Το άτυχο: Suzuki Alto 2009 EuroNCAP Crash Test

Suzuki Alto 1.0 GL EuroNCAP Crash Test
Frontal impact

Μετά τα νέα αυστηρότερα κριτήρια που έχει εφαρμόσει το EuroNCAP, το πρώτο αυτοκίνητο που παίρνει τρία αστεράκια, είναι το Suzuki Alto. Προηγήθηκαν τα επίσης άτυχα Citroen C3 Picasso και Subaru Impreza με τέσσερα αστεράκια.

Driver

CRS

Whiplash




Suzuki Alto 2009 test results

Comments

Adult occupant
The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal impact. Structures in the dashboard presented a risk of injury to the knees and femurs of both the driver and passenger. Dummy readings indicated marginal protection of the driver's lower legs. Side impact airbags are optional on some variants of the Alto. The thorax-protecting airbag is expected to be widely sold and was included in the tests; the head-protecting bag is not and was not fitted to the test vehicle, and no pole test was performed. In the side barrier test, protection of the chest was marginal. Protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts was also rated as marginal.

Child occupant
The 3 year dummy, sat in a forward-facing seat, recorded high chest deceleration in the frontal impact but forward movement of the dummy's head was not excessive. In the side impact, the heads of both chid dummies were properly contained by the restraints. The passenger airbag cannot be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats is not clearly marked.

Pedestrian
The front edge of the bonnet scored no points for the protection it offers to pedestrians' legs. The protection offered by the bumper was marginal. Poor protection was provided by the bonnet in most areas likely to be struck by the head of an adult or a child.

Safety assist
In response to Euro NCAP's new rating scheme, Suzuki have decided to make electronic stability control an option on all variants of the Alto and standard on some. Sales of ESC as standard equipment are not expected to meet Euro NCAP's requirements for the full three points to be awarded but are sufficient to gain the car an additional point for this area of assessment. A driver's seatbelt reminder system is standard equipment.

Photos, Comments: EuroNCAP

Off Road: VW Touareg 2004 - 2005 Photo files

Off Road: VW Touareg 2004 - 2005 Photo files
Photos: Volkswagen

Crash Test: Peugeot 3008 2009

Peugeot 3008 2009 EuroNCAP Crash Test
Frontal impact

Driver

Pole

CRS

Whiplash




Peugeot 3008 2009 test results

Comments

Adult occupant
The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal impact and the protection offered to both driver and passenger was rated predominantly good. However, the passenger airbag was found to have been torn slightly during deployment, allowing it to vent in a way other than designed. Peugeot attributed the tear to incorrect splitting of the airbag cover in the dashboard and an improved design is now in production. Peugeot's tests indicated that the tear would not have influenced the characteristics of the airbag and that the protection offered was unaffected. Dummy readings indicated good protection of the knees and femurs and Peugeot showed that similar protection was provided to occupants of different sizes or those sat in different positions. Maximum points were scored in the side barrier impact but protection of the chest was marginal in the side pole test. Protection against whiplash injuries was also marginal, the car scoring no points in the most severe of the three whiplash tests.

Child occupant
Forward movement of the 3 year old in the frontal test was not excessive. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear.

Pedestrian
The bonnet provided poor protection in all areas which might be struck by an adult's head. For a child's head, the protection offered was predominantly poor but was good in some areas towards the centre of the bonnet. The bumper provided good protection to pedestrians' legs.

Safety assist
Electronic stability control is fitted as standard equipment, as is a seatbelt reminder system for both front and rear seats. A speed limitation device is standard on some variants and optional on others.

Photos, Comments: EuroNCAP

Crash Test: Hyundai i20 2009

Hyundai i20 1.4 GL 2009 EuroNCAP Crash Test
Frontal impact

Driver

Pole

CRS

Whiplash




Hyundai i20 2009 test results

Comments

Adult occupant
The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal impact. Stiff structures in the dashboard presented a potential hazard to the femurs of the driver and passenger. Maximum points were scored in the side barrier test and adequate protection was provided to the chest in the side pole impact. Protection provided against whiplash injury was rated as marginal.

