Subaru Forester 1997 News

Without trying to sound macabre - which we are - here's some of the famous people no longer with us because of the car. On a brighter note, lots of people are still with us because of the car - or more specifically, the ambulance. 1. James Dean (Porsche 550 Spyder): Dean's status soared to cult levels after his untimely death in September 1955. In fact, so did the status of the car he was driving, a Porsche 550 Spyder that was the predecessor to today's Boxster. Dean died while driving when an approaching car turned in front of him. His passenger, mechanic Rolf Wutherich, survived that accident but died in a car crash in 1981. 2. Diana, Princess of Wales (Mercedes-Benz S280): On August 31, 1997, the world woke to the shocking news that Diana, Princess of Wales, was killed in a car accident in Paris. Her partner Dodi and driver were also killed. The accident is alleged to have been caused when the Mercedes was avoiding pursuing paparazzi. 3. Princess Grace Kelly (Rover SD1): The former American actress and princess of Monaco died in 1982 after suffering a mild stroke at the wheel of her car, causing it to roll down a mountain in Monaco. Coincidentally, revered British motorcycle racer Mike Hailwood (1940-1981) was killed in a car accident a year earlier driving a similar car. 4. Marc Bolan (Mini GT): Bolan, lead singer of glam rock group T-Rex, was killed instantly in 1977 when the purple Austin Mini GT in which he was a passenger failed to negotiate a bridge and hit a tree. Ironically, Bolan never learned to drive, fearing his untimely death in a car. The driver was his girlfriend, Gloria Jones. 5. Peter "Possum" Bourne (Subaru Forester): Amiable New Zealand rally driver Possum Bourne was on a course inspection in 2003 on the "Race to the Sky" track at Cardrona in NZ's South Island when he collided head on with a Jeep Cherokee. He never regained consciousness. A statue of Possum is set on the mountain on an isolated rock overlooking the Cardrona village. 6. Jackson Pollack (Oldsmobile 88): The reclusive artist crashed his 1950 Oldsmobile convertible while under the influence of alcohol, killing both himself and his passenger instantly in 1956. Pollock was aged 44. 7. Jayne Mansfield (Buick Electra): In the early hours of June 29, 1967, Hollywood sex symbol Jayne Mansfield, died after the 1966 Buick Electra 255 in which she was a passenger smashed under the back of a slowing semi-trailer. Mansfield, her boyfriend Sam Brody and the driver were killed instantly. Her three children including Mariska, all in the rear of the car, survived with minor injuries. 8. Desmond Llewelyn (Renault Megane): In 1999, one of the UK's most recognisable figures; Desmond Llewelyn, better known as Q in the James Bond films, died in a car crash aged 85. He was driving home from a book signing when his car collided head on with a Fiat. 9. Lisa "Left Eye" Lopez (Mitsubishi SUV): In 2002, Lopez - singer with popular RnB group TLC - was thrown from the vehicle and died from injuries. The Mitsubishi was forced off the road by an oncoming truck that was trying to overtake a car on a Honduras road. 10. George S. Patton (Cadillac Series 75): The famous United States general died from complications 12 days after a car accident near Mannheim, Germany. He was aged 60 years.

The figures, released this week, show that of 349 vehicles tested there were 26 deemed to have performed “significantly better than average”. The ratings are produced by the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) with help from the RACV, TAC and VicRoads. The ratings are based on the MUARC team's analysis of more than 3.2 million car crashes in Australia and New Zealand between 1986 and 2006. That means that unlike the ANCAP testing, which is done under control conditions in a special testing facility, the Used Car Safety Ratings are based on real world accidents. The survey rates vehicles in five marks: significantly better than average; better than average; average; worse than average; and significantly worse than average. The ratings expose the myth that larger cars are safer in an accident with bigger cars putting occupants at a greater risk of serious injury in an accident. Small and medium sized cars fared the best with the smallest category offering up nine cars with the eight medium sized cars pulling the top result. Once again large cars fared the worst with only the 2002-06 Holden Commodore awarded the significantly better than average honour. The Subaru Forester 1997-2002 model was the best performer outright in the survey, just ahead of another compact four-wheel-driver, the 1997-2001 Honda CR-V. Light cars fared badly with none achieving the top rating and only three scoring a better than average mark. Also performing poorly were commercial vehicles, both vans and utes. Only the Ford Transit van scored better than average across the two categories.  BEST PERFORMING VEHICLES Subaru Forester 97-02 Honda CR-V 97-01 Ford Explorer 01-05 Mercedes-Benz M-Class 98-05 Mitsubishi Pajero 00-06 Jeep Cherokee 01-04 Ford Transit 01-06 Holden Commodore 02-06 Mazda6 02-06 Subaru Liberty 99-03 WORST PERFORMING VEHICLES Daihatsu Rocky 85-98 Toyota Landcruiser 82-89 Holden Rodeo 89-95 Subaru Brumby 82-92 Suzuki Mighty Boy 85-88 Toyota Hiace 87-89 Toyota Hiace 90-95 Daihatsu Handivan 82-90 Holden Scurry/Suzuki Carry 82-00 Toyota Hiace 82-86  LIGHT CARS BEST PERFORMERS Mazda 121 97-02 Holden Barina 01-06 Volkswagen Polo 96-00 Daihatsu Sirion 96-04 Toyota Echo 99-05 WORST PERFORMERS Hyundai Getz 02-06 Suzuki Alto 85-00 Daihatsu Mira 90-96 Subaru Sherpa 89-92 Mitsubishi Mirage 82-88 SMALL CARS BEST PERFORMERS Volkswagen Golf 99-04 Mazda3 03-06 Peugeot 306 94-01 Volkswagen Golf 04-06 Peugeot 307 01-06 WORST PERFORMERS Mitsubishi Cordia 83-87 Nissan Exa 83-86 Nissan NX 91-96 Hyundai Excel 86-90 Honda Civic 84-87 MEDIUM CARS BEST PERFORMERS Mazda6 02-06 Subaru Liberty 99-03 BMW 5- Series 96-03 Saab 9000 86-97 Saab 9-3 94-02 WORST PERFORMERS Mitsubishi Starion 82-87 Holden Camira 82-89 Toyota Corona 82-88 Nissan Bluebird 82-86 Nissan Pintara 89-92 LARGE CARS BEST PERFORMERS Holden Commodore 02-06 Ford Falcon 98-02 Ford Falcon 02-06 Holden Commodore 97-02 Mitsubishi Magna 03-06 WORST PERFORMERS Toyota Supra 82-90 Holden Commodore 82-88 Ford Falcon 82-88 Nissan Skyline 83-88 Mitsubishi Magna 86-90 LARGE 4WD BEST PERFORMERS Ford Explorer 01-05 Mercedes M-Class 98-05 Nissan Patrol 98-04 Nissan Patrol 88-97 Toyota Landcruiser 99-06 WORST PERFORMERS Toyota Landcruiser 82-89 Nissan Patrol 82-87 Toyota Landcruiser 90-97 Range Rover 96-02 Jeep Cherokee 96-99 PEOPLE-MOVERS BEST PERFORMERS Mitsubishi Nimbus 99-03 Kia Carnival 99-06 Toyota Tarago 91-99 Honda Odyssey 95-00 Nissan Serena 92-95 WORST PERFORMERS Mitsubishi Starwagon 83-86 Toyota Tarago 83-89 Mitsubishi Starwagon 87-93 Mazda MPV 94-99 Mitsubishi Starwagon 95-98