[speedynz]

Got sent this by my local motoring club.

The Ford F150 (for those who don't know) is a colossal American pick up truck (think iceberg) with a 'get out my way presence', bought by people who think that a 'compact' car wouldn't cut it in a crash.

In this case 'presence' counts for nothing. This thing's got the structural integrity of a cornflake. Just look at that passenger cell deformation.

Whereas the Mini's cockpit is virtually untouched.

Same offset crash test, same speed, you choose.

(Best to maximise picture size.)

[arbee]

thats pretty impressive (the MINI!) tho I cant believe they were the same conditions!

[swamos]

There is video floating around of this. It just proves that a car on a ancient ladder frame doesn't crash well. However if the MINI ran into the f150, I'd rather be in the f150

[JBA]

So all these people buying SUV's to protect their offspring are misled, not only on primary safety (stability in extremis, poor braking, manoueverability) but on secondary safety grounds! Maybe MINI's should be banned. Not fair!

[ErikR]

Judging by the condition of the paper in the picture, I would guess that you got this page from an F-150 owner!

[Todd!]

I have seen this.. it was for the NCAP ratings....

Yes Swamos is right from memory, amigo posted it on the Aussie Banter page ages ago...

Todd

[blalor]

Quote: Originally Posted by speedynz

The Ford F150 (for those who don't know) is a colossal American pick up truck (think iceberg) with a 'get out my way presence', bought by people who think that a 'compact' car wouldn't cut it in a crash.

An F-150's my current vehicle, and a MCS will be my next. Your characterization of F-150 owners is a little broad (and inflammatory). It can't be beat for hauling my three dogs, two motorcycles, furniture, dirt, trees, and other things you simply can't do with a Mini. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd keep both and park the Mini in the back of the truck, but she just won't go for that. :-)

[jwardell]

I've had this discussion with others before when they heard I was getting a MINI and joked they will get an F150 so I can park in the back, when in fact, the MINI is within 1 inch of the width of an F150! So sorry guys, that joke is baseless.

[RenaultF1]

Quote: Originally Posted by jwardell

I've had this discussion with others before when they heard I was getting a MINI and joked they will get an F150 so I can park in the back, when in fact, the MINI is within 1 inch of the width of an F150! So sorry guys, that joke is baseless.

My brother has an F150 and I have an MCS...I always make this same joke with my brother...all in good fun

[twouptons]

Quote: Originally Posted by JBA

So all these people buying SUV's to protect their offspring are misled, not only on primary safety (stability in extremis, poor braking, manoueverability) but on secondary safety grounds! Maybe MINI's should be banned. Not fair!

Unfortunately, many SUV owners are buying them, not for the single-vehicle safety (since they would never be in a single-vehicle accident being, like everyone, above-average drivers...), but for multi-vehicle safety. And there, they're right. When hitting brick walls, MINIs will fare better, but in the contest F150 vs MINI, the MINI always loses. The only way to avoid this is to take advantage of the "active safety" features the MINI has and not let the F150s hit you

-Eric

[speedynz]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor

An F-150's my current vehicle, and a MCS will be my next. Your characterization of F-150 owners is a little broad (and inflammatory). It can't be beat for hauling my three dogs, two motorcycles, furniture, dirt, trees, and other things you simply can't do with a Mini. If I could talk my wife into it, I'd keep both and park the Mini in the back of the truck, but she just won't go for that. :-)

Blalor, I say it as I see it (over here that is) and the F150's in New Zealand are almost without exception bought for their presence and bling value and wouldn't be seen with dirt or dogs muddying their appearance. I understand it may be different in the U.S.

My problem is with the perception of safety through size rather than quality engineering.

My joy though is in seeing this diminutive little car (Mini) beating Goliath in the crash test.

I was also absolutely astonished at the difference in deformation between these two vehicles given their size extremes.

Weren't you?

[Cooper76]

I have, if you can believe it, seen TWO news reports over the past couple of years of an instance when a MINI collided with an F-150. Both times, the driver survived but the MINI was totaled. In one of the accidents, the F-150 driver also suffered serious injuries.

So, the MINI might not win head-to-head, but it does hold its own. But seeing a a lot of accidents are single-vehicle accidents, the F-150 is not inspiring nor confidence-building.

