2009 Chevy Malibu vs. a 1956 Chevy Bel Air crash test

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xwYBBpHg1I&feature=youtube_gdata]YouTube - Crash test: 1959 Chevy Bel Air[/ame]
Highway Safety Exclusive: Car Crashes, Travel Deaths Prevented by Technology - ABC News

They sure don't make em like they used to hey?
Thank goodness for that!

It is worth noting that the modern car never even breaks the windshield, whereas the 50 year old one loses cabin integrity back to the B pillar.

At least you wouldn't have to cut the body out of the Bel Air. :madgrin:

There were some comments below the video that stated that the Bel Air didn't have its engine installed. I wonder how that would affect the results to the Bel Air, good or bad?

Sadly, according to the other thread here, you'll have to take your Malibu with just ICE propulsion ... as GM pulled production of the hybrid version.

I think you would, unless you buried the person still in the car.

The body shell of the Bel Air was distorted in the rear quarter panel if you watch closely.
Very bad, and without legislation this would be the standard of cars on the road today.

If you look at the first slow motion sequence, you can clearly see the exhaust tubing under the engine and then you can see the whole exhaust system is ripped backwards under the car as the collision occurs. I submit that this would not happen if the engine wasn't attached to said exhaust system.

BTW, I think it was common on older vehicles to have the engine intrude into the passenger compartment during collisions. I believe that is why you see the whole dashboard pushed back into the front seat area during the collision. Part of the design improvement(s) of newer cars is to make sure that the engine does not intrude into the passenger compartment.

If this were the case the front suspension would be at full height. I don't believe the engine has been removed, and even if it had the rubber engine mounts would do nothing to restrain the engine.

I think you could just pull the door off its hinges, therefore no need to cut it off. You might have to dismantle the interior though to get all the extra (human) body parts. :madgrin:

Wow! This is incredible.

2009 Chevy vs. 1959 Chevy: Which is more crash-worthy? - Auto Motion : The Orange County Register

Did you read the part in that article about how the Malibu did a good job at "keeping the occupant compartment in tact"? (italics mine)

Depends on the occupants, I'd say.

I had understood that they stopped hybrid production because they had enough unsold inventory to carry them through much of the next model year. So you should still be able to get a brand new Malibu Hybrid. Maybe even with a very steep discount, especially if you do the scrubbing to get all the grime, tree sap, and bird dropping off one of these lot queens.

God that was straight ugly.