for those who think the smart car isn't safe

[The_Canuck]

crash test what do you make of the photos?

[sleekeywoowoo]

I wasn't expecting it to be that good, but if it were to crash with a big SUV, i feel sorry for whoever is in there.

[:Exige:]

Not bad .. but the lack of space for a decent crumple zone means that not much of the force is gonna be absorbed. You can see on that Mercedes the huge extent of crumple zone. It did do a good job at getting nearer to that Mercs engine though

[Matra et Alpine]

well the Smart four-four got 4 stars in the European NCAP ratings which takes into account things like trucks and street furniture in the way there tests are set up. It has seat belt load limiters which release the occupant slowly forward thus providng the same slower reductino in speed that larger crumpel zones give - or so the theory seems to lay out

Only one on the pedestrian safety though - I guess because it coudl rip your gonads off as it goes between your legs

I was surprised too. Still woudlnt' get me inside one though - unless it's a Z-cars versions

[h00t_h00t]

The Smart Four-Two only scored three out of five, however. Thats not really safe imo, all the energy is tranfered straight into the passengers.

[DieselRacer]

Looks a bit dangerous to me

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by h00t_h00t

The Smart Four-Two only scored three out of five, however. Thats not really safe imo, all the energy is tranfered straight into the passengers.

I couldn;t find the four-two. Thanks.
no great surprise as the smalelr one is just silly

[Esperante]

Yeah, I think the Smart car at least needs a bit of a hood, building an invincible car doesn't make it safe, it just makes rocket forward in a crash. I think the idea of a seat belt that lets up slack is silly, too, because then you'll smack right into the windscreen. But Smart must have done something right to get 4 stars...

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Esperante

Yeah, I think the Smart car at least needs a bit of a hood, building an invincible car doesn't make it safe, it just makes rocket forward in a crash. I think the idea of a seat belt that lets up slack is silly, too, because then you'll smack right into the windscreen. But Smart must have done something right to get 4 stars...

erm no, you are suported by a properly designed air bag.
Just as pre-tensioners pull an occupant BACK into a seat at the point of impact, they then release slowly to prevent injury to the occupant by the belt restraints themselves.
You'll all have them in five years

[ruim20]

Crash tests are funny...

Let's go see real life now!

[Vindesh17]

I didnt expect it to do that well but we do need a real world test against a Hummer H2or something. Who wants to volunteer to drive the Smart Car? I'll drive the H2.

[pimento]

You guys should track down the Fifth Gear ep where they crashed a Smart into a wall at 70mph. It's a hoot.

[NuclearCrap]

You probably don't even get hurt in that thing..........I mean, how fast can it go? I'd always like to know the result of 2 of these crashing into each other.

[henk4]

Originally Posted by NuclearCrap

You probably don't even get hurt in that thing..........I mean, how fast can it go? I'd always like to know the result of 2 of these crashing into each other.

It can easily reach 90 mph, faster than all speed limited states in the US would allow.

[FlamingBlade]

its still EXTREMELY DANGEROUS...for your social life, that is :P lol