Press Release
- Independent crash tests underline comprehensive safety concept SAFETEC
- Bestseller's new edition rated safest sedan in compact class
Independent recognition for the safety concept of the new Opel Astra: at a press conference in Prague today, the consumer protection organization Euro NCAP (European New Car Assessment Program) announced that it has awarded the Astra the highest rating of five stars in front and side impact crash tests. Euro NCAP thus classified the bestseller from Rüsselsheim as the safest sedan in the compact class (small family cars), with 34 points in total. The Saab 9-3 Cabriolet by GM sister brand Saab also earned the top five-stars rating in the current round of tests. The new Opel Tigra TwinTop also had an excellent result and was awarded four stars.
Carl-Peter Forster, President, GME: "We are very pleased to receive this recognition of GM's commitment to safety management. However, our good performance in the crash tests is only one part of our intensive development work in the area of safety. Preventing accidents, through advanced chassis concepts such as IDSPlus or innovations like Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) is just as important to us. Our research in the area of passive safety is focused on best possible protection of passengers in all kinds of accidents."
The five-door Astra tested by Euro NCAP, is typical of Opel's safety philosophy. Its extensive protection package will also be available for the Astra station wagon. The safety equipment includes the SAFETEC protection system, consisting of passive and active safety features such as a highly stable body with crash-boxes, and the IDS-chassis with ESPPlus electronic stability program, TCPlus traction control, CBC (Cornering Brake Control), ABS with brake assist and four disk brakes.
Additional elements of the SAFETEC system are front and thorax/pelvis side airbags for driver and front seat passenger, front and rear head curtain airbags, active head restraints in the front, three-point seat belts on all seats, two sets of ISOFIX child seat fittings on the rear seat, PRS (Pedal Release System) and a height/reach-adjustable safety steering column. Visual and acoustic signals remind driver and front seat passenger to fasten their seat belts.
Euro NCAP conducts three different crash tests. A frontal impact at 64 km/h with 40 percent overlap against a deformable barrier, which simulates another vehicle; a side impact against a deformable barrier at 50 km/h and a side impact at 29 km/h against a pole. Using crash test dummies, the potential forces acting on the driver (and the front seat passenger in a frontal impact) are evaluated. The European Commission, the German, Dutch and British transport ministries and the German automobile club ADAC are partners of Euro NCAP.
