[urq] 80's Audi were Below average in NHTSA crash test . AudiA4bumpers are well rated

[j.koenig]

Ha!  "Explosive" seatbelt reels.  They are, of course, operated by an explosive charge 
but, for some reason I find your choice of terms amusing.  For what it's worth, the PC 
term is seatbelt "pretensioners."


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Munro" <munrof at sympatico.ca>


Correct, Ingo, the UrS4 had airbags and the Pro-Con-Ten system. In the UrS6 the 
Pro-Con-Ten was replaced by explosive seatbelt reels.

The cables did not push the engine forward, Steven. In a collision, rearward movement of 
the transmission tightened the cables, retracting the seatbelts to remove slack and 
pulling the steering column and wheel forward into the dash to move it away from the 
driver.

I owned two Audis with Pro-Con-Ten; my '91 200q and my '94 S4. It is a good safety system. 
I suspect it's elimination had more to do with cost than safety, although drivers side 
airbags fill one original design function of Pro-Con-Ten (keeping the driver from bouncing 
off the steering wheel).

Fred Munro
'97 S6