Mercedes-Benz SMART CAR is big on safety
Smart fortwo ranks high in crash tests and 30,000 already pre-sold
By KEN THOMAS, The Associated Press, May 13, 2008
WASHINGTON - Unlike most cars on the road, the pint-sized 2008 smart fortwo evokes a simple question at first glance: "How safe is it?" The micro car, the smallest car for sale in the U.S. market, offers a good level of safety, according to new crash tests conducted by the insurance industry. The 8-foot, 8-inch vehicle received the highest rating of good in front-end and side-impact testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, helping address some concerns that consumers may be more vulnerable in the tiny two-seater.
"Among the smallest cars, the engineers of the smart did their homework and designed a high level of safety into a very small package," Lund said.
The institute's frontal crash test simulates a 40 mph crash with a similar vehicle. The side crash simulates what would happen if the vehicle was struck in the side by a sport utility vehicle at 31 mph. In a test that assessed the vehicle's protection in rear crashes, the fortwo received the second-highest rating of acceptable.
Smart, a division of Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz brand, has received more than 30,000 reservations for the vehicle.
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