The Buick New Regal sedan from Shanghai GM has received a maximum five-star safety rating from the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC), which recently released its China New Car Assessment Program ratings.
A U.S. version of the Regal will be in Buick showrooms in May.
The New Regal received 49.7 points overall and a maximum score of 16 points in side impact crash tests against a moving deformable barrier. In frontal crash tests it received a score of 15.03 out of 16 points, while in a 40 percent front offset crash test, it scored 15.65 out of 16 points. The New Regal received an additional three points for having a front seat seatbelt alert system, side air bags and side curtain air bags, and the ISOFIX anchoring system for child safety seats.
“We are pleased but not surprised by the results,” said GM China Group President and Managing Director Kevin Wale. “GM has made safety a priority in all of our vehicles built and sold in China. The New Regal’s design and occupant restraint systems are intended to meet all current and anticipated crash safety standards around the world.”
The New Regal has a strong passenger safety cell protected by front and rear crumple zones. Special attention was given to minimizing the risk of intrusion from the engine. For improved side-impact protection, steel door beams are mounted diagonally to help engage the side structure more effectively in spreading crash forces.
A new active head restraint for the front seats was introduced in the New Regal to help reduce the risk of neck injury in a rear-end collision. The front portion of the head restraint is pushed forward 45 millimeters by a new cable linkage, which is sufficient to restrict rearward head movement.
Dual chamber head/thorax air bags are mounted on the outboard sides of the front seatbacks and full-length curtain air bags are installed in the roof. For further passenger protection, three-point seatbelts are provided for all seating positions, including the middle of the rear seat, with pyrotechnic pre-tensioners and load limiters on the front belts.
In addition, tire sensors warn the driver if the pressure in any of the tires drops below the recommended level. Sensors in the valves initiate a radio signal and a warning message is illuminated on the main instrument display.
The Buick New Regal was introduced in China in December 2008. Through the end of March 2010, Shanghai GM had sold 101,773 New Regals nationwide.
