This isn’t a simple piece to put in writing though the premise is easy. Outdated automobiles are merely not secure for you and your loved ones. They arrive nowhere close to to fashionable crash security requirements and any new automotive, even the most affordable ones on sale right this moment, are gentle years forward in occupant security. On your personal sake, get a brand new automotive.
The above paragraph is a reality, one which was seared into my thoughts earlier this week once we witnessed the crash take a look at of a Proton Wira, stay on the Miros PC3 lab. Figuring out one thing in concept is one factor, seeing the carnage with your individual eyes is one other altogether.
Right here’s some background. This isn’t an official ASEAN NCAP take a look at and there’s no score to be earned, though we’re in the identical facility in Ayer Molek, Melaka that fingers out the stars and factors we’re aware of. The identical high-speed cameras and lights, the identical background, the identical gear and the identical wrecking crew, however with a vastly totally different topic.
One which’s from the previous. We now have right here a 1993 Proton Wira from the primary batch of the tremendous in style sedan based mostly on the fourth-generation Mitsubishi Lancer. This white 1.5 GL was donated by Hezeri Samsuri, veteran motoring journalist and founding father of Grimace. Our pal bought the Wira with the intention to revive it, however the man has manner too many autos to work on/play with, and had an excellent thought.
Crash it! He received in contact with Miros and right here we’re with a few different media shops Hezeri invited to witness the demise of a automotive in actual time. He solely has one Wira to present so there’ll solely be one crash – the total frontal – as a substitute of the same old entrance offset and NCAP’s gamut of assessments. Additionally, we’re utilizing probably the most primary of dummies (that are very expensive issues by the best way), as the principle intention is to point out the harm to the automotive.
After a nervous wait from the viewing platform, we heard the countdown after which the sound of the Wira arrowing into the constructing at a recorded pace of 62 km/h (64 km/h is the norm). It hit the wall with a muted ‘doosh’ sound, making a combustion of glass and trim.
We rushed down to examine the now-departed Wira (RIP, hero), and what instantly struck me wasn’t the fully crushed 1/3 of the three-box sedan, however the truth that the remainder of the Proton – now minus the engine bay – appeared visibly shorter than the automotive that was alive moments in the past.
Maybe not as pronounced in photos, however the wheelbase of the sedan has been shortened, and the wrecked physique seems barely curved, like a Mercedes-Benz CLS. The crew later lifted the wreckage and pointed us to the damaged weld factors on the undercarriage.
This compression of the passenger cell needs to be the largest distinction between a contemporary automotive and an older automotive constructed within the period the place crash assessments weren’t a factor. The engine bay of a contemporary automotive acts as an enormous crumple zone, designed to nicely, crumple upon influence, absorbing the power of the crash, so to talk. With out this large, precise ‘absorber bumper’ (bear in mind the Nissan Sunny 130Y?) the large power is transferred to the cabin, as demonstrated by this Wira wreck.
The most secure automobiles on the highway right this moment are intact aft of the A pillars, that are strengthened to resist the entrance offset crash take a look at. The latter, the place just one facet of the automotive’s entrance finish makes first influence, is a harder take a look at than the total frontal, the place the influence is unfold over a bigger space. This is the reason you don’t see any A pillar harm right here, however surprising scenes greeted us upon nearer inspection.
With no crumple zone, the influence of the collision pushed the firewall – and dashboard – again into the cabin, drastically lowering what consultants name the ‘cabin survival zone’. The grownup driver dummy’s legs are pushed again to the seat base and his foot is flipped again in direction of his shin. The steering wheel is now not spherical as a result of the dented half ‘went into’ the dummy’s stomach.
Attainable influence areas have been painted to actually spotlight contact factors with the dummy, and we see the colors on Mr Orange’s forehead, nostril and chin – with no airbag to cushion the blow, the dummy’s complete face collided with the stiff steering wheel. There’s additionally color on the passenger facet of the dashboard, which implies that the pinnacle of the kid – secured in a toddler seat – smacked the sprint. Sure demise in the event that they have been each human, we have been advised.
The ultimate nail within the coffin is that each one 4 doorways couldn’t be opened by a crew of 5 grown males, who had instruments and no scarcity of expertise with mangled automobiles. The compression of the passenger cell will need to have sealed the doorways in place. If this was an actual accident, it could be inconceivable for passers-by to assist extricate the passengers earlier than the bomba arrive with their Jaws of Life. The doorways of contemporary automobiles are designed to be opened within the occasion of a crash.
As confessed initially, this wasn’t a simple story to put in writing as a result of fairly a couple of of us love outdated automobiles right here at paultan.org. PT BM colleague Farid drove to Melaka in a slammed Volvo 240 and yours really’s earlier two-door automotive was a Toyota MR2 three years older than the departed Wira.
Many people automotive guys have dream automobiles from that period, or on the very least, a fond reminiscence of the household saloon that we grew up in. They don’t make them like they used to, proper?
Certainly! At the moment’s automobiles, even probably the most primary ones, have been designed to satisfy fashionable crash security requirements that weren’t there within the Nineteen Nineties, which implies that even the Perodua Axia/Bezza or right this moment’s Proton Saga – small and lightweight as they’re – will maintain up higher in a crash than outdated automobiles – there are not any two methods about it.
And whereas we’re utilizing the Wira for example, it could be the identical for a Honda Civic EG, Toyota Corolla SEG or any mannequin from the period – the notion of ‘outdated automobiles are extra strong’ or that they’re manufactured from ‘more durable metal’ is obvious incorrect.
Are we telling you then to ditch the outdated automotive and exchange it with a recent rent buy mortgage ASAP? No, however if you possibly can afford a contemporary automotive to function household transport, security is at all times cash nicely spent. For those who’re protecting an outdated automotive for fanatic or sentimental causes, get pleasure from your outdated buddy responsibly with the realisation that its shell received’t supply a lot safety in a crash. Make sure that your brakes and tyres are in good situation and don’t take an excessive amount of liberties. See the Wira’s demise blow from all angles within the video beneath.
GALLERY: 1993 Proton Wira frontal crash take a look at
GALLERY: Fashionable automotive wrecks at Miros PC3
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