With all the emphasis on safety these days ,with passenger safety cells/ airbags etc; its sometimes interesting to look at old crash test films to make comparisons . Here I have selected a youtube film with an American narration but it shows how Fiats did against other cars in an American safety test of the time.(rather well). If you follow the film through (don't you just "dig" the typewriter computer!!), make a mental note of the damage they receive, a 132 head-on against a 130, plus roll overs with a 128 shell.

Then click on other youtube films for crash testing . Fiat cars or otherwise, I'm still not convinced the modern way of making cars with thinner outer panels , but with so-called passenger protection complete with air bags is the way to go. You decide!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGoSauHtC-8

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An intersting video with some great shots of the Fiat 130 and 132, two of my favourite Fiats

As regards modern design it's all about reducing momentum gradually as in a strong vehicle which doesn't give your body stops but your vital organs keep going which is what can often kill you apparently.

I still don't subscribe to the modern theory on car safety in total. It's probably me, every time I clean a modern car with some vigour , its outer panels resemble a trampoline. It would seem that these deformable front ends are a bit too deformable for my liking.

If this design idea was so safe , why do rally cars have them welded up rigid in case of impact, as well as having a roll cage inside? (hmm?)

Metal will bend on impact anyway, I'd rather it not bend in towards us, the occupants of the car, or even have the other vehicle in your lap. (As it looks with the Fiat 500 against the large MPV on youtube)

In 1979, I had an accident in my Mini, when a tipper/dump truck lorry pulled out in front of me. Impact speed was calculated at over 50mph (despite the lorry was going the same way, not heading towards me), hitting his back axle, forward 5 inches. My ear was slightly torn, snapped my right femur just above the knee and the roof seam came into my head, besides other cuts/bruises etc; My passenger in the back had 2 black eyes and some hairline fractures in vertebrae, front passenger,(only one wearing seatbelt,not legal those days), had whip lash plus various cuts /bruising. My gut feeling is I wouldn't have been here writing this today if I was in a modern car.

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looking at pic now, just realised, is that a silver 131 miafiori to the left of the pic, yes I believe it is!

Membership Number: 10962

In Rally cars the roll cage is a bit like the safety cell in modern car designs and also of course it is there to prevent injury due to the car rolling, hence the name. With regard to the strengthening of the welding I think it is to stop the car shaking itself to bits due to hard use. Spot welded panels are strong enough for daily road use but allow the shell to flex too much when used under more arduous conditions. Modern cars are indeed still strong, it's just the front and rear crumple zones which look weak.