i dont understand this......

[TomBear]

why did renault make the front wings out of plastic yet make the bonnet out of steel, Why not just make it all out of steel!!!

 

[Steve2004]

Saves weight and costs.

 

[JCC]

Why does it bother you anyway?

 

[DannyR]

Aren't the front wings plastic due to safety not weight saving?

 

[Scadden182]

all about crumple zones

 

[jesus]

You hit something with your front end, the steel wings push back and you can't open your doors - that's why they're plastic.

 

[JCC]

You hit something with your front end, the steel wings push back and you can't open your doors - that's why they're plastic.

Exactly, it's a safety thing aswell as a cost thing. Some people seem to just complain for the sake of it.

 

[pip.]

Kinder to pedestrians too I imagine, which is something they have to think about.

 

[TomBear]

Kinder to pedestrians too I imagine, which is something they have to think about.

how??

if i hit a pedestrian (touch wood that i dont) then in theory they would hit the steel bonnet first and the wings wouldnt come into it

 

[Dip]

Even the Steel is light mix. It dents pretty easily.

 

[pip.]

Pedestrians don't always cooperate and fly onto the bonnet though do they.
Glancing blows mate, glancing blows..

 

[Rob.]

Does this thread have a point?

 

[Ralphizzle]

Wasn't the bonnet made out of Ali?

 

[pip.]

Only on some ph-quicks, but IIRC no rhyme or reason to it as far as what numbers got them, just random cars.

 

[dmn1989]

front wings are plastic for pedestrian safety.
its alot softer than a steel wing to be hit into.
most people who get run over are hit on the wing, not the bonnet hence the reason for plastic wings.

 

[powey]

They made them in plastic so there would be internet threads like this asking why they done it

 

[dmn1989]

:lolup:

 

[Final Maxim]

Saves weight and costs.

plastic wings cost more to produce than metal wings

 

[Soph]

all about crumple zones

I agree!

 

[Gary C]

So the real question, is 'why is'nt the bonnet made of plastic'

 

[White16valver]

Because of the fact it'd probably look a state after a few years, with all the heat from the engine!

Mk1s have aluminium bonnet and plastic wings btw

 

[Mark One]

you'd be hard pushed to make the bonnet out of plastic and get a good NCAP score.
The steel will absorb quite a lot of energy as it bends and buckles. If you got a composite (probably fibre reinforced) it would give a pretty brittle snap on impact (except CF which if pinned right will shatter and absorb impact).
Plastic wings are awesome! Bolt on bolt off, and light, what more can you ask for!

 

[White16valver]

And no fucker can ding them with their doors!

 

[Mark One]

....and yet they still manage to ding the paint work! unbeleiveable!