thats crazy... it reminds me of a vid that looks like it was done by the same folks (brits in guessing) in the same location of a offset head on wreck between a BMW 7-series and some kind of volvo sedan... a 740 maybe... the results are rather sobering

this is old news, but here's photos of what happened when my W124 got rear-ended at about 50mph. I had a sore neck for weeks but was otherwise unhurt:

http://www.w124performance.com/images/cars/87_300D_white/wreck_june_2003/

I also rolled/flipped a W201 at freeway speeds in 1995 and walked away without a scratch. Glad I don't drive a Fiat. (I wonder if a Kia, Hyundai, or Geo would fare much better.)

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

I drive my car on average at about 75 on the free way. with no problems.
there is a section of road on the way back to my dads house that is only about 8 years old... nice smoothe pavement. its 4 lanes and you can see the whole lenghts of road... kind of an odd spot for a country highway. anyway. i punched my car on that section of highway one night and she topped out at 102MPH. that is a little faster then 70... I have the 617 5 cyl Turbo... i think that is the smallest diesel in a 126. so i would assume that pretty much any diesel 126 can do at least 100MPH.

as for the crash... i like the feeling that i'm driveing around in a solid block of steel... very safe feeling, and i know its a very safe car.

__________________

I have had my 84 300tdt(290k) up to
90mph but that was before the valve
adjustment and rebuilt injectors.
I'm sure it will go faster now.

But I don't have the need to go that
fast but just wanted to see if it could
get up there.

Louis.

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Not always the smartest but certainly not dumb?

Agree. Same car, different coast.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

California's central valley has the same problem, horrible chain-reaction crashes every winter. Good place not to be.

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

First. I want an R/C W126!

Second. Perfect example of why you need to get out of your car (If possible) and away from a highway pileup ASAP. No amount of airbags in the world could save somebody inside that Fiat.

Third. Don't be stupid, slow down in fog.

video is gone !
any one know how to find it ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSEl2ueCATs

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

wow. guess I don't want a Fiat.

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Scott - K3PSO
----
1984 300D turbo ~203k miles
2008 FourWinds Hurricane 31' RV

Past
'85 300D turbo ~280k miles
'83 300D turbo ~300k miles
'05 Mini Cooper convertible
'96 BMW R1100-RT
'71 Honda CB175 - multi-winter project
'82 Honda CB450 NightHawk
'85 300D turbo ~328k miles
'75 BMW 2002
'66 Beetle

And this is one of the best reason to NOT be in a Smart during a crash....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02eghIfyHP0

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1991 560 SEL / 185k miles
1992 750il / 17k miles - project car

ForcedInduction, getting out is not always the best idea in chain reaction pileups in fog. If you do decide to get out, get WAY out and off the road fast. Many have been injured or killed after they have gotten out of the crash OK and are hit outside of the vehicle. I live with the fog in the Central Valley. Best thing to do is not drive or slow down and be super careful if you have to drive.

As far as toughness in the Benz, I figured this thing was a Brick S-house when I jacked it at the front jackpoint and rear tires came off the ground(with fronts) then decided to open all the doors. All of them opened and closed with no hangup whatsoever!

No. The longer and closer you are to the vehicle the higher the chance of further impacts causing even more damage/injury.

.

Of course the powers-that-be demanding 50+ MPG want all of us to be driving a Smart-like car.

.

.

Not sure.

Here's one set of choices:

Be inside of my 2-ton German tank and be hit or be outside and be hit.

Not necessarily the only two choices but at times it might be.

.