The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently awarded the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe with the five-star safety mark in all of the individual safety crash tests included on the agency’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). The five-star rating is considered as the highest score that the NHTSA could provide to each vehicle that they subject to crash test simulations. What was more impressive is the fact that the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe was the first vehicle to receive the highest score in all of the tests conducted to it after the NHTSA has revised the federal testing procedures in 2011.
The revision of the procedures included on the New Car Assessment Program of the agency made each test that they are conducting more rigorous and tougher. The revision has also introduced new procedures such as the “new side pole test”. The new side pole test is conducted by crashing the side of a vehicle particularly on the area behind the A-pillar on the driver’s side while running at a speed of 20 miles per hour into a 10-inch tree or pole at a 75-degree angle. The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe has also obtained a five-star mark on this test.
The five-star overall safety rating that the 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe has achieved was made possible by its advanced vehicle safety features such as the StabiliTrak electronic stability control, pretentioners and load limiting retractors, and the six standard airbags installed on the coupe. Since these tests are more rigorous and tougher, it is quite correct to say that the latest version of the Camaro Coupe is proven safer compared to other vehicles that were not yet able to undergo the revised federal testing procedures implemented by the NHTSA.
The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible has not yet received the ratings that the coupe version has received since it was not yet subjected to the revised NCAP procedures.View/Hide Full Press Release
DETROIT ? The 2012 Chevrolet Camaro Coupe is the first vehicle to receive the highest possible five-star score in every individual safety rating segment of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration?s New Car Assessment Program since the federal testing procedures were revised for 2011.
?Camaro has always been about performance, and that includes safety performance,? said Al Oppenheiser, Camaro chief engineer. ?We always strive for five-star ratings, and the fact that we achieved them under more rigorous requirements is a great accomplishment.?
The Camaro is designed to help drivers avoid crashes, while protecting occupants in the event a crash occurs. Standard safety features include:
New Rear Vision Package, which includes a new rearview camera system (standard on 2LT and 2SS; available on 1LT and 1SS). Six standard air bags include head curtain side air bags, which provide added head and torso protection for outboard passengers in the event of a side-impact crash. StabiliTrak electronic stability control helps the driver maintain control by comparing the path being steered by the driver with the actual response and, when necessary, applying the brakes or adjusting the throttle or a combination of both. Standard four-wheel disc brake system featuring smooth, quiet operation and more resistance to brake fade. Pretensioners to reduce forward movement and load-limiting retractors to help manage forces during a collision are standard on front safety belts. Standard remote keyless entry system provides a second function for the red panic button. Drivers can use it to locate their cars without sounding the panic alarm. Starting with 2011 models, NHTSA introduced tougher tests and more rigorous requirements for its five-star ratings that provide more information about safety feature performance and crash-avoidance technologies. Changes included a new side pole test simulating a 20-mph side-impact crash into a 10-inch-diameter pole or tree at a 75-degree angle just behind the A-pillar on the driver?s side.
In addition, new overall ratings which combine the results from the various tests, are provided. Under the revised program, the 2012 Camaro Coupe is the first vehicle to receive five stars in each individual rating segment and also receives five stars in the combined categories such as overall vehicle score.
The Camaro Convertible is not rated for the various crash segments since it has not yet been tested under the revised NCAP program, but it has received a five-star rollover rating.
About Marty Bay
Marty Bay is the Lead Writer and Editor for VPM Automotive. He has researched and reviewed 100s of cars, and writes extensively about car technologies.
