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Front and side impact rating |
 |
|
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|
 |
Pedestrian test rating |
 |
|
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Test Scores: Front 10(63%) Side 14(78%) Overall 25(74)%
Pedestrian 8(22%)
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BMW modified the
Mini after an earlier test brought to light a concern with the airbag
sensors in the frontal impact. Further changes were made to the door
for the side impact test. These results are for the latest car. Its
body structure withstood both impacts well, suffering only relatively
modest deformation. Protection in the side impact was reasonable but
impact forces affecting the driver's chest were on the high side. BMW
decided to pay for a pole test to show the benefits of the optional
head-impact airbag. Protection given by the child restraints was
variable, while that for pedestrians was poor. |
Impact
Protection
|
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Driver Front
Impact |
Passenger
Front Impact |
Driver Side
Impact |
Driver side
impact with head airbag |
|
Frontal
Impact
|
|
|
|
Changes made to
airbag sensors ensured that both stages of the airbag were inflated
during impact. This prevented the driver's chest from hitting the
steering wheel. However, his head did 'bottom out' on the wheel, which
indicated there would be a problem if the impact was at an even higher
speed. Footwell intrusion was minimal but the knee impact area was
judged to be aggressive; several points behind the fascia were hard
enough to cause injuries. |
Side Impact
|
|
|
|
After initial
testing, BMW improved the door side-impact beam and reinforced the
bottom edge of the door. Side airbags are standard but even so forces
transmitted to the driver's chest were reasonably high. The optional
side impact head airbag worked well in preventing the driver's head
from hitting objects outside the car. |
Child
Restraint
|
|
|
|
A peel-off
pictogram was fixed to the centre pillar and a peel-off label fixed to
the windscreen; neither warned against the danger of using a
rear-facing restraint on the front passenger's seat. However, a dealer
can switch off the passenger airbag, removing this hazard. BMW tell us
that they are issuing new warning labels. A rear-facing restraint
would have been best for 18-month-old because the forces acting on his
neck were extremely high forward-facing but one will fit only when the
passenger's seat is set further forward than could be achieved in the
test. |
Pedestrian
Protection
|
|
|
|
This was a poor
performance, but the bonnet leading edge proved to be not as bad as
the rest of the pedestrian impact area. |
Model
history and safety equipment
|
|
|
|
The latest Mini was
launched during July 2001. Equipment fitted to the 2002 model includes
dual front airbags, side airbags, front belt pre-tensioners and load
limiters, ABS, CBC and EBD. Also has run-flat indicator. Optional
equipment includes a head-protecting tube |
|
Make, model and
hand of drive |
BMW Mini Cooper
1.6 LHD |
|
Body type |
3-door
hatchback |
|
Model year |
2002 |
|
Kerb weight |
1125 kg |
|
VIN and date
when rating applies |
WMWRC32TC17709 |
|
Cars built on
the same platform |
none |
|
