[Windy]

After reading this I reckon it must be close to zero!

Last Thursday, the ADAC published the results of a crash test of the new Brilliance BS4. It failed miserably - at least according to ADAC's press release: The car received exactly zero stars. Those results must have come as a shock to Brilliance, because the BS4's safety has been significantly improved. However, in the meantime, the Euro-NCAP standard also had been toughened-up. The ADAC release concedes: "According to the old standard, the car would have received three stars." Says the ADAC: "The reason for the missing stars is the new rating system with more stringent standards. Apart from passenger safety, safety of children, and safety of pedestrians, electronic assistance systems are part of the test. Due to a lack of ESP, safety belt warner and speed limiter, the BS4 received zero stars." The BS4 was introduced in October 2008, while the old standard was in effect.

This time, even voices in Germany shouted "unfair!"

A call to a government accredited certification expert in Germany revealed that the ADAC has most likely grossly overreached. According to the new Euro NCAP rules, a car without ESP is not eligible for five stars. But it is not automatically disqualified. It could get 4 stars. ESP is not even mandatory yet in the EU, there is a push to make it mandatory. However, ESP is not expected to become law before 2011, possibly not even before 2014.

The German Magazine Focus raised serious "doubts about the procedure" of the test. The magazine points out:

- Euro NCAP is not an official standard. An Euro NCAP rating is not relevant for a car being legal in Europe or not. Manufacturers voluntarily submit their cars to the test - devised by manufacturers and consumer protection organizations.

source: alibaba

How many NCAP generations ago was the 75's test?

 

[James C]

Due to a lack of ESP, safety belt warner and speed limiter

Next years NCAP tests require "no driver to be in the seat as they may do something to make the car unsafe"

:daft:

 

[sadtosee]

The 75 was 4 stars and would have been 5 starts if fitted with the A-pillar head airbags as standard.

I don't think there have been that many changes to NCAP so in theory a 75 fitted with ESP & speed limiter should still get a good score.

The BS4 is an awful cobbled together unoriginal waste of plastic so the less made the better but everyone which gets destroyed in a wasted crash test is a bonus.

 

[Windy]

The 75 was 4 stars and would have been 5 starts if fitted with the A-pillar head airbags as standard.

I don't think there have been that many changes to NCAP so in theory a 75 fitted with ESP & speed limiter should still get a good score.

The BS4 is an awful cobbled together unoriginal waste of plastic so the less made the better but everyone which gets destroyed in a wasted crash test is a bonus.

But the 75 does not have ESP and it would also need curtain bags to get any stars these days! Was it not also tested at lower speeds than the current tests?

 

[Ian]

But the 75 does not have ESP and it would also need curtain bags to get any stars these days! Was it not also tested at lower speeds than the current tests?

ESP was due to be fitted to the 75 for the 2006 model year, as confirmed in another thread by Ex Tester and Rincewind.

Curtain airbags were available as you know, and a speed limiter was available on all models fitted with the Hi-line instrumentation.

Things like seat belt reminders are easy to engineer into a car, and would no doubt have been made standard, alongside curtain airbags and speed limiter.

 

[Windy]

ESP was due to be fitted to the 75 for the 2006 model year, as confirmed in another thread by Ex Tester and Rincewind.

Curtain airbags were available as you know, and a speed limiter was available on all models fitted with the Hi-line instrumentation.

Things like seat belt reminders are easy to engineer into a car, and would no doubt have been made standard, alongside curtain airbags and speed limiter.

But on the test, none of the things on your list were there and so it would have scored ZERO points for them! They could all be added to the BS4 too allowing it to score better than the R75!

 

[Ex Tester]

But the 75 does not have ESP and it would also need curtain bags to get any stars these days! Was it not also tested at lower speeds than the current tests?

If the 75 was still being built by MG rover, all the newer safety features would have been added to give it 4/5 stars :beer2:.No point in engineering a car and trying to compete in a market where everyone else has the safety stuff fitted as standard.

Pedestrian impact is now a major factor in Ncap ratings, cars are now having "ankle breakers" (bars) fitted into the lower lip of the front bumpers. Makes you bounce off the bumper and onto the bonnet instead of getting trapped under the car (or something like that, vehicle safety "aint my bag")

 

[Ian]

But on the test, none of the things on your list were there and so it would have scored ZERO points for them! They could all be added to the BS4 too allowing it to score better than the R75!

