Cerbera safety

[Jon101]

Not a topic anyone likes to dwell upon, but I'm thinking of buying a Cerb and as I'll be using it with the family in the back I've been trying to find out how safe they are. Problem is I can't find much info (no crash reports etc).

Does anyone have any information on this? Are there differences between models and ages of Cerbera?

Thanks.

[joospeed]

trouble these days is that everyone is obsessed with passive safety .. how safe you are in the tin can after it's crashed. Now this is indeed important .. but how about avoiding the accident in the first place .. it's not always possible I know, but in a very fast car with high grip and stunning brakes you're in a far better vehicle to avoid anything going on around you than a fat lardy air-bagged to the hilt barge from a mainstrem manufacturer.
I saw alot of damaged TVRs in for repair at the place I used to work at, the worst incident I saw whilst I was there involved a cerbie and a tractor head on, the guy broke his ankle when the front wheel came back into the footwell, but that was the worst one - in all other cases everyone walked away with minor cuts and bruises and that includes rolls in griffs and chims and all manner of other incidents. I understand there's been a more recent incident involving the demo tuscan, but that is so rare that you can reasonably put it to the back of your mind. Buy the car .. and feel safe in the knowledge you're in one of the most actively safe cars around, for everyone.

[beemer]

I know William Ball has strong opinions on safety (positive) of Cerbs.

I have two small children (4 and 2) and have no qualms whatsoever about transporting them in the Cerbera - it has a full integral roll cage, excellent brakes, responsive handling and the power to get out of potentially dangerous situations. This to me is more important than "passive" safety measures like airbags, EBD and ABS - I'd rather have the chance to avoid an accident in the first place. All IMHO, of course.

sean

And the kids just love the car too.....

edited to say: must learn to type faster, otherwise will get accused of plagiarism!

>> Edited by beemer on Wednesday 14th May 09:02

[gixxer1000]

TVR chassis are excellent at standing up to head-on collisions, it's the side impact ones that hurt!

[dannylt]

The Cerbera & Tuscan chassis have decent side impact bars - Steve Barber's car seemed to hold together well after going through a hedge.

danny

[dans]

joospeed said: trouble these days is that everyone is obsessed with passive safety .. how safe you are in the tin can after it's crashed. Now this is indeed important .. but how about avoiding the accident in the first place .. it's not always possible I know, but in a very fast car with high grip and stunning brakes you're in a far better vehicle to avoid anything going on around you than a fat lardy air-bagged to the hilt barge from a mainstrem manufacturer.
I saw alot of damaged TVRs in for repair at the place I used to work at, the worst incident I saw whilst I was there involved a cerbie and a tractor head on, the guy broke his ankle when the front wheel came back into the footwell, but that was the worst one - in all other cases everyone walked away with minor cuts and bruises and that includes rolls in griffs and chims and all manner of other incidents. I understand there's been a more recent incident involving the demo tuscan, but that is so rare that you can reasonably put it to the back of your mind. Buy the car .. and feel safe in the knowledge you're in one of the most actively safe cars around, for everyone.

If I am thinking of the same guy he bought another one straight away..

[james]

Speaking as somebody who crash tested a Cerbie at fairly high speed (normal motorway speed - make of that what you will). I would say that it's one of the nicest cars you can have an accident in. GRP is good at absorbing impacts, and the chassis is very strong in a collision. Add to that side impact bars and you have a good recipe for survivability. Mine wasn't a write off, but the steel car that had swiped me off the road was completely unrecognisable (the plod who attended couldn't identify the make, let alone the model).

After Steve wrote his off (and yes, it's the same guy who went out and bought another one straight away), the recovery people were impressed that they had both walked away unscathed, as it was a big impact which would very probably have resulted in serious injury in a steel car.

Another friend of mine aquaplaned into the Armco on the M1 in his, and he and his passenger walked away uninjured too. He went out and bought another one too.

Overall, it's as safe a place for the kids as any. I used to take my dogs out in mine, and if it's safe enough for them, it's safe enough for a couple of rug rats

James

[flasher]

Unlike most cars the Cerbera has a full roll cage. I cant think of a safer vehicle to be honest. And as far as know no-one has ever been killed in a Cerbera.

Unfortunatley the same can't be said of Griff's and Chimaera's which have no roll-over protection and no side impact bars whatsoever...

[Jon101]

Thanks for the replies. Helpful and reassuring.

Jon