They do say the 2004 model is MUCH improved. Too little, too late...

[mataku]

Yeah guys, remember momentum = MV. the mass is a big part here. So it takes much more to stop a F-150 moving at the same speed as a MINI, but like Cooper76 says head to head, I'd be very afraid.

[JBA]

But a one ton nugget hitting a 2 ton marshmallow will tend to concentrate its lesser mass. You could be unlucky and hit the engine/gearbox end-on: nasty. As for the rest of the vehicle, its all external show and hidden wobbly bits

[steebo777]

Dang, that is wicked! Eat it F150!!!

[blalor]

Quote: Originally Posted by speedynz

I was also absolutely astonished at the difference in deformation between these two vehicles given their size extremes.

Weren't you?

Absolutely. Given the amount of physical space the Ford engineers have to work with, they really should be able to take the initiative to make this vehicle safer than anything on the road. It isn't like they're concerned about how heavy it is, right? :-)

In 2000, the F-150 was the best-selling vehicle, period, of *all* vehicles sold in the States. Surely Ford could funnel some of their profit into engineering safety into it. Maybe they have with the new model.

[2phun]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor

In 2000, the F-150 was the best-selling vehicle, period, of *all* vehicles sold in the States. Surely Ford could funnel some of their profit into engineering safety into it. Maybe they have with the new model.

My whole time reading this post, that exact thought was going through my mind. The f150 has been the number one selling vehicle year after year, and yet the engineering on it is still subpar IMHO. But again, if people are willing to buy the vehicle even with its safety flaws, from a business point of view, maybe Ford doesn't feel the need to improve/fix it?? If loyal Ford customers demanded more, Ford would give them more.

Anyway, glad that my MINI is nimble enough to get out of the way. I guess if I have the option of getting slammed by an f150 or slamming into a guard rail, I'll aim for the guard rail!

[LordWinslow]

Quote: Originally Posted by blalor

Absolutely. Given the amount of physical space the Ford engineers have to work with, they really should be able to take the initiative to make this vehicle safer than anything on the road. It isn't like they're concerned about how heavy it is, right? :-)

In 2000, the F-150 was the best-selling vehicle, period, of *all* vehicles sold in the States. Surely Ford could funnel some of their profit into engineering safety into it. Maybe they have with the new model.

If you got the full article you find that the F-150's brothers the F-250 and F-350 are a different truck on the same frame, they did much better in theis 40MPH offset test. However the 2005 F-150 fixed many of the problems with this F-150 (which I think is a 2002-2003 model) and it is currently built different. With that said I still wouldn't want to meet a new F-150 in a head on or a head on offset type crash.

Winslow

[Cooper76]

Quote: Originally Posted by 2phun

My whole time reading this post, that exact thought was going through my mind. The f150 has been the number one selling vehicle year after year, and yet the engineering on it is still subpar IMHO. But again, if people are willing to buy the vehicle even with its safety flaws, from a business point of view, maybe Ford doesn't feel the need to improve/fix it?? If loyal Ford customers demanded more, Ford would give them more.

Anyway, glad that my MINI is nimble enough to get out of the way. I guess if I have the option of getting slammed by an f150 or slamming into a guard rail, I'll aim for the guard rail!

Yes, that was Bill Ford's philosophy. He was even quoted as saying that even though the Explorer is defective in safety, as long as it keeps setting sales records, Ford sees no reason to recall it or to redesign it. He basically said, I dare America to stop buying it. The same went with the F-150. However, due to pressure, especially from the superior, in my eye at least, Nissan Titan, Ford had to redesign the F-150 and now it is a pretty decent truck.

[gabe]

Quote: Originally Posted by speedynz

Got sent this by my local motoring club.

The Ford F150 (for those who don't know) is a colossal American pick up truck (think iceberg) with a 'get out my way presence', bought by people who think that a 'compact' car wouldn't cut it in a crash.

(Best to maximise picture size.)

Wow! I posted that on my personal weblog 2 years ago and now it's in print in New Zealand. That blows my mind. Here's the original page where it was posted:

http://www.bridger.us/2002/12/16/Cra...operVsFordF150