Child occupant
The i20 scored maximum points for its protection of the 1½ year old in the frontal and side impacts, based on dummy readings. Forward movement of the 3 year old's head was not considered excessive in the frontal test. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward facing child restraint to be used in that seating position. However, information provided to the driver regarding the status of the airbag is not sufficiently clear. The presence of ISOFIX anchorages in the rear outboard seats is not clearly marked.

Pedestrian
Most of the bumper provided good protection to pedestrians' legs, as did most parts of the bonnet edge. The protection offered by the bonnet was good in most areas likely to be struck by a child's head but was predominantly poor in those areas where an adult's head would hit.

Safety assist
Some variants of the i20 have electronic stability control as standard equipment and some have it as an option. The great majority of cars sold are expected to be fitted with ESC as standard. A seatbelt reminder system for front and rear seats is standard equipment.

Photos, Comments: EuroNCAP

Crash Test: Honda Jazz 2009

Honda Jazz 1.4 ES 2009 EuroNCAP Crash Test
Frontal impact

Driver

Pole

CRS

Whiplash




Honda Jazz 2009 test results

Comments

Adult occupant
The passenger compartment remained stable in the frontal test. The driver's footwell was deformed but it did not rupture and retained its stability. Nevertheless, pedal displacements were high and that of the clutch incurred a penalty. Structures in the dashboard posed a hazard to the knees and femurs of the driver and passenger. In the side pole test, chest protection was poor, with rib deflections exceeding safe limits. However, protection of other body regions was good in both the side barrier and the pole tests. Protection against whiplash injury in rear impacts was rated as marginal.

Child occupant
In the frontal test, forward head movement of the 3 year infant, sat in a forward-facing seat, was not excessive and both dummies' heads were contained by the restraints in the side impact. The passenger airbag can be disabled to allow a rearward-facing restraint to be used in that seating position. However, insufficient information is presented to the driver regarding the status of the airbag.

Pedestrian
The bumper scored maximum points for the protection it offered to pedestrians' legs. The bonnet offered good protection in most areas where an adult's head might strike but was predominantly poor for protecting the heads of children.

Safety assist
Honda is increasing the fitment of its electronic stability control (ESC) system during the course of 2009. Currently, ESC is fitted as an option to some variants in some countries, although the great majority of sales are expected to have ESC fitted as standard. Fitment will be increased until, by January 2010, ESC is standard equipment on all variants in all European countries. A seatbelt reminder system for the front and rear seats is standard equipment.

Photos, Comments: EuroNCAP

Εμπνευση: Carlsson Aigner CK 55 RS Rascasse 2009 σε βάση Mercedes GL 500

Carlsson Aigner CK 55 RS Rascasse 2009 σε βάση Mercedes GL 500

Carlsson Aigner CK 65 RS Blanchimont 2008 σε βάση Mercedes S-Class

Carlsson Aigner CK 65 RS Eau Rouge 2007 σε βάση Mercedes CL-Class

Οπως είναι γνωστό στον χώρο της τέχνης, η συνεργασία Carlsson - Etienne Aigner έχει δώσει μέχρι στιγμής εκπληκτικά δείγματα υψηλής αισθητικής, τα οποία είναι πλέον περιζήτητα στο φιλότεχνο κοινό, και η αξία τους συνεχώς ανεβαίνει, πράγμα που ήταν εξ αρχής αναμενόμενο στους συλλεκτικούς κύκλους.

Με την εμπνευσμένη Blanchimont και την λεπτεπίλεπτη Eau Rouge, έγινε απολύτως σαφής η πρόθεση της Carlsson Aigner να αποδείξει στους τεχνοκριτικούς ότι η τέχνη οφείλει να μην μένει φυλακισμένη στα μουσεία και στις γκαλερί, αλλά πρέπει να κυκλοφορεί και στους δρόμους.

