Safety has always been a top priority at Saab, even before they were the first manufacturer to fit safety belts as standard items on a vehicle.
I'm not 100% on this, but I believe the Saab 9-3 has been an IIHS Top Safety Pick ever since its release. There was a time when Saab was a safety leader, but as happens, others catch up.
Last year there were 94 cars that were awarded the IIHS Top Safety Pick. So like the people at EuroNCAP, the IIHS people decided to change the test and make it tougher. As a result, there were only 27 cars awarded the Top Safety Pick this year.
The new test included rollover protection for the first time.
ARLINGTON, VA - Nineteen cars and 8 SUVs earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's TOP SAFETY PICK award for 2010 For the first time, good performance in a roof strength test to measure protection in a rollover is required to win. TOP SAFETY PICK recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side, rear, and now rollover crashes based on good ratings in Institute tests.
It should be noted that the Saab 9-3 was not tested for the 2010 results in terms of rollover protection. The lack of a Top Safety Pick award, therefore, should not lead to the conclusion that the 2010 model Saab 9-3 would not have been eligible.
Other former Top Safety Pick winning companies that missed out this year included BMW, Mazda and Mitsubishi.
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This brings up an interesting conundrum.
Saab, like any other company, would want to retain TSP and EuroNCAP 5-star status. Subaru are going to have yet another feather in their recently enlarged cap by gaining TSP status in all categories for which they were eligible. They were the only manufacturer to do so.
Real world crash statistics show that Saabs are still amongst the safest cars on the road and I'm sure they will look at these new tests and do what they can to satisfy them.
But one has to wonder how far these tests will end up going. If they continue to be non-exclusive as they were last year (94 winners), will they then find something else to add, just to make themselves a target again.
By the way check ttela.se today. They say Saab is going to educate 4000 people (virtually all employees) in entrepreneurship. To me that sounds like new thinking.
http://www.saabsunited.com/2009/11/saab-bring-back-another-90-workers-look-to-training.html
I've also noticed that old (current) 9-5 scored only A (not G) in rear impact, while 9-7 scored even lower, in precedent years tests.
Link here for scandinavians (I am sorry that I don't have time for translation of the whole article): http://www.automotorsport.se/news/19774/volvos-säkerhet-i-topp-enligt-iihs/
I can also tell that the swedish government now also has their thumps up for SAAB in a document on 80 pages heading for the EU Comission.
Link here for scandinavians (I am sorry that I don't have time for translation of the whole article): http://www.automotorsport.se/news/19773/regeringen-gör-tummen-upp-för-saab/
Cheers from Norway
-Olav-
Always on the longest road home when out there with my SAAB. Always!
Link here for scandinavians (I am sorry that I don't have time for translation of the whole article): http://www.automotorsport.se/news/19774/volvos-säkerhet-i-topp-enligt-iihs/
I can also tell that the swedish government now also has their thumps up for SAAB in a document on 80 pages heading for the EU Comission.
Link here for scandinavians (I am sorry that I don't have time for translation of the whole article): http://www.automotorsport.se/news/19773/regeringen-gör-tummen-upp-för-saab/
Cheers from Norway
-Olav-
Always on the longest road home when out there with my SAAB. Always!
You bet it would pass. Eric Carlsson - "on the roof" rarely needed his roll cage..
And try chopping thru the A pillars on a 99 or 900. It blunts the saw blades - and jams the hydraulic jaws - so they cut at the roof join instead.
I'm currently borrowing a friend's VW somethingsomething. The side mirrors are freakishly small (I don't want to insult anyone, so I'll stop there). I miss my 9-3.
The fact that the IIHS raised the bar is more about preserving their influence than saving lives in my opinion.
@Eggs, Good Point. I haven't thought of it like that.........
Absolutely. If more and more cars attain the top ranks, it's simply beneficial for consumers and motorists.
At some point, this comes down to these bodies trying to maintain their importance. As Neil said, this is something they could have instituted ages ago.
About the 9-5 - it doesn't have as many airbags as other cars due to its old platform and most likely, the fact that it sells in small numbers (therefore high cost to develop) and is vey safe already. Some of these ratings don't go on crash results, but rely on the presence of certain equipment as a pre-condition to achieving the rating.
No rear side-curtains (or whatever), no good rating, regardless of crash results.
And given that Folksam has consistently awarded the OG 9-5 a top rating for a decade, I am a bit surprised to learn that rear impacts pose a danger... Razvan's comment seem to indicate that it isn't all about the missing safety curtains.
9-5 has A (acceptable) at dynamic rating and G(good) at Seat/head restraint geometry, resulting in a overall A (instead of maximum G)
No one has suggested that the IIHS shouldn't raise the bar. I think the main point and intent of Eggs' statement is that the IIHS cares (FIRST) about being the #1 authority on safety and being relevant. After that (SECOND), saving lives is their next priority, not the other way around.
I too wanted tougher tests and standards, for years. I lost 2 very important people in my life due to car crashes.
Whiplash is bad, but my first concern as a passenger is surviving the crash itself. I'll worry about my neck later. I still think Folksam's statistics correctly show the old 9-5 as the safest car of its class.
My boss witnessed a weird accident the other day. She was tailgating a slow guy in the passing-by lane. When he finally noticed her flashing lights, there was an impatient BMW approaching in the other lane and he nearly hit the other guy. The beamer was so annoyed that he switched lanes, passed the slow dude, switched back and immediately applied the brakes...
A lot of people die or get hurt by rollover accidents. In USA about 25% of the deaths caused by car crashes are due to rollovers, among the SUV's the number is 59%. So that's the reason of introducing a test for it.
Saab have been testing their own vehicles for roll overs quite long, even convertibles.
That said, you have your opinion, I have mine.....