18 years ago - almost exactly to the day (!) - the Mercedes-Benz A-Class fell over during an evasion test by the Swedish car test magazine “Teknikens Värld”. A previously unknown “evasion test” was invented as the moose test. Why the Swedes? Why Moose Test? Because in the seclusion of the Swedish forests, one likes to meet moose. As with us on deer. With the difference that an elk has legs as long as a horse, and weighs as much as an ox (Shoulder height up to 2.3 meters, weighing up to 800 kg!) - and such a critter should not hit by car. The consequences are catastrophic. So every Swede learns: Dodge saves lives.
The Swedes invented the elk test and with the overturning of the A-Class the test procedure became world-famous. Mercedes-Benz had to admit the debacle at that time. The first compact car of the Stuttgart, with front-wheel drive also, was built too high. Among other things, the height led to an unfavorable focus.
Mercedes-Benz ensured safety by quickly packing the ESP system from supplier BOSCH, which was already in the drawers, into the A-Class, adapting the system and thus providing “skid protection” that works in conjunction with the ESP control systems avoided another “tipping over”. Today – 18 years after the debacle – the moose test, the failure of the A-Class and the quick reaction of Mercedes-Benz can be seen as a “stroke of luck” in automotive history.
With the introduction of the ESP it became clear that this electronic helper increases the safety in the daily traffic massively.
Mercedes-Benz C350e - disappointment in the moose test
Again the moose test. Mercedes-Benz again. Again Teknikens Värld.
Tests by the Swedish auto magazine have revealed glaring chassis weaknesses in a tested C350e. The small plug-in hybrid limousine from Stuttgart gave a disappointing picture in the tests of the Swedes. The sedan only passed the test at 64 km / h. For comparison, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class after the improvement, model year 2000, even managed 160 km / h as the A65. However, that was 15 years ago.
A spokesman for Mercedes-Benz has pointed out in a first reaction that the C350e is at a disadvantage because of the heavy batteries. In addition, one can not be sure if the air pressure was correct. my-auto-blog is the C350e already briefly driven. During the normal test drives, no critical situation could be assessed.
The reputation of the Swedish test magazine is impeccable and I would also dismiss the “conspiracy idea” of letting a Mercedes fail again on the 18th anniversary of the A-Class debacle as very unlikely. The fact is: the C350e weighs more than its non-plug-in counterparts, but the small 6.2 kWh battery doesn't make it fat. In addition: Mercedes-Benz describes the C350e itself as a “dynamic car” that has “performance like a sports car”.
A Trabant is faster in the moose test!
Dumb only, a Trabant 601 is with 75 km / h and then much faster in the moose test than the C350e. Okay, it has neither plug-in hybrid technology nor an ESP.
