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Old 19th September 2016, 20:06   #1
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Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

Made in India -Chevrolet Spark gets Zero crash test rating in Latin NCAP test.

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Last edited by volkman10 : 19th September 2016 at 20:07.
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Old 19th September 2016, 22:33   #2
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Re: Latin NCAP - 4 stars for Ford Ka, 5 stars for VW Vento, Honda City, Fit / Jazz and HR-V

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Originally Posted by volkman10 View Post
Made in India -Chevrolet Spark gets Zero crash test rating in Latin NCAP test.
That car is what is sold as the Beat here, right? Internationally, the second generation Spark was replaced by this newer third-gen Spark, but in India the second-gen Spark continues to be sold as the Spark and the third-gen Spark is sold as the Beat.

Interesting and good to note that the bodyshell was rated as stable, as was the footwell. That should be a small modicum of comfort.
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Old 20th September 2016, 09:07   #3
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Re: Latin NCAP - 4 stars for Ford Ka, 5 stars for VW Vento, Honda City, Fit / Jazz and HR-V

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Originally Posted by arunphilip View Post
That car is what is sold as the Beat here, right?
Yes it is the Beat for India, here is the Latin NCAP crash test Video - Sept. 2016

The Chevrolet Spark GT’s (Classic) most basic safety equipped version and manufactured in India, scored zero stars for adult and child occupant protection. The Spark GT is a popular model in Mexico and Colombia.

Commenting on the latest crash test results - Latin NCAP Secretary General

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This is another disappointment from General Motors, especially in a model that has the potential to offer high protection levels, as it did when its basic version equipped with 6 airbags was tested by Euro NCAP in 2009 and scored four stars. It is unacceptable that the European version of the Spark GT, which included airbags, is offered at a similar price to the Latin American version, which has no airbags.“In regards child occupancy, Latin NCAP was surprised that the Child Restraint System was installed forward facing by General Motors’ for the 18 month child fitment, the global tendency is to keep child passengers rearward facing as much as possible, in 2015 Toyota rearward faced all the way up to 3 years old. It is a shame that a global car manufacturer like General Motors does not offer as standard well-known safety features. It is hard to believe that this kind of discrimination towards the Latin Americans consumers continues, whilst Global NCAP and the road safety community pledges for the democratisation of car safety.

Last edited by volkman10 : 20th September 2016 at 09:13.
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Old 20th September 2016, 18:40   #4
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Spark (Beat) gets Zero stars - posts moved to a new thread.
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Old 20th September 2016, 18:43   #5
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

Structure remains stable. I think that is a good start in itself considering the segment it is in. No airbags explains the zero rating.

However, the test is not very relevant to the Indian market.
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Old 20th September 2016, 20:01   #6
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
However, the test is not very relevant to the Indian market.
If the same car is being sold in India, to indian families, why is the test not relevant?
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Old 20th September 2016, 20:33   #7
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by AbhiJ View Post
If the same car is being sold in India, to indian families, why is the test not relevant?
Because the same car might not be sold in India with the same structural strength. "Made in India" is clearly different from "made for India" cars.
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Old 20th September 2016, 21:23   #8
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by AbhiJ View Post
If the same car is being sold in India, to indian families, why is the test not relevant?
"Made in India" or "Made in China" does not matter. What matters would be "Sold in India" and "Sold to the rest of the world". It has been proven that manufactures can go to any lengths for saving money so much so that they selectively strengthen the body parts to boost crash test results. So, as long as we do not know whether this car is the same as the one SOLD in India, there is not much to rejoice on the structural stability. It is a pity that our government does not care for the people (or at least show that they do).
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Old 20th September 2016, 21:54   #9
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re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
Because the same car might not be sold in India with the same structural strength. "Made in India" is clearly different from "made for India" cars.
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Originally Posted by DieselAddikt View Post
"Made in India" or "Made in China" does not matter. What matters would be "Sold in India" and "Sold to the rest of the world". It has been proven that manufactures can go to any lengths for saving money so much so that they selectively strengthen the body parts to boost crash test results. So, as long as we do not know whether this car is the same as the one SOLD in India, there is not much to rejoice on the structural stability. It is a pity that our government does not care for the people (or at least show that they do).
Got it.

