New BMW 5 Series passes first crash test using brake intervention.

Up until now, verification of vehicle safety has been obtained by means of crash tests in which structural integrity and restraint systems were tested in a non-braked situation. However, thanks to modern electronics such as those also featured in the new BMW 5 Series and BMW 7 Series, protective systems that warn the driver in advance of an accident and prepare the driver and the vehicle for impact in the event of an unavoidable collision, are becoming more and more widely accepted.

Future testing procedures will have to make allowances for the effect of preventive protection systems. In a recent world premiere, the BMW 530d successfully passed a crash test involving brake intervention at the facility of the Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein (DEKRA) in Neumünster near Hamburg.

The new BMW 5 Series in a crash, both times with an initial speed of 64 km/h: in the foreground, a vehicle that has been decelerated to 40 km/h before the collision. In the background, a vehicle without brake intervention.

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RUF RGT-8

March 2010 and the time is right for RUF to announce the next generation of RGT, the RGT-8. This spectacular prototype vehicle is powered by a completely new RUF designed V8 engine with a 180° crankshaft “Flatcrank”. Four valves arranged spherically together with multipoint fuel injection ensure optimal mixture conditions while the dry-sump system supplies the necessary lubrication. The lightweight engine has a very compact design, has a capacity of 4.5 litres arranged as a V8 and delivers 404kW (550bhp) @ 8500rpm and complements with a maximum torque of 500Nm @ 5400rpm. At all stages of the design process, compactness and weight saving were of priority, the result of which is a total engine weight of less than 200kg. A 6 speed gearbox with shortened gear shift movement transfers the power to the rear axle. To ensure the best adhesion characteristics, the RGT-8 is supplied with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup tires running on 19 inch RUF forged alloy wheels utilising a single central retaining nut. The powertrain is rounded off with sturdy ceramic brakes as standard for optimal braking.

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