Volvo 940 vs Renault Crash test

Discussion in 'Volvo 940' started by Russ, Oct 9, 2007.

  1. Russ

    Russ Guest

    Hey All

    I just came across this video on You Tube. They crash a 15 year old
    Volvo 940 estate, for many people the epitome of a solid and safe
    family car, into a 3 year old Renault Modus, notable as the first
    small car to earn a maximum 5 Star safety rating from the European New
    Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP).

    You wont believe what happens...




    Regards
    Russ
     
    Russ, Oct 9, 2007
    #1

  2. Spoiler space









    Boy, I'm happy I sold my 900 series wagon to an obnoxious schmuck
    instead of somebody I like!

    And glad I spend most of my driving time in a Saab.

     
    Bob (but not THAT Bob), Oct 9, 2007
    #2
  3. Russ

    Russ Guest

    I was really shocked to see the level of damage the Volvo suffered in
    that collision. The most frightening part for me was the point when
    they showed the driver's side of the volvo after the crash. The
    driver would have most likely lost the use of their legs and would
    require extrication from the vehicle by the rescue team because the
    floor boards and dash collapsed right into the driver. I know the car
    predates air bags so the driver most likely ate that steering wheel.

    I drive a 96 Volvo 850 glt wagon. I now wonder how well it would hold
    up in the same crash?

    Russ
     
    Russ, Oct 9, 2007
    #3
  4. Russ

    Roadie Guest

    It's not loading on my computer. Are the cars both rolling at the
    same speed and crashed head-on?
     
    Roadie, Oct 9, 2007
    #4
  5. Russ

    blurp Guest

    It's a head-on offset driver-on-driver crash at 40mph/car. What it
    really illustrates is not so much that a Volvo is less safe but that
    crash safety standards have risen significantly. No doubt if the Volvo
    was put into that crash situation with one of its contemporaries (like
    a 15-year-old Renault) the result would be different as I expect it
    would be with a 3-year-old Volvo vs. the Modus.

    blurp
     
    blurp, Oct 9, 2007
    #5
  6. Russ

    Roadie Guest


    Exactly. I think whoever the testing organization was should have
    used comparable vehicles if the idea was to draw a conclusion about
    each vehicle.
     
    Roadie, Oct 9, 2007
    #6
  7. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "Russ" <> skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    For sure better than an almost 30 year old construction as the Volvo.

    Try and take a new Volvo C30 and let it hit a 30 year old Renault.

    You would not belive the damage the old fart would become.

    See also this as a reminder of 30 years developement:

    http://www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=TPpU5azjCB8&mode=related&search=Train Crash Test

    Regards
    Bjøern J.
    Denmark, a country in Scandinavia.....
     
    BJ, Oct 9, 2007
    #7
  8. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "Roadie" <> skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    Look, the Ranault can not cope with this in spite of its five star
    EuroNCAP...;o)))))



    Regards
    Bjørn J.
     
    BJ, Oct 9, 2007
    #8
  9. Russ

    Tolian Guest

    Think about this. Renault here is a mini-MPV which is a crossover suv.
    this means it sits higher. Which means its bumper was goint probably
    above volvo's bumper and was basically going through fender and such.
    Not much resistance in that area and not much energy could be
    dissipated so to speak. It's about the same as comparing volvo vs a
    bigger and taller SUV. Would not want to be in the frontal with it, no
    matter what volvo you are in (sans XC90 probably)

    Also being 15 years apart also makes a big difference. I've read
    somewhere about volvo crash with a big ol' american car from 60s or
    70. You know a lot of steel, chrome all over, one that looks like a
    ship. The volvo was smashed but the guy from volvo was able to walk
    off while the guy in ol' car was dead.
     
    Tolian, Oct 9, 2007
    #9
  10. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "Tolian" <> skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    This you will see in a lot of accidents, where a Volvo or a Saab is in.

    This test is also a bit interesting:



    Regards
    Bjørn J.
    Volvo S80 T6 in BSR stage 3 trim (app 330 Hk)
    Volvo S40 2.4i in Göteborg trim for the wife (app 182 Hk)
     
    BJ, Oct 9, 2007
    #10
  11. 1992 technology vs. 2006 techno;ogy...interesting...how about crashing
    a 1992 renuault into a 1002 volvo...where is that video?
     
    ~^ beancounter ~^, Oct 10, 2007
    #11
  12. Russ

    Roadie Guest

    Now that's an old Volvo... LOL!

    I think a meaningful test would be a Volvo PV544 into one of those
    dreadful Renault Dauphine cars.
     
    Roadie, Oct 10, 2007
    #12
  13. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "Roadie" <> skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    I wonder what the horse power may be..;o)
    Just to put the construction basics in perspective versus the new Renault.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volvo_940

    To something like a comparison, you should take this pile of junk and ram
    togehter with a 850/V70:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renault_9

    Regards
    Bjørn J.
     
    BJ, Oct 10, 2007
    #13
  14. "~^ beancounter ~^" <> escreveu na mensagem
    1992 technology vs. 2006 techno;ogy...interesting...how about crashing
    a 1992 renuault into a 1002 volvo...where is that video?

    See at 2:28 min. - 2:38 min what a Volvo does
    to a car same age (Renault ?)
     
    JM Albuquerque, Oct 10, 2007
    #14
  15. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "JM Albuquerque" <> skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    It is an Opel Vectra or in UK a Vauxhall Vectra.

    Regards
    Bjørn J.
     
    BJ, Oct 10, 2007
    #15
  16. Volvo 850 T5 (1996) has a very large frontal beam
    made from aluminium, much larger then that of the
    Renault, and such beam is bolted at both frontal ends
    and it won't allow to happen the same thing that
    happened to the 940.
    The 940 doesn't have a frontal beam, required to avoid
    that only one side of the front sustains all the impact.

    The 850 against that new Renault won't be the same.

    In a 25 meters fall the final speed will be 25m/s
    which is about 100 km/h.
    Volvo 850 is 4.7 meters long.
     
    JM Albuquerque, Oct 10, 2007
    #16
  17. There is one lesson we can take from the video, though. Volvo, although
    a pioneer in auto safety, has lost most of its lead in vehicle safety --
    not because Volvos aren't safe anymore, but because now MANY vehicles
    are much, much safer than in the past.

    Java
     
    Espressopithecus (Java Man), Oct 10, 2007
    #17
  18. opps, your right...that would be an oldie...the
    two cars sure do come to a "fast" stop...lots
    of energy there...
     
    ~^ beancounter ~^, Oct 10, 2007
    #18
  19. Russ

    BJ Guest

    "Espressopithecus (Java Man) >" <Espressopithecus<>
    skrev i en meddelelse

    KLIP
    It would also be a tradigy if it not were so.

    Still I belive, Volvo and Saab will be some of the pioneers in auto safety
    and a lot others just very late copy cats.

    Regards
    Bjørn J.
     
    BJ, Oct 10, 2007
    #19
  20. I agree -- they should be known as important pioneers. But
    unfortunately for Volvo and Saab, the others are now very good copy
    cats.

    Check out the crash test results for Audi, Honda and Subaru vehicles.
    They're not perfect yet, but they're very good.

    I remember when Audis were DANGEROUS in a frontal crash because the
    steering column was likely to cause fatal head injury to the driver.
    Not any more!

    Volvo and Saab can't differentiate themselves with safety any more.
    They have to be safe AND something else.

    Java
     
    Espressopithecus (Java Man), Oct 11, 2007
    #20
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