In today's era, cars are safer than ever. They are full of obscene amounts of precautions and techniques to ensure your safety. The best American luxury cars are equipped with systems such as emergency automatic braking, lane keeping assistance, and more.
However, this was not always the case. At the time, many cars didn't have traction or stability control, and most were equipped with traditional disc brakes instead of the ABS we're used to today. This largely changed in 1997 when Euro NCAP conducted standardized safety crash tests.
So, with that in mind, here are some of the most dangerous vehicles ever built. There were also things that were.
10/10 Porsche Carrera GT
The Carrera GT is Porsche's most famous supercar ever. Right behind the two seats was his naturally aspirated 5.7-liter V10 engine, which produced 605 horsepower and 435 pounds of torque at the rear wheels alone.
If you know anything about mid-engined sports cars, you're well aware of the fact that there's very little you can do to regain control once you're sideways. In addition, the Porsche Carrera GT lacked traction and stability control and only had a 6-speed manual gearbox. As you know, the Porsche Carrera GT was the car that Roger Ladas and Paul Walker drove when they died in a tragic accident...
9/10 Toyota MR2 Turbo
The Toyota MR2 Turbo is a downscale version of the Carrera GT, now with a built-in turbocharger. Back in the day, power transfer in turbocharged cars was far less linear than it is today. And with that in mind, this sub-£3,000 rear-wheel-drive sports car doesn't look as cute as you'd believe in its face.
The mid-mounted 2.0-liter Turbo 4 may have put out only 200 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, but its unique output earned it the title of one of the best 4-cylinder engines ever. . That was more than enough to make this car slide in corners and eventually turn in the opposite direction. Another aspect that added to the Toyota MR2 Turbo's fear factor was, of course, his oversteer liftoff...
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8/10 mitsubishi mirage
If you're interested in a small, affordable econobox that's good for getting from point A to point B, the Mitsubishi Mirage is for you. safety Daily commute, maybe look elsewhere.
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It's ridiculously slow, cheaply built, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) only gives it an overall rating of "Worst" (equivalent to 2 out of 5 stars). You're better off buying something like a Japanese sports sedan that's cheaper to own and maintain and probably much safer.
7/10 Chevrolet Corvair
Your Chevrolet Corvair has a minor manufacturing flaw. The Corvair never caught fire, but its weight was unevenly distributed, resulting in unpredictable oversteer when taking turns.
Automotive safety advocate Ralph Nader wrote a book about the Corvair in 1965 called "Unsafe at Any Speed." He continues about the design flaws in the rear suspension, which can cause the car to tip over, especially when turning sharp corners at high speed.
6/10 ford pinto
You've heard the story of the Ford Pinto. But if your memory is a little rusty, here's a quick recap. In the 1970s, Ford saw an opportunity to make a tremendous amount of money out of the Pinto. Therefore, we irresponsibly rushed the entire manufacturing process to make it available to the public as soon as possible.
There was no time to conduct a thorough safety test on the Pinto, which led to a handful of untimely deaths. Ford placed the Pinto's gas tank near the rear of the car so that it would burst into flames in the event of an explosion...
5/10 Dodge Viper RT/10
The first generation Dodge Viper SRT is one of the greatest American cars ever made, but it's also one of the most fear-inducing. Hidden under the hood was a naturally aspirated 8.0-liter V10 engine with 400 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque.
yeah, you guessed it. The Viper had no form of traction or stability control. There were no airbags and the brakes weren't anti-lock.It's still a big car, but...
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4/10 Tata Nano
It is often said that cars are unattractive, but the Tat Nano is a miserable car inside and out. This Indian-made econobox was powered by his 35 bhp twin-cylinder engine, which allowed the Nano to go from standstill to 37 mph in eight seconds. But it gets worse.
The Tat Nano is also one of the worst rated vehicles, according to the Global NCAP, with a horrific 0-star rating in crash tests. Ugly, dangerous, slow. There is no justification for wanting this abomination.
3/10 Mercedes-Benz W168 A-Class
The first-generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class resembles a more sophisticated German equivalent of the Tat Nano. Sure, it might not be as dangerous as the Nano, but it sure is ugly and flips over easily.
Euro NCAP rated this car as having a 4-star adult occupant safety score. This is admirable. Still, the high ride height, skinny tires, and high center of gravity don't make you feel at home.
2/10 fiat punto
The case of the modern 2017 Fiat Punto is weird at best. After all, alongside the Tat Nano, the car also earned an overall safety rating of 0 stars. The numbers are: Adult Occupant Safety 51% Child Occupant Safety 43% Pedestrian Safety 52% Safety He Assist 0%
The main reason the Fiat Punto's score is invalid is because of its passenger seat. There was no seatbelt reminder in the passenger seat, so all modern cars were required to adhere to safety assist setting rules and thus were not eligible to receive the rating.A bit overkill if you ask us, but yes
1/10 porsche 930 turbo
The Porsche 930 Turbo earned the nickname 'Widowmaker' for one very special reason. that turbo engine. Behind the two seats, the powertrain was a turbocharged flat-six that produced up to 296 hp and 304 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Remember when I said that the first few turbocharged engines delivered their power in a non-linear fashion?
Well, the 930 Turbo existed from 1978 to 1989, when the forced introduction was in its precarious adolescence. As a result, when the Porsche 930 Turbo turns a corner and the boost suddenly passes through the rev range, the car jerks and goes out of control. I had a hard time looking forward even in a straight line!
Source: euroncap.com, mirror.co.uk, hagerty.com, stuttcars.com, caranddriver.com