.
The IIHS tests at 40 mph into a deformable concrete barrier with 40% of the front end, intended to replicate hitting another car, driver to driver, at 40 mph each. These crash tests, conducted by the German magazine Auto, Motor, und Sport in summer 1990, were at just 34 mph - shaving off 28% of the kinetic energy - and with 50% of the front end. Today's cars have it bad.
A 1989-1996 BMW 5 Series, 1986-1995 Mercedes E Class, 1989-1994 Nissan Maxima, 1983-1992 Volvo 740, 1984-1992 Renault 25, 1986-1996 Fiat Croma, 1986-1990 Acura Legend, and 1987-1993 Opel Omega were put to the test. For the uninitiated, the Fiat, Opel, and Renault were models not sold in the US. Conveniently, this is also the performance order of the cars - from mediocre down to fatal.
I was going to have to translate this from German, but I found a British article at the last minute that is quite well written and has good pictures:
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=21 - Page 1
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=20 - Page 2
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=19 - Page 3
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=18 - Page 4
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=13 - Page 5
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17 - Page 6
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS7a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=23 - Page 7
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS8a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=22 - Page 8
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS9.jpg.html?sort=3&o=15 - Page 9
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS10.jpg.html?sort=3&o=14 - Page 10
And video, with a 1992 Audi 100 at the end in the same test:
The IIHS tests at 40 mph into a deformable concrete barrier with 40% of the front end, intended to replicate hitting another car, driver to driver, at 40 mph each. These crash tests, conducted by the German magazine Auto, Motor, und Sport in summer 1990, were at just 34 mph - shaving off 28% of the kinetic energy - and with 50% of the front end. Today's cars have it bad.
A 1989-1996 BMW 5 Series, 1986-1995 Mercedes E Class, 1989-1994 Nissan Maxima, 1983-1992 Volvo 740, 1984-1992 Renault 25, 1986-1996 Fiat Croma, 1986-1990 Acura Legend, and 1987-1993 Opel Omega were put to the test. For the uninitiated, the Fiat, Opel, and Renault were models not sold in the US. Conveniently, this is also the performance order of the cars - from mediocre down to fatal.
I was going to have to translate this from German, but I found a British article at the last minute that is quite well written and has good pictures:
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS1.jpg.html?sort=3&o=21 - Page 1
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS2.jpg.html?sort=3&o=20 - Page 2
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS3.jpg.html?sort=3&o=19 - Page 3
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS4.jpg.html?sort=3&o=18 - Page 4
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS5.jpg.html?sort=3&o=13 - Page 5
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS6.jpg.html?sort=3&o=17 - Page 6
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS7a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=23 - Page 7
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS8a.jpg.html?sort=3&o=22 - Page 8
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS9.jpg.html?sort=3&o=15 - Page 9
http://s888.photobucket.com/user/ARB_01/media/AMS10.jpg.html?sort=3&o=14 - Page 10
And video, with a 1992 Audi 100 at the end in the same test:
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