Prototype Volkswagen Rabbit 60° MDB Side Crash Test (Side Structure Improvement)

A crash test performed at Volkswagen's testing center in Wolfsburg, Germany for NHTSA on 04/22/1982. This is a modified Volkswagen Rabbit in an oblique side impact with experimental MSRI dummies. The modifications to the vehicle were to amount to no more than 20 lbs and be feasible to implement into the production fleet, but those modifications aren't specified. The moving deformable barrier is placed at a 19-degree angle, and the Rabbit itself at a 60-degree angle. This test was performed at 31.1 Mph (50 Km/h).
Pre-Test (0:00)
Impact Event (1:21)
Post-Test (4:43)

[@jonathankleinow2073]

I love that they put whitewall tires on the test sled.

[@bjonkofficial]

Awesome footage, thank you!

[@mikeh8416]

Had a manager in one of those that got t-boned. 3 Leg Pins, 6 Hip Pins, 2 reconstructive hip surgeries, and 3 months in the hospital later and he learned to USE A WHEEL CHAIR for the rest of his life... Those things were DEA TH TRAPS!!!

[@kz1000ps]

Terrible. It's shocking how smaller cars of this era offered next to zero side protection of any kind.

[@CarPro1993]

What's wild is that door beams (anti-intrusion bars) weren't added until the 90's thanks to Volvo. Other manufacturers experimented with it, but weren't added to production vehicles. These Volkswagen Rabbit tests by NHTSA and the various facilities contracted to perform these tests were to assess the benefits of certain structural elements added to small cars.