How much weight does modern safety regulation items add the a car?

"MentalJuggernaut" (mentaljuggernaut) 06/02/2015 at 20:59 • Filed to: None

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Very curious as to what this number is.

Nibbles > MentalJuggernaut 06/02/2015 at 21:08

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Somewhere between an assload and a metric fuckton

yamahog > MentalJuggernaut 06/02/2015 at 21:18

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It’s not really that straightforward, since you have to bake all these considerations into the platform itself (clearance for x, material thickness/structure for y, fastening provisions for z, etc) before you even start adding airbags, lighting, pedestrian protection, or whatever else. So it’s not like we have a “super unsafe” model to compare with a regular one apples to apples.

Sweet Trav > MentalJuggernaut 06/02/2015 at 21:28

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Well, first, if you’re talking stuff that could be unbolted from the car and still have similar function, and aesthetic appearance. There’s probably 300-400 lbs of safety equipment in each car. It depends on what you consider safety equipment? an airbag? A seat designed to maintain shape under collision? head rests? ABS? a padded dashboard?

Essentially safety is so ingrained in the design of a vehicle that you’d remove most of the damned car if you tried to pull all the safety related stuff out.

For example,

1986 Monte Carlo SS - cast iron block, aluminum trans, nodular cast iron rear end and steel wheels, tips the scale at 3400lbs.

A 2007 Monte Carlo SS with an aluminum block, aluminum trans, and front wheel drive is about 3500lbs.

While the 07 saves weight with an aluminum engine block and being front wheel drive, it gains it with safety components and a much stiffer, safer chassis. I know which one I would rather be strapped into in the event of a crash.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > MentalJuggernaut 06/02/2015 at 22:39

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Consider what Travis and yamahog said and then consider that the w123 Mercedes weighs about 1000lbs less than a w212 depending on option packages. That is probably the closest answer you’re going to get to a real number.

facw > MentalJuggernaut 06/02/2015 at 23:02

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I don’t know where you’d find the stats, but looking at cars sold in India, or other developing nations, might be informative. There are often stripped down versions of cars available in those places that wouldn’t meet US safety standards.

Bytemite > MentalJuggernaut 06/03/2015 at 00:17

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Well the Alfa Romeo 4C gained like 350 lbs from coming to the US. Which totally ruined the car.

If you were to add the Euro safety weight into that, the number would probably be 600-700 roughly.

boxrocket > yamahog 06/03/2015 at 01:48

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What about Panther platform cars, G-Wagens, Defenders, etc., vehicles riding old platforms that only had gradual updates to comply with changing standards? A 2005 Crown Victoria versus a 1985 Crown Victoria, for example, base models with just cloth seats, no extra features.

Old-Busted-Hotness > MentalJuggernaut 06/03/2015 at 06:32

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I could be totally off base here, BUT:

Pretty sure the only regulations specify what a car has to be equipped with. 2 bombs, ABS, now stability control as well. How well that stuff works (crash test rating) is not regulated, just tested. I you could sell a total deathmobile as long as it met the equipment specs. Whether anyone would buy it is another question.

The Ford Ranger gained 40 pounds between 1997 (1 airbag) and 2011 (multiple bags, ABS, ESC) while maintaining the same body and frame.

MentalJuggernaut > boxrocket 06/03/2015 at 07:10

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This could be a really good comparison right here

MentalJuggernaut > Bytemite 06/03/2015 at 07:11

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This is a good number

yamahog > boxrocket 06/03/2015 at 07:42

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I’d have to look up those specifically, but if they’re anything like Cherokees, you’ll notice that the major refreshes coincide with new laws taking effect. Use of steel vs aluminum and plastic tends to mess up any direct comparisons too.

yamahog > MentalJuggernaut 06/03/2015 at 07:46

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Not really, because even though the looks remain the same for so long, the shift from using steel to aluminum and plastic tends to mess up any direct comparisons too. At least on the Cherokee, the refreshes included a lot of non-safety changes.

MentalJuggernaut > yamahog 06/03/2015 at 19:48

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good point. another commenter mentioned that the 4c gained 350lbs coming to the american market from europe. i think that’s a good start