Smart, Wall. Wall, Smart.

[redbull]

:shock:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6605730767077503480

[Luxton]

wow, that held up WAY better than I thought it would.... almost impressed.  now, can ya get a lift for it?  :wink:

[RACKMAN]

Looks to me like the driver would have no legs left. :shock:  :shock:  I would never let a loved one buy one of those. Do people think they are heros saving the world when they buy one??? :roll:  :roll:  Because if they say they bought one for the mileage, you can buy cars like the Toyota Camry or VWs' that get incredible fuel mileage. Imagine that piece of **** in an accident with a 3/4 or 1 ton pick-up head-on or god forbid a 40 ton tractor-trailer.

RACKMAN

[Luxton]

you'd have no legs left?  can really have any to drive it in the first place... isn't exactly the roomiest vehicle on the market.

that being said, like I said before, it did stand up to a 70 mp/h hit with a cement wall better than I thought it would.......

[Robb]

I've had a salvage Smart that was in a head on/Roll, and I'll say it is tougher than the Camry by a long shot.  The roll cage frame that BMW has designed is magnificent, and more auto makers should be looking into it.

[redbull]

I'd put money down that you's be better off in a roll-over in that than in my YJ.

[RACKMAN]

Well good luck to anyone who buys one...hopefully they won't have any head-on collisions with any full size pick-up trucks. If there was a person in that car in the video, there's no way they would ever have use of their legs (probably have to amputate anything that was left). Head-on collisions with other Moving vehicles are much more damaging and the forces involved are much greater than hitting a wall head-on...so lets' see how well one of those toy (save the world tree-hugger) cars does in a video of that type of collision.

RACKMAN

[kevman]

I hear what you're saying and can't argue that but...if we're talking head on collision with a full size at highway speeds a camry and jetta arn't going to fair much better.

Personally, for what they're for I love them.  If I worked downtown and had a parking spot and could afford one I'd drive one in a second.  Practical as an only car no, practical to get to work and back car very!  Head on highway collisions arn't much concern when you don't take it on the highway...

Not trying to stir anything up but...I just really like those things, I don't know why  :?:

[DGenR8]

Believe it or not, the Smart has a higher safty rating than a Jeep Cherokee.

[Spinalguy]

Comparing what would happen to a smart car in a head on is irrelevant as the same head on would destroy MOST cars!

 A couple of my patients have them and the one guy is in the smart car club (go figure) He says that as a fact, the smart car has the HIGHEST saftey rating in the history of rating cars. No other vehicle has been rated as safe as a smartcar. That video kinds shows the safety. i mean hitting a wall at that speed (what speed? i do not have sound) and i think surviving it would be very plausible.
The smart car is a ROLLCAGE on wheels.
My wife wants one and i think they are very SAFE.
Again, the key is that they are allegedly the safest car ever made. i do not know where he got that "fact" but i will ask next tiome i see him.
Tom

[Luxton]

speed was 70 mph... wouldn't want to hit 20 tons of cement @ 70 mph in my jeep... of course, wouldn't WANT to hit it in a smart car either

[Spinalguy]

Looking on the net shows it is a SAFE crash car but it is not the highest ever rated.
Tom

[henry]

I'm quite impressed with that crash test, sure you'd have obvious leg issues after that accident, but that car probably performs better than most of the cars average people can afford on the road today.  I can't imagine a minivan or comparatably priced car compete with that.

I've seen a Ford Super Duty F250 (I think - more on that later) with the right front bumper sitting in the rear of the box, still attatched after a head on collision.  The engine was broken in half and the rear diff, clearly visible, was twisted (still in one piece) around so the driveshaft stuck out the back of the truck.  I'm still not sure if it was an Excursion, or F250 like I previously mentioned, even though I was standing right beside it.

There was absolutely no way to tell what kind of vehicle it was.  I can't imagine the kind of impact forces it took to literally rip this truck to pieces, thankfully I did not see the occupant, or maybe he was still in there, couldn't tell.  The only reason I knew it was an Ford is because I saw an emblem.  Obviously the guy in it died because the cab was pretty much non-existent.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you get in a bad enough head on collision (they're all bad, but a high speed accident), you are pooched either way.  From a Smartcar to a big, presumably safe truck, if your number is up, you're done.   If you think a Smartcar is not safe mode of transportation, try riding a motorcycle to work everyday.

Where I work, I have the privledge, or curse, of seeing pretty much every vehicle involved in a fatal accident in Calgary and it is very disturbing what can happen to any and all types of vehicles after a bad accident.

Drive safe, and defensive.  Happy Holidays.

Darren

[JohnB]

It is Mercedes BTW, not BMW

You can see all the crash test stuff at this link.
http://www.mercedes-benz.ca/mbccustom/smart/safety/event.cfm

If they designed larger vehicles this well nobody would be getting injured in accidents.

[RACKMAN]

Well each to their own...I guess. I'll believe it when I see a Smart?car in ANY speed of collision with a full-size pick-up or van come out in decent condition :roll:  :roll: ...which I'm sure I will see sooner or later, as I drive for a living, and spend full time hours on the road. Regardless of the safety factor,it still makes no sense to me to buy a GO-CART when I could get a much more practical Honda, Toyota, VW that gets around 50-60mpg, has room inside, has proven LONGTERM reliability, cost less to buy, and doesn't look retarted.

RACKMAN