Chinese Car Crash.

[F Body]

Since most of the current Chinese domestic cars have failed the Euro Ncap testing resulting in Zero ratings, it seems that they are now selling them to Africa.
The Chinese cars retail new at less than the cost of a second hand car, but follow the link to see a Chery Amulet crash at just 30mph, the results are deadly

http://jalopnik.com/cars/sales/chinese-automakers-go-after-african-car-market-294105.php\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">http://jalopnik.com/cars/sales/chinese-automakers-go-after-african-car-market-294105.php

[ianjpage]

talk about crumpling!!!

[FUBAR]

How can they get away with making something that is such a deathtrap when there has been decades of improvements in car safety? To just ignore it completely in the face of saving money is tantamount to Corporate Manslaughter!

I hope they Bosses of these comapnies have a very strong consience because its not going to be clear for very long!

[philoldsmobile]

there should be minimum crash requirments for a car sold anywhere in the world, thats simply unacceptably dangerous..

[Titsy]

That's a total disgrace...

[Roadkill]

I could make a tasteless comment about helping the over-population in Africa . . . . . . . but I'll resist.



Nasty cars . . . . But if you buy it knowing it's a P.O.S that's your own fault . . and a totally different matter.

[irocblue]

HOLY S*** !!!

[sixpack2639]

[Big Mouse]

At least they made the doors easily detachable in the event of an accident so you can jump clear.

Seriously, if any of you think the chinese manufacturers will lose one second of sleep over their lack of safety mechanisms or features then you obviously haven't dealt with many chinese companies. They might lose sleep if they kill someone before they've received the money for the car but thats as far as it goes.

Years ago I dealt with a chinese manufacturer of woodworking machinery thinking it might be a money earner to import small end user products to small business, hobbyists etc. I got to use one of their Multi Tool machines; planer/thicknesser, router, bench saw and mortice jig all in one. Would have retailed around £450 against the nearest euro competitior at £800.

It was lethal.

The planer blades turned at around 20,000rpm; the bearing housing regularly shattered so the blade roller (which weighed about 10lbs) could break loose from the machine; the router which span at 25,000rpm has no brake so 5 minutes after use it would still be slowing down - with no guard!!

The mortice jig was great, it worked OK but the bench saw blade was held in with pressed steel clips which tended to vibrate loose. I pointed all this out to the manufacturers rep who said they could install guards around all the loose bits - which turned out to be flimsy chicken wire type guards that clipped over the machine.

A bit like trying to smother the effects of a hand grenade by wrapping it in cling film.

I didn't import any. But I know a man who did and he got stopped by H&S before he sold any.

RK is on the right track, Africans will buy anything if its cheap regardless of whether it might kill them

[F Body]

Quoting: sixpack2639

Africans will buy anything if its cheap regardless of whether it might kill them

More to the point they don't have access to the same information that Westerners do

So the much critiscised Euro Ncap testing does serve a purpose but it could see the end of all new American car imports

If the Eurocrats get there way towards the end of 2008 all new cars registered in the E.U will have to meet the new Euro Ncap test procedures.
These included advanced Pedestrian impact protection features, which will require either a pop up bonnet, an 8" gap between the engine & bonnet or some type of front mounted airbag.
There proposal seems quite reasonable when they argue that why should one new car save a Pedrestrians life in a collision and other new car kill them
However GM will have no such features on the new Camaro neither will Ford with the next generation Mustang, Americans seems to be having enough trouble just reducing there average fuel consumption without worrying about EU Ncap test requirements.
This won't just effect American cars, it will effect any vehicle from any country in the world, if this proposal goes through welcome to Eurobox Hell

[Big Mouse]

I don't think it will get through, it would limit the number of cars available to the marketplace if people like Nissan, Toyota and the other japanese firms don't follow suit and most of these countires take the sensible view that pedestrians can stop and react quicker than cars can.

I can't see many people walking away from getting hit by an airbag strapped to the front of a car travelling at 40mph

[F Body]

Quoting: Big Mouse

it would limit the number of cars available to the marketplace if people like Nissan, Toyota and the other japanese firms don't follow suit

Honda already have a pop up bonnet option on the Civic and Accord ready for  2008 , can't see the other Jap's being far behind

Quoting: Big Mouse

I can't see many people walking away from getting hit by an airbag strapped to the front of a car travelling at 40mph

Does sort of make you wonder if the airbag will actually push you out of the way

[Big Mouse]

Quoting: F Body

Does sort of make you wonder if the airbag will actually push you out of the way

When you think about it doesn't really make sense. A bag deploys inside a car to protect something going at the same or relatively same speed as the car itself. ASo the bag can inflate and deflate in a fraction of a second and still save the occupant from significant damage.

If you hit a pedestrian the car is usually going significantly faster so for the bag to be any use it needs to inflate at what point? when the brakes are applied sharply? when it actually hits something?

If it inflates when the brakes are applied sharply then we'll all be replacing bags on a weekly basis.

If it inflates on contact then we have a problem with the law of physics. If it operates like a normal bag i.e. inflates/deflates in a fraction of a second, then the car will still be travelling fairly fast when it deflates and will still cause the damage it would have done if the bag hadn't deployed in the first place.

If, on the other hand, it inflates on contact and stays inflated to keep them from hitting the hard parts of the car then the "lucky" victim gets to  enjoy what is likely to be the biggest 'bounce' effect they've ever had - think being thrown against a horizontal trampoline at 30mph

Yes, it will likely save those people who are stupid enough top step out in front of slow moving cars that manage to stop within a turn or two of the wheel but I don't see it working for anyone else