The Smart does have a great deal of clever engineering to provide extraordinary safety performance given its low mass and small size. It is nevertheless not a very good car. Relative to other cars on the market, its fuel economy isn't anywhere nearly good enough to merit its penalty-box ride and tiny carrying capacity.
Nevertheless, for perspective, here's where we were with the cars of forty-five years ago:
The test dummies shown represent a lot of very dead and maimed vehicle occupants. Some of the vehicles shown are 1964 models with door latches substantially improved in retention strength over the 1963 design. Obviously the '64 latches still are not equal to their task.
And here's what happens when a large 1978 Plymouth hits concrete at 65 mph (the really revealing views start at about 0:50).
Click to view
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I don't exactly have a *big* car.
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I couldn't believe those little fuckers could go that fast.
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Nevertheless, for perspective, here's where we were with the cars of forty-five years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siT-SIfOnQw&fmt=18
The test dummies shown represent a lot of very dead and maimed vehicle occupants. Some of the vehicles shown are 1964 models with door latches substantially improved in retention strength over the 1963 design. Obviously the '64 latches still are not equal to their task.
And here's what happens when a large 1978 Plymouth hits concrete at 65 mph (the really revealing views start at about 0:50).
http://www.youtube.com/watch? ( ... )
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