Would the crash test weight (1187 kg) give us an indication of the whether Chevrolet is short changing india?
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Old 21st September 2016, 10:06   #10
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

Am I the only one who's seeing that the NCAP is working more like a governmental, one-dimensional, safety-lobby that has fine-tuned its norms and rules towards its own convenience?

Enough brands have been bashed over this, some rightfully so and some unfairly. The thing is, I'm not new to such crash-tests, I've been following them for nearly a decade.. when they said that the Hyundai Getz scored 4-Stars upon its launch, that 4-Star rating was applauded for, since most hatchbacks of that era scored only 3 and that was without airbags! The i20 was next scoring 5-Stars along with the Fabia and Polo in Europe, these had airbags however.

What the NCAP lobby consistently fail to mention (well they do mention it in their annual report/Memorandum which one needs to go through a circus routine to download) is that their norms become stricter and tighter by the year depending on the benchmark in safety and adoption of new safety features. Today radar-assisted braking isn't a standard but it soon will be and just because it's absent the car may miss out on 1-2 stars.

I'd like this Latin-NCAP to elaborate on the following :

1) How many more stars would the Spark get with 2-airbags, & 6-airbags (hypothetically) respectively.

2) Why haven't they done a side-impact test?

3) Why haven't they crash-tested a variant with 2-airbags to compare the impact on the dummies?

4) How will the score improve is 4-Channel ABS is there?

5) How can child-safety be improved from the current point? Is it solely dependent on the curtain airbags, or is it something to do with shock not passing out to the chamber due to impact?

6) If they are testing the lowest-equipped variant should they not also test the highest-equipped variant to show the contrasting safety difference? Since both are a matter of easy-availability with price being the only variable this is quite logical.

Safety norms have become bureaucratic, like its sister company green norms. The latter gives higher eco-score to massive hybrid engines which do eke out a better mileage compared to its non-eco counterpart, but yet way lower than smaller capacity NA engines, their only fault being that they're not as ecological as they "ought to be". As for the Spark/Beat, its a well made car and scored very high in the American assessment programs. Its funny that Adrian Lund who is President of IIHS America is also a fellow-trustee in Global NCAP headed by Max Mosley (himself an extremely controversial, politician with his own agenda), yet the Beat/Spark scores very high in IIHS tests (with safety kit) and very low in ECAP tests (with no kit) and yet they don't put both the data together.

While the tests are fine and act as a safety regulation, I'd take each one with a handful of salt. Contradiction/incomplete info is a red flag for me personally.
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Old 21st September 2016, 12:32   #11
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by dark.knight View Post
Am I the only one who's seeing that the NCAP is working more like a governmental, one-dimensional, safety-lobby that has fine-tuned its norms and rules towards its own convenience?

While the tests are fine and act as a safety regulation, I'd take each one with a handful of salt. Contradiction/incomplete info is a red flag for me personally.
None of the standards that I have seen / known are stable. It is an ever evolving process which is dynamic in nature and captures the present day scenario that is visibly possible / can be foreseen by the designers.

Lets take the example of Moose test, which was discussed at the forum few days ago and how Jeep failed in clearing it, whereas as several other brands have successfully cleared it. It was for the company to act and they fixed the software issues in how the car should behave during Moose test / similar scenario and cleared it - I see nothing wrong in showing the mirror. NCAP is doing exactly the same. You have also talked about the difference in regional standards; well that is exactly the reason that these manufacturers are surviving in India by fooling customers on the very premise of lack / absence of safety standards.