Το μοναδικό σχεδιαστικό ύφος, που ισορροπεί αριστοτεχνικά ανάμεσα στο διαχρονικά κλασσικό και στο εκλεπτυσμένα μοντέρνο, και οι διακριτικές χρωματικές επιλογές, δημιουργούν αισθητικούς συνειρμούς που φθάνουν σε επίπεδο εσωτερικών χώρων στα εκπληκτικά σαλόνια, τραπεζαρίες και κρεβατοκάμαρες by Romeo από τον διάσημο Claude Dalle που είναι leader εδώ και δεκαετίες στον χώρο.

Αντικρύζοντας αυτήν την τελευταία εκπληκτική δημιουργία σε βάση Mercedes GL 500, την Rascasse, δεν γίνεται να μην ξεραθείς αναφωνώντας με όση πνοή σου απέμεινε "Oh mon Dieux! C'est magnifique!!!" -με τρία θαυμαστικά, τουλάχιστον.

Ομως, δυστυχώς, σύμφωνα με αποκλειστικές πληροφορίες του Athens Car Blog, μόνον οκτώ από τα 20 αντίτυπα της περιορισμένης παραγωγής θα διατεθούν στους συλλέκτες, γιατί κάποιος παλιός πελάτης της Carlsson Aigner έχει ήδη παραγγείλει μία 12άδα Rascasse γιά 12 από τις 78 συζύγους του, οι οποίες έχουν αδυναμία στις τσάντες, τσαντάκια, πορτοφολάκια κλπ Etienne Aigner, οπότε το σετ ήταν απαραίτητο.

Ενα άλλο μοναδικό concept της Carlsson Aigner, η CK 55 Fourure, που ήταν δημιουργία ενός από τους πιό ταλαντούχους designers της εταιρείας, έμεινε δυστυχώς στα χαρτιά, σύμφωνα με αποκλειστικές πληροφορίες του Athens Car Blog.
Η Carlsson Aigner CK 55 Fourure ήταν χρυσαφί σε απόχρωση της άμμου της ερήμου, με επίχρυσους καθρέφτες, λεβιέ, αεραγωγούς και διακόπτες στο ταμπλώ και στις πόρτες. Οι ζάντες ήταν 5άκτινες μαύρες με επίχρυσα λογοτυπάκια Aigner σε κάθε ακτίνα.

Εσωτερικά, τα καθίσματα και οι πόρτες ήταν επενδυμένα με αυθεντικό δέρμα λεοπάρδαλης, και τα πατάκια ήταν από δέρμα τίγρης με τα κεφάλια μαζί, εντελώς παραδοσιακά, κάνοντας έτσι σαφή την πηγή έμπνευσης, δηλαδή το κλασσικό στυλ Maharaja από τον προηγούμενο αιώνα.

Ομως, το διοικητικό συμβούλιο της Carlsson Aigner απέρριψε το project, φοβούμενο τυχόν ακτιβιστικές αντιδράσεις εκ μέρους οργανώσεων γιά την προστασία της άγριας πανίδας.
Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν να δυσαρεστηθούν ανεπανόρθωτα οι πελάτες που είχαν ήδη δώσει προκαταβολές, να κλονισθεί το κύρος και η αξιοπιστία της εταιρείας, να πάθει κατάθλιψη ο designer, και να μείνουν χωρίς δουλειά ένα σωρό λαθροκυνηγοί από την κεντρική Αφρική και την βόρεια Ινδία.

Γιά να επανέλθουμε στην CK 55 RS Rascasse, και επειδή στα έργα τέχνης έχει σημασία και ο τίτλος, Rascasse λένε στην Γαλλία ένα ψάρι της οικογένειας των σκορπιών, που είναι βασικό συστατικό της διάσημης ψαρόσουπας bouillabaisse...
Είναι φυσικά γνωστό στον χώρο της τέχνης, ότι η έμπνευση δεν κρίνεται μόνο εικαστικά, αλλά και συμβολικά...

Carlsson Aigner CK 55 RS Rascasse 2009 σε βάση Mercedes GL 500

Photos: Carlsson Aigner, Romeo by Claude Dalle