Crash Test Video 2009 C Class vs 2009 Smart Car LOL
....so much for all those smart car drivers/owners who rave about how well they do in crashes LOL
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...aspx?GT1=33009
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/landi..._859>1=22010
The C Class is not even a very big car, what would an S Class or and Escalade do to that thing?
Last edited by jrcart; Apr 14, 2009 at 05:08 PM.

BTW, there is nothing "Smart" about paying $20,000+ for a go cart because it has an affiliation with Mercedes Benz.
While I don't doubt that 40mph head on collisions happen... so do plane crashes... lightning strikes... etc... how about we focus more on making people better drivers and not how we can make cars heavier with excessive safety equipment, and remove the role of the responsible driver from the equation? I can see the throught process now: "It's the car manufacturers fault that you got hurt when you were driving stupid and crashed into another car at 40mph!"
Just my $.02

-m
While I don't doubt that 40mph head on collisions happen... so do plane crashes... lightning strikes... etc... how about we focus more on making people better drivers and not how we can make cars heavier with excessive safety equipment, and remove the role of the responsible driver from the equation? I can see the throught process now: "It's the car manufacturers fault that you got hurt when you were driving stupid and crashed into another car at 40mph!"
Just my $.02

-m
I see a lot of Smart cars around here in Chicago. I'm sure most people who drive them rarely see 40mph much less are just buying the car for fuel economy. I think the Smart is a cool car and think that if people want to buy it, it should be up to them... not what some "influential safety organization" tells them to do.
-m
...now let's see a G Wagon vs. Smart Car
Trending Topics
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
While I don't doubt that 40mph head on collisions happen... so do plane crashes... lightning strikes... etc... how about we focus more on making people better drivers and not how we can make cars heavier with excessive safety equipment, and remove the role of the responsible driver from the equation? I can see the throught process now: "It's the car manufacturers fault that you got hurt when you were driving stupid and crashed into another car at 40mph!"
Just my $.02

-m
+1

I actually thought about getting my kids a Smart before seeing that video............ but now, I may have to consider one for my wife.
While I don't doubt that 40mph head on collisions happen... so do plane crashes... lightning strikes... etc... how about we focus more on making people better drivers and not how we can make cars heavier with excessive safety equipment, and remove the role of the responsible driver from the equation? I can see the throught process now: "It's the car manufacturers fault that you got hurt when you were driving stupid and crashed into another car at 40mph!"
Just my $.02

-m
lol
I actually thought about getting my kids a Smart before seeing that video............ but now, I may have to consider one for my wife.

While I don't doubt that 40mph head on collisions happen... so do plane crashes... lightning strikes... etc... how about we focus more on making people better drivers and not how we can make cars heavier with excessive safety equipment, and remove the role of the responsible driver from the equation? I can see the throught process now: "It's the car manufacturers fault that you got hurt when you were driving stupid and crashed into another car at 40mph!"
Just my $.02

-m
I get what you're saying. It doesn't prove much of a point because as safe as a car can be, there's always something bigger and badder out there.
I think the point of the research is to demonstrate the true reality of what these "smaller vehicles" will likely face out in the real world. Its a message to the public that these vehicles are not as safe as they advertise it to be, because when they crash onto something in real world conditions (likely a standard size car), they will get hurt.
Mercedes will always advertise that their cars are safe. Sure, it'll get mangled too if we slammed onto a 18th wheeler. But we have a far higher chance of slamming into another car similar to our size than that.
Some of us think that driving around an enclosed golf-cart is safe. This study shows otherwise. To a point, there is validity to this test.
I see a lot of Smart cars around here in Chicago. I'm sure most people who drive them rarely see 40mph much less are just buying the car for fuel economy. I think the Smart is a cool car and think that if people want to buy it, it should be up to them... not what some "influential safety organization" tells them to do.
-m
Number of idiots on the road divided by the average time they spend driving drunk multiplied by the average weight of the vehicle they drive. This equals to : Watch your *** because chances are the guy driving in your vicinity might not care to.
Take a general population, which is already lacking common sense and the ability to properly operate a motor vehicle, and then introduce overly complex cell phones with text messages, email, pictures, IM, and whatever else you can think of. Not the most comforting scenario.
What can happen, usually does. When it happens to me, I don't want to be sitting in a glorified golf cart.
Last edited by MarkoCL65; Apr 14, 2009 at 11:00 PM.
Marcus---I have to actually disagree with you here. Yes The vehicle with the larger mass will usually win---thats physics...but that doesnt mean the test is meaningless.
The C class is what Id consider a small 4-door. Camry...A4.....Taurus...335i...these are the cars that dominate the road. In your example about the E55 vs the tractor trailer...Yes it is true...but the point is that *IF* a smart car "were" to get into an accident with another car--chances are...that vehicle would be AT LEAST C-class size.
As to 40mph frontal impacts being rare---yeah sure!!....If youre doing 75mph on the highway and get bumped or slide or hit a guard rail in snowy conditions(ala Inocent1)---you might be doing over 40 when u hit something bigger than a Cclass. Isnt the most common accident a `T-bone`through an intersection??
That said...I would (and did) consider a smart car---BUT ONLY IF i lived in a downtown European city setting where 30mph would be the top speed.
The one thing about Smart cars that you guys dont get is their gas milage. In Canada we can get 3cylinder Diesel Smart that gets *80mpg**!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is rediculous when gas is $4/gal. Myself---I just got a Jetta Diesel. I must say I LOVE IT. its slow as molases...but....My first tank.....15 gallons=712miles!!!47.5mpg. Thats hard to beat. My new job has me driving 40,000 miles this year---so it adds up.
now that's scary! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vAN2cx2UIE
and one more, sorry it is kind of off-topic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5SRy...eature=related
Last edited by Karlson; Apr 15, 2009 at 12:32 AM. Reason: added another link
now that's scary! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vAN2cx2UIE
and one more, sorry it is kind of off-topic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5SRy...eature=related








