480 offset crash test footage

[WillC9303]

Hi everyone it’s me again

I found some offset crash footage for the 480 in case somebody hasn’t seen it before?

This is the only footage I could find of an offset crash for this car. Sorry for the poor quality. I’m sure Volvo have a better quality side on view somewhere in their archives…

I’m not a car crash expert so I have no clue if this is good or not. The a-pillar at a right angle and bent door suggest it’s not

[jifflemon]

You have to put this into context. That test was taking place about 36 years ago. It's easy to be horrified when comparing it against something modern, but compare it with it's peers of the time? Totally different.

Crash test's themselves weren't even a thing back then; there were tests, but no hard facts, no scores, nothing. Manufacturers crash-tested their cars, but they did so behind closed doors, never making the findings public. And even though they were crash-testing, they only had to meet very basic requirements.

Basically, so long as the car didn’t burst into flames on impact, and the crash test dummy’s head was still attached, it was a thumbs up and then off to the showroom. The manufacturers held the cards. EuroNCAP changed that in around 1997.

1997

That's AFTER production of the 480 had stopped.

And yet, the 480, because well, Volvo, came with Side impact bars (which I think was a first), front and rear crumple zones, ABS, SRS, Airbags... Volvo certainly led the way in safety. In fact they did a very clever marketing campaign around it.

You want horror? Go look at the infamous Rover 100 crashtest, a test SO bad, that it vanished from sales less than 2 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUs-h23 ... l=EuroNCAP

[WillC9303]

You have to put this into context. That test was taking place about 36 years ago. It's easy to be horrified when comparing it against something modern, but compare it with it's peers of the time? Totally different.

Crash test's themselves weren't even a thing back then; there were tests, but no hard facts, no scores, nothing. Manufacturers crash-tested their cars, but they did so behind closed doors, never making the findings public. And even though they were crash-testing, they only had to meet very basic requirements.

Basically, so long as the car didn’t burst into flames on impact, and the crash test dummy’s head was still attached, it was a thumbs up and then off to the showroom. The manufacturers held the cards. EuroNCAP changed that in around 1997.

1997

That's AFTER production of the 480 had stopped.

And yet, the 480, because well, Volvo, came with Side impact bars (which I think was a first), front and rear crumple zones, ABS, SRS, Airbags... Volvo certainly led the way in safety. In fact they did a very clever marketing campaign around it.

You want horror? Go look at the infamous Rover 100 crashtest, a test SO bad, that it vanished from sales less than 2 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUs-h23 ... l=EuroNCAP

I’m not concerned by the crash results, as they were about what I would expect for a car of this age. I used to get driven round in a 740GL, and was even involved in a low speed collision at a junction in a Corsa B many years back, so I’m used to (by modern standards) unsafe cars.

I only posted this in case others hadn’t seen this footage as all the other crash tests of this car have been front-on into a solid block, and those tests don’t really tell you much…

The Rover 100 is a particularly extreme example as that was a much smaller car that first entered production as the MiniMetro in 1980(?). The 480 isn’t really that bad for its age. There looks to be plenty of survival space, and its far safer than say, a Renault Fuego, which I guess was a competitor for the 480 at the time.

[MisterH]

Yeah these cars are solid and safe. When you consider the passenger compartment is a safety cage and a solid one at that, it is on par with 'modern' stuff (after 1998) just without a hand grenade fixed over your crotch (on some models)

Indeed, I find this footage fascinating from an engineering perspective as you can see just where the strength has been engineered, these are very safe cars

[Jay-Kay-Em]

Basically, so long as ... the crash test dummy’s head was still attached, it was a thumbs up

[Alan 480]

best to adopt the 'avoidance mode' ?

sadly I think that some folk have got to a 'the car will save me' mentality

[dcwalker]

If I'm going to be in a car of any age (indeed, probably any car, but certainly of the 25 years plus bracket) I'll take my chances in a Volvo, thank you!

