In crash test news, the Mercedes B-Class recently took part in the European New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), passing the test with top honors when it received the maximum five star rating from the independent examiners.

This is just the latest of many studies that demonstrates the effectiveness of Mercedes' sandwich concept, a safety element utilized by the B-Class.  By arranging the engine and transmission in a tilted positions partly in front and partly under the passenger compartments, Mercedes engineers discovered that in the event of a collision, these drive systems move down the pedal floor panel as opposed to directly into the interior.  This in turn creates a larger crumple zone than other passenger vehicles in its class and also raises the B-Class' occupants interior driving height by approximately 200mm - above the impact zone - which just so happens to be a substantial advantage in the event of a side collision.

Space, comfort and safety at an affordable price?  What more can you ask for?

To learn more about the European NCAP test of the Mercedes B-Class as well as the B-Class' sandwich concept and safety features, keep reading for the full press release.


OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE


Top result in Euro NCAP crash test: Five stars for the Mercedes-Benz B-Class

Stuttgart, Oct 20, 2006
The Mercedes-Benz B-Class has passed crash tests performed in accordance with the European NCAP (New Car Assessment Program) rating system with flying colours, receiving the maximum number of five stars from the independent examiners. Thus, the sandwich safety concept developed and patented by Mercedes-Benz, which has already proven itself on countless occasions since its launch in 1997, has demonstrated its effectiveness once again.

Thanks to the sandwich concept, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class occupies an exceptional position among its segment. The arrangement of the engine and transmission in a tilted position partly in front of and partly under the passenger compartment means the Compact Sports Tourer offers a larger front crumple zone than other passenger cars in its class. In a serious head-on crash the drive system unit does not move in the direction of the interior, but slides down the pedal floor panel, which also slopes downwards. This means the occupants sit around 200 millimetres higher and thus above the impact zone – an advantage in the case of a side impact. At the same time, the intelligent sandwich principle makes it possible to offer generous interior dimensions with compact external measurements. The B-class thus offers both typical Mercedes occupant safety and exceptional spaciousness and comfort.

Several further measures contribute to the exemplary safety performance of the Compact Sport Tourer from Stuttgart, for example, a body structure made from extremely firm steel alloys with innovative adhesive joints, which provide the front-end structure of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class with consistently high deformation resistance during the entire crash phase, thereby reducing the loads on the occupants.

The engineering of the interior restraint systems also meets the high standard of Mercedes-Benz top models. Adaptive, two-stage front airbags, belt tensioners for the front and outer rear seats, adaptive belt force limiters at the front, active front head restraints, ISOFIX child’s seat attachments and newly developed head/thorax front side airbags round off the standard protective system for occupants.

However, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class not only meets, it also surpasses standard crash test requirements. The Stuttgart-based automobile brand defines vehicle safety based on an analysis of actual accident occurrences as part of an integrated approach. In addition to occupant protection tailored to suit the severity of the accident, this involves ensuring the quickest possible rescue of the occupants following a collision and the avoidance of accidents using electronic assistance systems such as ESP® and the braking assistant (BAS). For example, in critical road-holding situations, the Mercedes-Benz B-Class electronic stability program (ESP®) works together with the electro-mechanical servo steering to adapt the servo support to assist the driver in stabilizing the car. This extra ESP® function also aids steering correction and provides the car driver with an even better road feel when braking on different road surfaces. An analysis of official German accident statistics bears witness to the significant contribution the braking assistant, which was first launched by Mercedes-Benz ten years ago, makes to avoiding road accidents – in rear-end collisions the use of standard braking systems in Mercedes passenger cars reduced the accident rate by eight percent, while the percentage of serious pedestrian accidents fell by as much as 13 percent.

The high safety standard of the B-Class combined with ample space, exemplary comfort, fascinating design and intelligent variability has quickly established the Mercedes-Benz trendsetter as a successful model. More than 150,000 B-Class models have been delivered since the car’s market launch in June 2005.

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