Derek Zoolander

Does anyone know how well these two cars did in the crash tests? Im curious to see which is the safer car (all around) incase of an accident?

Harris

Try it yourself! Take a C32 and a M3 and do a head on, see who suffers the most. j/k

DL_AMG

Second to that. Let us know the result okay!!

99ITR_SC

I recall reading sometihng about the W203 being the safest car in the mercedes lineup, even safer than the S-class.

Personally, i would rather crash my C32, than in an M3.....!

AMG4life

safer than the s- class? i dont think so

Bux

i know of someone that rolled a w203 c-class 4times and walked away from it without a scratch.

rrf

Roozy ......

C is about as good as they get: (Better than 2003 E)
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...assedetail.htm

3-series isn't as good
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...pgesmittel.htm

Check out the vids.

One big difference is the 3-series driver's wheel ends up in your lap.

Derek Zoolander

thanks a lot rrf, that was far better then trying it myself.

FrankW

Euro-NCAP only tests frontal crash in a unrealistic set up.

Insurance insititute of highway safety does it with the off-set test which is more likely to happen in real life.

http://www.hwysafety.org/

DL_AMG

Actually Euro-NCAP had been test frontal crash in off-set situation why before US.
http://www.oeamtc.at/netautor/html_s...htest/test.htm

AMG Fan

There was a test last year with several German vehicles including the C320, Audi A4, and a BMW 3 series where the C320 or A4 came in first and the BMW came in last. Anybody here have a link to what I'm writing about?

FrankW

I always thought that IIHS did the offest first...oh well...

I found some more info on crash tests http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/mpaine/ncaprate.html

Derek Zoolander

Thanks again fellas.

DL_AMG

Short quote from above link...

Background
In 1978 the U.S. National Highway and Transport Safety Administration (NHTSA) began full frontal crash testing (56km/h) of popular vehicle models in the United States. The results were published for the information of consumers. This led to greater interest in the safety of vehicles.
Since the mid 1970s at least one European car manufacturer has been conducting offset crash testing as part of its vehicle design program. In the late 1980s the German Automobile Club and the magazine Auto Motor und Sport began offset crash testing of popular European models (55km/h, 50% offset). The results are published in the magazine. In 1995 the US the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) began offset crash testing of U.S. models (64km/h, 40% offset).

FrankW

well, in that section it also said this:
" In 1997 Euro-NCAP published the results of its first series of crash tests (64km/h 40% offset, side impact and pedestrian impact tests)."

so there you have it, ANCAP did it first, then IIHS, then Euro-NCAP.