I had a terrible crash in a Volvo 480 in around 1996 or 97. I was turning left at a junction where it was not allowed to overtake me but it was OK to turn. There was a longer line of cars behind me who slowed down as I prepared for my turn and I didn't recognize that a big Mercedes is overtaking the convoy with a speed of around 90-100 km/h. When I turned left the guy hit my door without braking - I didn't see anything coming until it happened. My luck was that the road was frozen and slippery and the tires didn't have a good lateral grip so my car could fly away sideways and there was a big grass field by the roadside, so we didn't overturn, the car was only spinning a couple of times but it stayed on its wheels. The door completely bent inwards but the latch kept the door attached to the B-pillar - and the door moved to where the middle of my seat was before. Luckily my seat moved also to the right so after the crash I was sitting almost there where the gearbox was. My seat went down to an almost horisontal level. The scene looked horrible from the outside, people ran there thinking that I was dead. The car had no airbags - it was a 1989 model. But I got out of the car completely unscatched... which seemed unbelieveable. The side protection system worked perfectly, the thick tubes in the doors were visible after the crash and later at the Volvo service (where the guys were shocked to see me walking in the next day after seeing my wrecked car on their yard) they explained me that there were some lateral reinforcements in the bottom of the car which were attached to a longitudinal structure in the middle and when the side impact happened then this system kind of "pulled" my seat to the right, so outwards of the impact zone, away from the door. It was a crazy experience but I was lucky and eternally thankful to the designers of this beautiful car. Once I'd like to own the same car again but many years down the road when I had the means to buy a hobby car I didn't find a nice enough example that would be worth keeping for a very long time.
@@Iv40 Also I remember that after the crash everyone was surprised how the door latch could keep the door in place (preventing it from braking inwards and hurting me) and bent the B-pillar instead. I compared the latch of the 480 of my mother's Mitsubishi Colt of the same year and it was made of at least 2-2.5 times thicker metal block and the whole door was about twice heavier than the Colt's.
There was once someone who tried to kill himself in a Volvo. He got utterly disappointed and the Volvo crushed his heart by refusing to serve its purpose of a safe crash-car. Pretty stupid, hu?
I think it would be different, they probably never thought of that in 1985 when these crash tests were performed. Though I have a drawing of the construction with the high strength steel parts highlighted, it's quite impressive.
@@volvo480 I'm actually very interested in what it would do with front offset impact. Know video from an 850 vs a Renault modus shows a big difference in energy dispersion. Does the 480 have crumple zones?
I had a terrible crash in a Volvo 480 in around 1996 or 97. I was turning left at a junction where it was not allowed to overtake me but it was OK to turn. There was a longer line of cars behind me who slowed down as I prepared for my turn and I didn't recognize that a big Mercedes is overtaking the convoy with a speed of around 90-100 km/h. When I turned left the guy hit my door without braking - I didn't see anything coming until it happened.
My luck was that the road was frozen and slippery and the tires didn't have a good lateral grip so my car could fly away sideways and there was a big grass field by the roadside, so we didn't overturn, the car was only spinning a couple of times but it stayed on its wheels. The door completely bent inwards but the latch kept the door attached to the B-pillar - and the door moved to where the middle of my seat was before. Luckily my seat moved also to the right so after the crash I was sitting almost there where the gearbox was. My seat went down to an almost horisontal level.
The scene looked horrible from the outside, people ran there thinking that I was dead. The car had no airbags - it was a 1989 model. But I got out of the car completely unscatched... which seemed unbelieveable. The side protection system worked perfectly, the thick tubes in the doors were visible after the crash and later at the Volvo service (where the guys were shocked to see me walking in the next day after seeing my wrecked car on their yard) they explained me that there were some lateral reinforcements in the bottom of the car which were attached to a longitudinal structure in the middle and when the side impact happened then this system kind of "pulled" my seat to the right, so outwards of the impact zone, away from the door.
It was a crazy experience but I was lucky and eternally thankful to the designers of this beautiful car. Once I'd like to own the same car again but many years down the road when I had the means to buy a hobby car I didn't find a nice enough example that would be worth keeping for a very long time.
Great story it just makes me love volvos even more.
@@Iv40 Also I remember that after the crash everyone was surprised how the door latch could keep the door in place (preventing it from braking inwards and hurting me) and bent the B-pillar instead.
I compared the latch of the 480 of my mother's Mitsubishi Colt of the same year and it was made of at least 2-2.5 times thicker metal block and the whole door was about twice heavier than the Colt's.
Actually, finally I've found for myself a lovely 1995, dark green 480 last year summer :)
For the year, that’s pretty impressive! Even by some newer models
1:12 is a reminder of the ancient past from before bumping a pole at walking speed totaled a car.
or a walking pole that can resitst that.
That would write a car off in 2022 the 5mph pole hit
that's quite a safe car...
Things that you'll never see in your entire life:
1. Bigfoot
2. Aliens
3. Someone who died in a car crash in a Volvo
There was once someone who tried to kill himself in a Volvo. He got utterly disappointed and the Volvo crushed his heart by refusing to serve its purpose of a safe crash-car. Pretty stupid, hu?
😂
Someone actually did kill themselves by crashing a V70R Classic with 100 MPH in the USA about 8 years ago, I remember reading about it somewhere.
Better than many modern cars
Holy shit that is extremely safe for its time
1986...
These are very nostalgic days!
car like this old volvo are great for driving beginners. there is no damage from bumping into things. saves a lot of money.
With the later painted bumpers you do. Don't ask me how I know...
@@volvo480 oh no :D
well mine work fine
dont ask me how i know either :P
@@nutzeeer You 2 hahaha
Od dwóch lat jestem też posiadaczem Volvo 480👍🏼
It's a Volvo men.
Reject the ugly 2000's and 2010's volvos, return to the 1990's
70s-80s 🤔
fajny
Mas seguro que una aveo y 20 años mas viejo
Might be different with an offset crash?
I think it would be different, they probably never thought of that in 1985 when these crash tests were performed. Though I have a drawing of the construction with the high strength steel parts highlighted, it's quite impressive.
@@volvo480 I'm actually very interested in what it would do with front offset impact. Know video from an 850 vs a Renault modus shows a big difference in energy dispersion. Does the 480 have crumple zones?
@@diegohuijbregtsgarcia5102 Yes it does. Most old Volvos did.
@@danieleregoli812 isn't it a great machine? From what I've found the 1991 and later version was one of the safest cars in its class at that time.
@@diegohuijbregtsgarcia5102 it has a difference because the 850 and Modus came from a different age... the way car designed has improved and changed
not great, not deadly.
good for its time
actually very very good for its time. Far better than any of the competition, save perhaps the SAAB 900.
56kph is ahead of its time