But China Brilliance didn't add them to what is a 2009 car, which is damn stupid IMO.

What's the point in comparing this to a car that has been out of production since 2005, and was first launched in 1998 :err:

 

[Ian]

But on the test, none of the things on your list were there and so it would have scored ZERO points for them!

If the 75 was retested then yes that would be the case, but as the car isn't in production, then this is academic, surely.

Also, EuroNCAP don't tend to retest cars until they are replaced or substantially facelifted, so the 4 stars still stand.

 

[Windy]

If the 75 was still being built by MG rover, all the newer safety features would have been added to give it 4/5 stars :beer2:.No point in engineering a car and trying to compete in a market where everyone else has the safety stuff fitted as standard.

Pedestrian impact is now a major factor in Ncap ratings, cars are now having "ankle breakers" (bars) fitted into the lower lip of the front bumpers. Makes you bounce off the bumper and onto the bonnet instead of getting trapped under the car (or something like that, vehicle safety "aint my bag")

Would it not be allowed to continue claiming the 4 stars from the old test making the additions un-necessary?

Adding some stuff and then re-testing might actually give a lower score :daft:

 

[Windy]

But China Brilliance didn't add them to what is a 2009 car, which is damn stupid IMO.

What's the point in comparing this to a car that has been out of production since 2005, and was first launched in 1998 :err:

Because the NCAP stars allow you to do just that!

 

[Ex Tester]

Would it not be allowed to continue claiming the 4 stars from the old test making the additions un-necessary?

Adding some stuff and then re-testing might actually give a lower score :daft:

Have you been drinking Windy ? The replies you are posting almost appear as though you are trying to get a reaction ?!! :naughtymarsh:

 

[Ian]

Because the NCAP stars allow you to do just that!

I'm confused, really I am.

 

[Windy]

I'm confused, really I am.

Isn't the purpose of the NCAP stars to allow you to compare the safety of two cars?

If so then the Rover 75 should be downgraded to zero stars so that I can compare it to the modern cars that I might choose to replace it with because they are safer...

 

[Ian]

Isn't the purpose of the NCAP stars to allow you to compare the safety of two cars?

If so then the Rover 75 should be downgraded to zero stars so that I can compare it to the modern cars that I might choose to replace it with because they are safer...

They wouldn't be able to do that without crash testing the 75 to current standards, which they wouldn't do.

Therefore, the 4 stars (5 with optional head airbags) still stands, and long may it continue.

 

[dentricrio]

To be honest if your involved in a car accident and its a bad one a decent structure is what will help you walk away so in my eyes its a four/five star car and always will be, I really don't see if you run someone over it makes it a bad car.

Surely its down to circumstances for instance if your going up hill down hill or around a corner where your mostly likely to hit a pedestrian cause you cant see them then surely it makes it pointless, then again maybe we don't really exist and maybe the world in in a glass jar.

I also seriously doubt that the BS4 is structurally sound as a 75 or maybe NACP is just wanting to give the Chineese manufacutres a shock so they do put as much safety gear in their cars for Europe.

 

[MGROVERnut]

Personally I think NCAP is getting carried away and we the consumer are paying for it...Ralph Nader anyone...

 

[JohnSwitzer]

Isn't the purpose of the NCAP stars to allow you to compare the safety of two cars?

I suppose it could well be. But at least it has a purpose, unlike this thread - which is just plain daft :daft:

Regards

John

 

[JohnSwitzer]

Personally I think NCAP is getting carried away and we the consumer are paying for it...Ralph Nader anyone...

Yeah, gimme, good, ole fashioned 'Drive the Car Off a Cliff' Crash tests anyday!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aN4o8TERuoY&feature=related

Regards

John

 

[mojolicious]

Serious question: what's this 'speed limiter' stuff?

The only speed limitation I'm aware of is the voluntary 250 kmph figure, but I can't imagine there's that much difference between the results of hitting a huge concrete slab at 250 kmph and 300 kmph.

Is a 'speed limiter' some magic safety feature?