Sports car makers to govt: help us drive down cost
Brit sports car industry says complicated emissions and crash regs are causing crippling costs
Crash test dummies agree rules are difficult for low-volume sports cars
"There are small differences around the world that cause us to do the work two or three times," Aston Martin chief commercial officer Michael van der Sande told PistonHeads at a meeting held at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on Wednesday. "It is an inefficient use of funds and any help we can get from the government to simplify the system would be appreciated."
Radical SR3 SL: type approval challenges
America is one of the worst offenders in terms of stringency, and their inflexible approach frustrates British makers. Morgan is one that doesn't sell cars there because of it (the 3-Wheeler is classed as a motorcycle and will be sold in the US).
Development engineer Matthew Welch gave us the head-in-hands example of the advanced airbag approval. "It's our Achilles heel. You have to do lots of out-of-position testing as though there are children sat in the passenger footwell and half the time you can't even get the dummies in position to do the test!"
Radical sells 70 per cent of its annual production of 230 cars abroad, and will have to go through the tedious approval process next year when it launches a new road and race car.
"For a company as small as ours, it's time consuming, difficult and very costly," said Radical's Roger Green. "If they could be adapted to pass one test that was then accepted around the world it would make our job very much easier."
Morgan sells only the 3 Wheeler in the US
No one is looking to duck the safety regulations, but there's a feeling that rules being applied to cars selling in their millions should be modified (as they are in Europe) to those selling in the hundreds or below.
"We did a survey and on average our owners do around 1000 miles a year," said Welch at Morgan. "The chances of any of them knocking a pedestrian over are very, very small."
However, makers faced with re-engineering costs will struggle to top those of Rolls-Royce when it first tried to sell the LWB Phantom in China. It was so long it was classified as a truck and Rolls had to lop six inches off for it to be ranked as a car again.
If people want to drive cars with no airbags or ABS, why should they be stopped?
Its the same with the fleet Co2 thing, why should a car procuer that makes 2000 cars per year even have to bother, it will not make ANY effect on the environment compared to a car producer pumpning out miljon of passenger cars per year.
I think I know what I'd rather be run over by!!
I would have through, therefore, that it would be simpler and safer for everyone to just wear a seatbelt.
I think I know what I'd rather be run over by!!
The number of time that I've been snuck up on by some modern globe killing smug-mobile that makes no sound above the sneeze of a newborn kitten leaves me terrified. Can't imagine i'd ever suffer that with a radical or similar.
I am sure someione here can confirm this
Also the market for these small number built vehicles, why do they need to meet the latest levels of beaurocracy and ncap ratings as a company that sells millions o f cars per year, also these type of small built cars are also 2nd/3rd cars and only travel a few hundred miles a year on a dry sunny day, do they need to have airbags in front side top of the driver and passenger, I appreciate an accident can be when not if but even so.
I love seeing small number built cars on the road being driven by enthusiast bring it on.
The Gov't will spout platitudes and fain support and do the square roof of f
k all.no one should be allowed any car, least of all a sports car.
All cars are EVIL and must be destroyed
All industry is EVIL and must be destroyed.
Won't somebody please think of the Polar Bears?
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