If you're gonna die in a car...

[James Deuce]

At least be cool while you do it.

[Mikkel]

Owned!

I'd love to see a video comparing an old VW beetle against a modern car - I doubt it would do very well.

[madmal64]

Quite day today Mr D?
Pushbikes & cars.....

[Mully]

And that, Mr ACC and LTSA, is why the car road toll dropped. It's nothing to do with your stupid adverts and bad enforcement.

[EJK]

Damn. Literally it demonstrates the term "Dig in!"

[JellyBellyKelly]

wow, i've never seen stuff like that - makes me wonder about my own car......... and if my kids were in it! scary
(it's a mazda demio)

[Gareth123]

(it's a mazda demio)

Don't worry, Demio's can't go fast enough to have "serious" crashes.

[peasea]

I can't believe they did that to a 59 Chevy. Bastards.

[crazyhorse]

I thought it would've been the stronger of the two! Guess not!

[James Deuce]

The chassis on the 59 is two rails with an "X" under the passenger compartment. The front chassis beams fold in and the "X" folds up, reducing the depth of the passenger compartment, graphically demonstrated by the CTD's head rubbing along the roof.

I reckon the Demio's passenger compartment would probably come off best against the 59 Chev.

Notice how the 59's A pillars and roof deform at the moment of impact and the Malibu's roof line only distorts marginally as the 59 impacts the firewall. That's how crumple zones help keep energy away from the passenger compartment in modern cars. Conversely, or possibly perversely, if the passenger compartment is breached then the energy reaching the occupants is far higher than it used to be, generally meaning death for the occupants. You can see why leg injuries are common for front seat passengers as the floor pan deflects a modern car up and over whatever hit it. Compresses the space between floor and dash. Better than a steering column to the brain though.

[peasea]

The chassis on the 59 is two rails with an "X" under the passenger compartment. The front chassis beams fold in and the "X" folds up, reducing the depth of the passenger compartment, graphically demonstrated by the CTD's head rubbing along the roof.

I reckon the Demio's passenger compartment would probably come off best against the 59 Chev.

Notice how the 59's A pillars and roof deform at the moment of impact and the Malibu's roof line only distorts marginally as the 59 impacts the firewall. That's how crumple zones help keep energy away from the passenger compartment in modern cars. Conversely, or possibly perversely, if the passenger compartment is breached then the energy reaching the occupants is far higher than it used to be, generally meaning death for the occupants. You can see why leg injuries are common for front seat passengers as the floor pan deflects a modern car up and over whatever hit it. Compresses the space between floor and dash. Better than a steering column to the brain though.

Quite right on many counts but you have to admit the 59 is all about style and not much else. Back then (and for many years afterward) you could tell a Chevy from a Ford from a Dodge etc. Now they all look like they came out of jelly moulds. When Chevy switched to that chassis in 58 they managed to create a nice ride (I owned a 58 for a while, way-cool car) and combined with the styling flair of Harley Earle, GM had a very cool lineup.

[marty]

didn't even break the windscreen in the Malibu!

[yungatart]

I learned to drive in th 1960 version...never did master parallel parking it in though.
Beautiful car, all class and style...I'd still rather have one of those than a Toyota Corolla.