Let me go off topic a bit; In India, we use to buy AC / Refrigerators and other white goods simply by the brand perception and nothing beyond that. With standards and labelling program, the customers have moved to 4 and 5 star rated products which are available at a higher price point compared to 2 and 3 star rated products. And I wish to reiterate, these companies are allowed to use these labels for a period of 18 - 24 months only. A 5 star AC becomes 4 star at the end of this duration and a new 5 star product with better performance efficiency takes over.

For safety standards in the cars again, we cannot talk about erstwhile 5 star rating of an i20. The same i20 might get a 3 star if tested today. The present day car when made properly which meet / exceed the safety standards is certainly better compared to old model of same car.

Cheers !

Last edited by i74js : 21st September 2016 at 12:34.
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Old 21st September 2016, 13:45   #12
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by AbhiJ View Post
Would the crash test weight (1187 kg) give us an indication of the whether Chevrolet is short changing india?
The crash test weight is the the kerb/curb weight + weight of all those human-mimicking dummies & child seats + weight of cameras & other on-board equipment. It would naturally be much more than the kerb weight.

Out of curiosity, I checked Chevrolet's Colombian website. It lists the kerb weight of the Chevrolet Spark GT in the Colombian LT trim (with a driver airbag) as 965 kg. The Team-BHP review lists the kerb weight of the Chevrolet Beat petrol (don't know which variant, though) also as 965 kg.

Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars-20160921-13.54.53.jpg

http://m.chevrolet.com.co/spark-gt-m...LT&compare=LTZ

I believe the Indian Beat should be as good as or as bad as (depending on the perspective) the made-in-India Latin American Spark GT in terms of safety.

The lower variants of the Indian Beat without even a single airbag would naturally get this same 0* rating. The higher variants (with dual airbags) should be able to get either 4* (or at least 3*) on the current G-NCAP protocol, given the stability of the structure & footwell in withstanding the 64-kmph frontal offset impact test.

Now, Chevrolet needs to make dual airbags standard across the range when the Beat facelift is introduced in India! The sub-4m Essentia compact sedan based on the Beat also needs the same.

The above may not be able to compensate for Chevrolet not bringing in the latest international Beat/Spark to India and instead giving us only a facelifted version that merely looks like the new international Beat/Spark. But this is the least they can do to arrest their slide.

Are you listening, Chevy???

Last edited by RSR : 21st September 2016 at 14:11.
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Old 21st September 2016, 14:09   #13
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

Though the result is as bad as it can get (a 0 star rating), looking at the crash test video, I cannot help but praise the structural integrity of the car. Absolutely no impact on A pillars, crumple zones upfront absorbing the maximum impact forces. Even the front windshield/glass is more or less intact. Impressive.

However, what is the matter with steering column?

Steering wheel appear to be dislodging from the assembly and deforming on impact! Very scary, considering I own a beat too.
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Old 21st September 2016, 14:36   #14
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR View Post
Structure remains stable. I think that is a good start in itself considering the segment it is in. No airbags explains the zero rating.
Exactly my thoughts as well - Stable structure for an entry level car is really good, considering how Scorpio's structure collapsed in G-NCAP testing.

It would have also been good if they have tested the variant with dual airbags, which could have gotten 3/4 stars for the car and would have been good advertisement for the car. It's a pity though the car is not a volume seller when all the other cars, whose structure were rated unstable, are able to sell 10 times of this car.

Will Chevrolet introduce dual airbags as standard across the variants and ask Latin-NCAP to re-test the car, like what VW did for Polo?
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Old 21st September 2016, 14:52   #15
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Re: Latin NCAP: India-made Chevrolet Beat gets Zero stars

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Originally Posted by jpcoolguy View Post

Will Chevrolet introduce dual airbags as standard across the variants and ask Latin-NCAP to re-test the car, like what VW did for Polo?
I doubt it. See the history of their cars in LA market . Time and again have failed to give safer cars for Latin America.

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Once again we are very disillusioned by General Motors. As a global brand they offer good safety levels for other regions, they should show that all consumers, regardless of geography, are valued the same when it comes to safety. We expect GM to follow other brands, who have made progress in equalising safety.

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