Volvo were making their name based on safety above all other factors (such as performance or economy) when many other manufacturers had still to even discover the word. Many modern safety features (not just seatbelts) originate with Volvo. It was their "usp" until the likes of EuroNCAP finally woke other manufacturers up.

The 480's safety features are excellent for its time, and that includes its crash protection. At the end of the day it needs to be pretty serious before you aren't going to get out and walk away, including an angled collision as per the stills above.
Sophisticated (for the time) passenger safety cage ("cages save lives", remember?) plus crumple zones plus interior that had some thought given to passenger impact and safety (such as padded dashboards and collapsible steering columns).

If that had been a Ford/Austin Rover/Renault etc of the time, you really would be looking at that and saying "ugh"....

[MisterH]

If I'm going to be in a car of any age (indeed, probably any car, but certainly of the 25 years plus bracket) I'll take my chances in a Volvo, thank you!

Volvo were making their name based on safety above all other factors (such as performance or economy) when many other manufacturers had still to even discover the word. Many modern safety features (not just seatbelts) originate with Volvo. It was their "usp" until the likes of EuroNCAP finally woke other manufacturers up.

The 480's safety features are excellent for its time, and that includes its crash protection. At the end of the day it needs to be pretty serious before you aren't going to get out and walk away, including an angled collision as per the stills above.
Sophisticated (for the time) passenger safety cage ("cages save lives", remember?) plus crumple zones plus interior that had some thought given to passenger impact and safety (such as padded dashboards and collapsible steering columns).

If that had been a Ford/Austin Rover/Renault etc of the time, you really would be looking at that and saying "ugh"....

I think Audi also had a feature whereby the Steering wheel was pulled away from you in a crash before they had airbags, really interesting seeing how these things developed

[Van]

You want horror? Go look at the infamous Rover 100 crashtest, a test SO bad, that it vanished from sales less than 2 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUs-h23 ... l=EuroNCAP

Video is of a Renault Clio.

[Alan 480]

as an aside did anybody see the short Top-Gear / Fifth-Gear where they drove a 7.5T into the back of a Suzuki/diddy Vauxhall and the truck shunted the car 100yds into the weeds

which thinking about it (as they should have) is about correct 7.5 Tonnes at 20mph plus an extra one Tonne car would mean that the 'assembly' would continue at 7.5/8.5 mph according to conservation of momentum.

you can ignore the few Joules used in deforming the ar5e end of the diddy car

[jamescarruthers]

You want horror? Go look at the infamous Rover 100 crashtest, a test SO bad, that it vanished from sales less than 2 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUs-h23 ... l=EuroNCAP

Video is of a Renault Clio.

That’s weird, I’m seeing the Rover.

I wouldn’t be seen dead in one anyway and it looks like the chances would be high if I did get in!

[brinkie]

I think Audi also had a feature whereby the Steering wheel was pulled away from you in a crash before they had airbags, really interesting seeing how these things developed

Audi's procon-ten system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procon-ten) was so well engineered, Audi was one of the last manufacturers to incorporate an air bag in the design, as procon-ten was a more cost effective system to achieve the same results.

I have posted a 480 crash test video some time ago, this bit is interesting where lead engineer Frans Camperman opens the driver door after a rear impact:

https://youtu.be/2n7qx60pEVA?t=62

This is what Volvo used to give a competitive edge against the competition. For such a small car, the 480 was very safe for 1985 standards.

[MisterH]

I think Audi also had a feature whereby the Steering wheel was pulled away from you in a crash before they had airbags, really interesting seeing how these things developed

Audi's procon-ten system (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Procon-ten) was so well engineered, Audi was one of the last manufacturers to incorporate an air bag in the design, as procon-ten was a more cost effective system to achieve the same results.

I have posted a 480 crash test video some time ago, this bit is interesting where lead engineer Frans Camperman opens the driver door after a rear impact:

https://youtu.be/2n7qx60pEVA?t=62

This is what Volvo used to give a competitive edge against the competition. For such a small car, the 480 was very safe for 1985 standards.

Fascinating stuff, don't suppose the B2 got it?