Pagani told off by US safety body
Discussion
Pagani’s new supercar (the one with the unpronounceable name... Huayra) has hit a safety speed-bump in the US that hasjeopardised its hopes of being enjoyed on that country’s roads.
The problem flagged on the new Huayra by the US’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerns the air bags supplied as standard on the Mercedes-powered, six-litre, V12 supercar.
Bloomberg reports the automaker submitted a request to have its airr bags waived. US safety regulations reportedly require that bags deploy based on the seat occupants’ height and weight.
Pagani cited the cost of developing the additional bag technology as prohibitive since it reportedly expects to sell only five of its 552kW Huayras in the US but the US safety moguls were adamant.
The NHTSA said: “The agency has determined that Pagani has failed to demonstrate that compliance (with the air-bag regulations) would cause substantial economic hardship.”
The problem flagged on the new Huayra by the US’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) concerns the air bags supplied as standard on the Mercedes-powered, six-litre, V12 supercar.
Bloomberg reports the automaker submitted a request to have its airr bags waived. US safety regulations reportedly require that bags deploy based on the seat occupants’ height and weight.
Pagani cited the cost of developing the additional bag technology as prohibitive since it reportedly expects to sell only five of its 552kW Huayras in the US but the US safety moguls were adamant.
The NHTSA said: “The agency has determined that Pagani has failed to demonstrate that compliance (with the air-bag regulations) would cause substantial economic hardship.”
Dino D said:
On that basis we should ban all American s
t boxes from EU on the basis that if you show them a corner they fall over (Corvette excepted).
Typical American protectionism at play again...
Typical takeclarksonasgospelandpasteontopistonheadsism at play again?t boxes from EU on the basis that if you show them a corner they fall over (Corvette excepted). Typical American protectionism at play again...
On topic.... wouldn't it be a few sensors and a modification to the airbag firing logic?
5 USA said:
Million dollar supercar can't achieve the standards of a $15,000 Kia.
MartyPubes said:
5 USA said:
Million dollar supercar can't achieve the standards of a $15,000 Kia.
I'd happily drive a Huayra even if a jack in the box popped out of the wheel in the event of an accident.
Still, we're the nanny state, and they're the land of the free, so they're letting the prospective buyers decide for themselves.
Oh no, wait...
Rob_F said:
I must be really clever because I thought it was blindingly obvious that small volume supercar makers probably only spend a thousandth of the budget that a mainstream manufacturer would on a hatchback when developing a new model.
Seems obvious to me too. $10 million spread over a couple of million cars isn't much at all, but spread it over 100 cars and it's a hefty chunk of change.AlpineWhite said:
Dino D said:
On that basis we should ban all American st boxes from EU on the basis that if you show them a corner they fall over (Corvette excepted).
Typical American protectionism at play again...
Typical takeclarksonasgospelandpasteontopistonheadsism at play again?t boxes from EU on the basis that if you show them a corner they fall over (Corvette excepted). Typical American protectionism at play again...
On topic.... wouldn't it be a few sensors and a modification to the airbag firing logic?
That said, I believe the bureaucrats should let 5 people sign waivers and buy the damn things. I mean anybody stupid enough to pay that much for a car deserves a break anyway. However much nicer on the inside than a Corvette it is, it won't change the fact that it won't out perform one, even for 800K more. And the Euro-brats call us stupid.
Edited by Jimbeaux on Thursday 11th August 03:08
AlexiusG55 said:
Or remove the passenger seat?
Actually, didn't McLaren have to do this with the F1s they sold in the US?
The F1 was never officially 'Federalized' but also this standard didn't exist then fwiw.Actually, didn't McLaren have to do this with the F1s they sold in the US?
With the Pagani I can see it either way really. The Lotus Exige, Elise and Esprit all had wavers. With the Elise platform I believe it was a side impact standard and financial hardship was used.
Arguably, it is protectionism in that presumably all the foreign cars have to meet the standard but of course so do the domestic cars. And if a domestic company invented the technology . . . .
The NHTSA has gotten themselves into so many areas of car design they should have never gotten into. First place to save the tax payers money. Some of their proposed ideas after the Toyota acceleration issues were awful when really they need to clamp down on the dealership networks for not working together to collect data on failures. Time and time again owners have been told their cars broke due to the drivers negligence. Eventually, owners band together, start their own data base and fight for a recall. This has happened with BMW's, Porsches and continues to this day. NHTSA plays a role in this reporting. Rather than have NHTSA design the cars for us with new design regs they need to make rules for dealerships reporting potential manufacturing flaws. (E46 M3 connecting rods, certain Porsche transmissions iirc, etc). Currently there is a potentially life threatening issue with coolant hoses coming unglued from the block with the 911's when they are in hot climates and used on tracks. Very very rare but has happened several times.
A few Americans wrote to the NHTSA complaining about the new white headlights (HID, LED, etc) and the government organization looked into more new regs - not sure what came of it. A good example of bureaucracy gone amiss.
Sorry. Must take my pills. Anger management. Bulldozer keys stowed away.
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