[urq] 80's Audi were Below average in NHTSA crash test . procon-ten

[Geraint Lloyd]

the procon ten uses the rearward movement of the engine and gearbox in a
frontal collision to tension the front seatbelts and pull the steering
wheel forwards through the dashboard via cables.

AFAIK the north amercian models had no column retractor system and an
airbag instead. This was a marketing move since 'the public' understood
and wanted airbags, so that's what they got.

for those that have been wondering.... I am not dead
I have just been busy ;-)

Geraint

Ingo Rautenberg wrote:
> Actually, they were also on the V8 and with airbags.  Plus I believe  
> the Ur S-cars also had it...
>
> On Aug 17, 2007, at 5:05 PM, steven j wrote:
>
>   
>> I've been looking at the NHTSA crash tests since they
>> came out in about 1979.   The 1985-ish Audi 5000 got a
>> horrible crash rating.  With the steering rack on the
>> firewall and that 5cyl going to the bumper the
>> steering wheel was pushed back in a crash delivering a
>> punch to the drivers head.  The 4000's tested at the
>> time were just the 4cyls - and the results weren't as
>> bad as the 5000, probably because the missing cylinder
>> allowed  an extra 5 inches before it started pushing
>> the steering rack back.  One would imagine a 5cyl in
>> the type 85 would be worse than the 5000 crash test.
>> Of course if you have an offset crash - and the engine
>> doesn't get pushed back - the car is probably fine.
>> For around 1989 Audi introduced PRO-CON-TEN in the 100
>> and 200 where cables push the engine forward in a
>> crash and those cars cut driver head injury to low
>> levels.
>>
>> I think when airbags came the pro-con-ten cables might
>> not have been installed, but they were on the 100/200
>> only.   Feel free to correct me on details.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --- Ed Kellock <ekellock at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> ISTR that the 4k series cars were one of the highest
>>> rated chassis of
>>> their time in crashworthiness.
>>>
>>> Ed
>>>
>>> On 8/16/07, LL - NY <larrycleung at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>       
>>>> Having seen some of the Type 85's in the wrecking
>>>>         
>>> yard, I'd venture a guess
>>>       
>>>> that
>>>> you didn't go "straight in" in your accident. The
>>>>         
>>> 4K's passenger compartment
>>>       
>>>> seems to buckle in a header, at least based upon
>>>>         
>>> empirical forensic analysis
>>>       
>>>> at the wrecking yard, I think you were lucky.
>>>>
>>>>         
>>
>>
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>
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