Classic cars vs modern crash tests the latest evidence

As a car enthusiast with an engineering background I find it increasingly difficult to ignore the advances in car safety, over my passion for classic cars.

Over the years I’ve seen many crashed cars in bodyshops here in Ireland, and have had more than a passing interest in studying these wrecks(as a hobby).

Only this week I saw a 12 Renault Megane that took a massive side swipe yet the shell remained remarkably intact. So much so it’s unbelievable how strong modern car shells are. Even taking a ball peen hammer to some of the modern high strength steel fabrications you’d have job to impact them.

On the same day after viewing the Megane , I saw an old saloon Fiat inm the body shop stripped back for refurb , and Myself and the panel beater, concluded that if the same family had been in the Fiat, under the same crash circumstances as the modern Renault they would be All dead and buried....... yes dead and buried , no coming back from that.

The poor old Fiat (1970’s)had what would seem like the strength of a Jacob’s biscuit tin ( even though it had no corrosion)., with almost zero side impact/side swipe protection.

The first time, that I, copped the factory strength of modern cars when they crashed was about 20 years ago ,ironically this was a crashed Fiat too.
It was a “modern” 2001 newish Punto that had been stuffed into a solid wall, by a young lad. My thoughts were that he didn’t realize how lucky he was to be in a car that was less than 2 years old and was so strong compared to its predecessors. When it hit the wall it folded to the suspension turrets, but from the turrets back was completely solid and unyielding, protecting his human body.
At that time I was involved with a business preparing Uno race cars , and what shocked me was the fact that the two generations newer road car Punto appeared a LOT stronger than previous generation race prepared Uno with a full cold rolled seamless all steel,roll cage welded in.

Anyway don’t take my word for it , modern cars are way way superior in crash safety as witnessed in below video . If you haven’t got 4 and a half minutes to watch all of the video skip to 3.22 to see a 2000 Fiesta vs a 2020 Fiesta shot 2 weeks ago.

No wonder insurance companies here are penalising older cars with much higher premiums, for claim reasons, and in my mind are now fully justified from a general safety point of view.

And if you’re using your classic as a daily driver have a good think about the advances in safety you are foregoing.

Happy motoring !