Barrowboy

I couldn't see this posted anywhere else, the following article appeared yesterday in the motoring section of the UK Daily Telegraph newspaper. This relates to the recent Euro NCAP rating of the E60 with 4 stars but only (apparently) after a retest. Full article text follows:

BMW lashes out in crash-test row
(Filed: 11/12/2004)

BMW's best-selling 5-series is at the centre of a safety row this week after the car maker claimed it was points rather than safety concerns that caused it to modify and retest the model in the latest Phase-14 European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) crash tests, writes Andrew English

The company also claims that, according to its research, Euro NCAP tests represent just one in 1,000 real-world accidents and so it will not be recalling up to 15,000 5-series models sold in the UK before the safety modifications were made this September. BMW also said it could not guarantee that unmodified cars were not still on sale in its dealers.

[crash test photo]
Collision: BMW and NCAP are at loggerheads

The claims, which are hotly disputed by the Euro NCAP team, follow disappointing initial crash results for the 5-series, after which BMW modified the steering column, footrest, door trims, door latch, airbags and electronic software and, by mutual agreement with the Euro NCAP authorities, retested the car, achieving four stars for crashworthiness.

On Wednesday, a BMW GB spokesman even claimed the first Euro NCAP crash test done on the 5-series at the TRRL in Crowthorne, Berks, "contained inconsistencies", with damaged airbag wiring and wrongly mounted sensors. As we went to press, a senior spokesman from BMW's HQ in Munich withdrew those accusations, but reiterated the other claims. "We have no doubt that everything was done in a proper way," he said, "but the modifications were done for a better score, not safety. All those people [who own unmodified BMW 5-series] don't have unsafe cars. They might not get four stars, but they are not unsafe."

"That is entirely wrong," counters NCAP's secretary-general, Adrian Hobbs. "The 5-series was tested in three tests - the front, side and optional pole test - and BMW was dissatisfied with its car in all three of the tests. In the published retest, there was a wire with damaged insulation and BMW was asked to check it out, which it did. The company had an observer at all three of those first crash tests. BMW has subsequently been asked if it is entirely happy with the way its car was set up and it said yes.

"As far as BMW's modifications are concerned, there were some made in respect of the frontal test, which might not significantly affect safety, but there were others that definitely would do, and they were associated with the restraint system. In the side-impact and pole tests, there were definite [safety] problems and in the pole test, these concerned the restraint system."

Hobbs says the relevance of the test depends entirely on how it is interpreted. "If you ask how many real-world crashes involve hitting a huge concrete block with an aluminium block on it, then I'd be surprised if it was as many as one in 1,000. But there is a direct correlation between our tests and the real world, which is why the test is also used globally by safety authorities and legislators. Doing well in these tests has a significant effect on the safety performance of the car on the road."

Hobbs defends the system of allowing manufacturers to modify and retest their cars, "because by doing this, we get those modified cars on the road more quickly". Euro NCAP does audit those manufacturers to check that the safety changes are in production at the time of the publication of the retest results. In the case of the BMW 5-series, Hobbs is satisfied the safety modifications have been done on all new models, but "it's likely there will still be cars in dealerships in some parts of Europe that don't meet those new safety standards".

uwsc11

Thanks for the posting of this article. There is some additional information in here that a post from yesterday did not include.

clived

Off topic: Is there really any point reposting the entire article verbatim just to say thanks? Makes for a lot of scrolling

uwsc11

There I've edited my post.
Happy?

JDN

Much better. Thanks.

530E60NL

I'm getting a bad feeling in my stomach when I read this. This article just shows BMW is lying about this issue.. The importer hasn't called me back on this issue yet and I will call them again tomorrow on how they are going to solve this matter. I want my car to be as safe as a 2005 modelyear.

mihusky

It seems that a mod in the restraint systems was the biggest change. BMW should issue a recall and stand behind its product. How much could it be? The sad unspoken change from MY2004 to MY2005 is that besides the wood trim, BMW made the e60 safer!

igor

Taking the words of the head of M5 division about the coming modifications to E60 next year for granted and assuming the information about the already implemented in MY2005 cars changes (due to NCAP test) is correct one shud come to a conclusion that the modifications spoken about by the BMW official are something else than safety enhancements....

Any pros or contras appreciated...

BMW RULES

So the 5 series not MY05, have much badder safety(when MY05 only got 4 stars)
Then al others MY's have 3 stars...
I don't like the safety of the 5.
4-stars for the Modelyears 05 (when BMW made the safety better then just only 4-stars)
All other MY's 3 stars so poor.To bad for such car.