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Remember too that a crumple zone is only a good thing for a certain distance. Once the vehicle starts crumpling into the cabin that can get very bad, very quick.

That is why in designing vehicles with true crumple zones (not just all the stuff aft of the windshield), the passenger compartment is basiclly a cage. It is designed to deform very little, while the rest of the car does deform.

Michael


Agreed. However, at some point the momentum involved is so large that the cage will deform and/or allow intrusion into the cabin. In the case of a rear collision that could mean the gas tank ruptures. Could be a nice flat hunk of metal back there tied to the frame so that the frame has to bend to the tank could be a better option inspite of the greater whiplash impact.

Again my point is that a solid bumper has advantages and disadvantages.