Re: Crash Test Results for Older Audis, and a Dodge Colt

[Lawrence C Leung <l.leung@juno.com>]

As far as I know, the 5K results are spot on. Obviously, your personal
results may vary. The barrier tests performed by NHTSA duplicate a
head-on collision with a car of similar weight, each traveling (at the
time) at 30 MPH. I believe that the current test is up to 35 MPH. This is
reasonable assumption, supportable in physics. If your collision (and
your friends) were not of the same type, then you obviously didn't
experience the same level of collision. Be aware that two cars travelling
towards each other, each at 30 MPH is an extremely severe collision,
visually, it would LOOK like driving into a parked car while you were
doing 60 MPH, brakes OFF. Not too likely your crash was of this level,
because, if you had ANY control at all you would have at least likely
would have had the brakes locked or if you were able to, you would have
been at threshold braking. And, since the energy of the crash increases
(or decreases) by the SQUARE of the speed difference, a decrease of only
5 MPH would decrease the crash energy by a factor of 25 times! SO, with
the disclaimer that I obviously do not know the specifics of either of
your perspective vehicles crashes, I would surmise that you survived and
walked from your respective crashes because they were not as severe as
the NHTSA test, which means that you really did not evaluate the
survivability to the same level. 

Larry - '89 2CTQ, Physics Teacher

On Thu, 9 Dec 1999 20:20:33 -0800 "Joseph Rae" <quattro@ptinet.net>
writes:
>Having been in an accident in a 4000, I can say that it survived very 
>well,
>though it was totalled. Also having seen pictures of the audi 5000 in 
>a
>really bad accident where the driver walked away with out harm, I 
>think that
>those tests are probably incorrect or scewed in some way.
>Joe
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <Kwattro@aol.com>
>To: <Audi_80@email.msn.com>
>Cc: <quattro@audifans.com>
>Sent: Thursday, December 09, 1999 7:47 PM
>Subject: Re: Crash Test Results for Older Audis, and a Dodge Colt
>
>
>> In a message dated 99-12-09 22:38:23 EST, you write:
>>
>> <<  I am glad to see my 80 performed well, although the older Audis 
>were
>>  cracker boxes on wheels I see. >>
>>
>> I really doubt the results between a 80, a 4000, and a 5000 would 
>look
>like
>> that, although it is possible.  For all intents and purposes, the 
>4000 and
>> the 80 are almost the same car, and a doubt that frontal impact 
>structural
>> rigidity was up 400% over the 4000.  Although, I could be wrong.
>>
>> Later!
>> Carter J
>> Kwattro@aol.com
>