I just bought my oldest her first car, and I was a stickler about her getting a car with all the safety nannies and excellent crash test ratings. She was quite frustrated, because several of the cars she wanted didn't meet my safety requirements. She's asked about the safety of my Porsche and whether I'm being a hypocrite with my own car, and for the life of me, I cannot find crash test ratings for the 991 (not IIHS, not NHTSA, not NCAP). What's the deal? Are we driving death traps?

P.S. - I appreciate that I'm much more able to avoid a wreck driving my Porsche, but I'm interested in passive safety for that time when I can't or don't avoid it.

 

Celebrities commonly die in Porsches. They're often tragic too.

I heard Volvo's are nice. She wont get hounded by the opposite sex in a Volvo either.

I wish Daddy bought me a Porsche.. LOL.

 

We bought her a VW, not a Porsche. Her VW has top crash test ratings by all agencies and all the safety nannies.

 

lol

I read it as that the first time as well.
But I think he's more concerned with his safety...



In regards to the crash rating, NHSA and NCAP don't test cars of this price range usually.

That said, I wouldn't be worried about becoming a sealed can of tuna in a 911. Plenty of reinforcement in the front and rear; gas tank is positioned in areas with solid protection surrounding it. I haven't looked at it in detail, but from removing my rear and front bumpers, the chassis is designed in ways to direct impact energy away from driver compartments.

 

Sports cars are often not crash tested because they're really expensive.

There are crash tests of a older boxsters you can find on youtube. Results should be similar to 911.

Front and rear impacts seem good because of open front crumble zone and the rear has massive frame structure and the engine is a shield, however the car will be totaled for sure. In new testing, being low to the ground means a truck bumper or other parts might hit head level and in many cars, this is fatal (imagine even worse for 911). A lifted big SUV is much safer for obvious reasons.

Thing to keep in mind is that testing is often done at lower speeds and isn't too realistic (stationary objects used). If you're going really fast and hit something, there are many factors, but intimately fast enough and at the right angle, you're dead.

Safety ratings nowadays seem to have a priority on accident avoidance via tech (auto stop etc) or other means (handling/roll prevention etc). Most cars are built about as safe as is reasonable structurally (including Porsche's) and still bad accidents are going either cause serious injury or death.

 

 

It does NOT look safe at all. You may want to look into a Volvo.

 

hahahahahahahaha

 

Actually keeping her off her cell phone while driving is more important than a crash test rating.

 

Tell her the next she calls you a hypocrite, you are going to crash test her cranium.

Great of you to buy her a car. It's nice when you can spoil your deserving children.

 

My wife got a new 944 when she graduated HS, but she still hasn't driven our Targa GTS...I do not wonder why there is a such thing called a "Woman Driver".

 

As I recall, Porsche (and many other "exotic" sports car makers) choose not to go through US or Euro crash testing. I guess we (and our insurance companies) are trusting Porsche engineers to design structural and system safety.

 

I have some personal experience with this - see here:

https://rennlist.com/forums/991/1066...l#post14978987

I wish I could find the insurance pictures from that event...it was utterly incredible.

Have trusted Porsche engineering for a very long time.

cheers!