Crash-test dummies: Muscle cars not that hot in IIHS testing
For the first time, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) put three proper muscle cars to the test -- the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger and Ford Mustang. Each went through the traditional battery of IIHS testing, including roof crushing and the infamous small-overlap test. The result is not as bad as you might think, but all three cars failed to earn a Top Safety Pick (TSP) rating.
The Mustang was one test -- small front overlap -- away from earning a TSP. The Camaro fared better than the Mustang on that test, but it didn't do so well on the roof-strength test. And it was barred from receiving the ultimate award, Top Safety Pick+, because it doesn't have a forward collision warning -- which is an option for both the Challenger and Mustang.
Speaking of Challenger, it fared the worst of the three. It only scored Acceptable (instead of Good) in both roof strength and head restraint tests, but perhaps most damning is its Marginal rating in the small overlap test. The passenger cell folded over the dummy's foot during the accident, meaning the dummy had to have its foot removed before being pulled from the car.
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