🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Jun2.203832.18157@awdprime.austin.ibm.com>, jfh@greenber.austin.ibm.com (John F Haugh II) writes:

|> In NHTSA studies, vehicle weight has correlated strongly to vehicle
|> safety.  The Japanese make more light weight vehicles than Americans.

This was true in the past, but passive restraint systems have leveled
the playing field considerably.  The Insurance Institute for Highway
Safety set out last year to support the Bush administration's
opposition to higher fuel economy standards (which would require
cars to be smaller and lighter) by staging a head-on collision between
a 3580 lb. Buick Park Avenue and 2200 lb. Geo Storm, each going 35
mph.  What they found instead was that the Geo, with its driver-side 
airbag, caused a head-injury reading of 285 compared to the Buick's 186.
Both fall well under the "no injury or minor injury" level.

|> Of course, when you get to the medium and large cars, there aren't
|> any Japanese cars to compare them to.  

Lexus LS400, Lexus ES300, Infiniti Q45, Mitsubishi Diamanti, Acura
Vigor, Acura Legend, Infiniti M30, Mazda 929, Toyota Camry, Nissan
Maxima, Toyota Cressida.

|> Name the Japanese model that
|> compares to a Ford Crown Victoria, for example.  

You're right.  The Japanese don't make cars that big.....yet.

-- 
John Iacoletti    IBM AWD Austin    Internet: johniac@hwperform.austin.ibm.com
        My opinions do not reflect the views of the IBM Corporation
"A great many people believe they are thinking when they are merely rearranging 
 their prejudices." -- William James