Scottish Elises

is this possible? Can the elise be made safe in a side impact basically?

Against what?

A range rover = no way
An elise = probably. (If you aren't concerned about getting in gracefully)

Unless it hits the chassis you have very little structure to help you out.

What are you up to?
Rich

RICHARDHUMBLE wrote: Unless it hits the chassis you have very little structure to help you out.

.....or the big fsck-off bars in the doors......

It's got plenty of structure to help you out - look at a cutaway if you don't believe me....

Michael wrote:is this possible? Can the elise be made safe in a side impact basically?

To answer this a little more precisely - I'd say the Elise was a good deal safer than a lot of cars in a side impact.

Why?

Compare the distance between your body and the outside door skin in, say, a focus. Do the same in the Elise. There's more impact absorbing space in the Elise. Now figure in the fact that you're inside the main structure of the car, then add that big ol' extruded ally door bar inside the door and I think I'd rather be in my Liz in a crash, than my old (tank of a) Merc.

Then there's the fact that there is less potential energy in an Elise crash, as it's not got as much mass to follow it into the impact.

The only real worry you have is stuff like Rich says - daft big off-roaders and trucks. Sorry, but a cage probably wouldn't do much for that possibility anyway. TBH, something like a Focus or a Megane would have the same issue - the off roader/truck would likely ride over the safety structure and crush the glasshouse area.

Cages are available though. Used for the Motorsport cars (with roofs) and there's a chap on Exiges.com selling a new one too.

I'd rather be in the elise against a Chelsea tractor than anything else - the light weight would mean the car would be more likely pushed than squashed.


IMHO


Mac