News: GlobalNCAP asks Renault to remove misleading Megane advertisement

[jack_christie]

GlobalNCAP asks Renault to remove misleading Megane advertisement

Letter to Renault
www.globalncap.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/CarlosGhosn-17Feb2016.pdf

Mr Carlos Ghosn
Chairman and CEO Renault
13-15 quai le Gallo
92100 Boulogne-Billancourt
Cedex France

17 February 2016

Dear Mr Ghosn

I am writing to express our concern about a serious misrepresentation of crash test results appearing
in Renault advertising in Latin America. A current advert for the Megane III in Uruguay (see attached)
claims that the model has a five star rating in the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro
NCAP).

However, ratings from Euro NCAP should not be used in Latin America where for the last five
years the Latin New Car Assessment Programme (Latin NCAP) has been carrying out independent
safety ratings. In the absence of a crash test by Latin NCAP there is no certainty that the Megane III
sold in Latin America will in fact earn five stars. The advert in Uruguay is, therefore, highly misleading
to car buyers.

Global NCAP, therefore, requests that Renault take the following action to redress this serious misuse
of independent consumer safety information:

1. Withdraw the advert immediately from use in Latin America
2. Issue an apology to Euro NCAP for misusing their results and labelling system
3. Offer to test the Latin American specification of the Renault Megane III using Latin
NCAP?s test protocol so that an accurate rating for the region can be made available.

Misuse of NCAP ratings not only confuses the public it also is unfair to your competitors, particularly
those companies that have earned five star ratings in Latin NCAP. Your corporate website is proud to
highlight the number of five star results the company has obtained from Euro NCAP but entirely
ignores Latin NCAP (see: https://www.renault.co.uk/discover-renault/safety/euro-ncap.html).

Perhaps this is because Renault has yet to achieve a single five star result for any of its models sold in
Latin America. So rather than publishing misleading adverts would it not be better for Renault to try
to achieve its own first genuine five star rating in Latin NCAP? That would be a clear signal that Renault
is truly aiming to have a high level commitment to global road safety.

Yours sincerely

David Ward

Secretary General

www.globalncap.org/news

Global NCAP acusa a Renault de publicidad enga?osa en seguridad

http://motor.atresmedia.com/novedades/noticias/anuncio-engano-renault-megane

Global NCAP asks Renault to remove misleading Megane advertisement

http://overdrive.in/news/global-ncap-asks-renault-to-remove-misleading-megane-advertisement

NCAP demands Renault apology for misleading crash test results

http://www.worldcarfans.com/1160218...ult-apology-for-misleading-crash-test-results

 

[sonza68]

It seems like in this global economy international crash standards and testing would be established and things like this wouldn't be a problem. It seems like a single set of standards would also make things cheaper as automakers don't have to worry about tracking and designing to several sets of changing standards.

 

[chaos386]

It seems like in this global economy international crash standards and testing would be established and things like this wouldn't be a problem.

While that may be true, I think what GlobalNCAP is implying here is that the Latin American M?gane isn't necessarily identical to the European one. Maybe it is, currently, but if Renault decides to update the Euro M?gane to a new platform while keeping the Latin American one on the old platform to save costs, they might pull a fast one and keep the same safety claims. Also, if more manufacturers start doing this, suddenly GlobalNCAP has to investigate which cars are identical across markets and which aren't, which they probably don't want to do.

EDIT: Just did a quick check of the Fluence in Latin NCAP vs. Euro NCAP, and while it got four stars in both, the details reveal a slightly worse showing for the Latin car. One of the equipment differences I noticed was that while the European car has seatbelt pretensioners, the Latin version did not.

 

[jack_christie]

The various regional NCAP's buy a showroom car anonymously and crash test it. They test what is sold to the market, not a manufacturer crash test special.

 

[rickhamilton620]

While that may be true, I think what GlobalNCAP is implying here is that the Latin American M?gane isn't necessarily identical to the European one. Maybe it is, currently, but if Renault decides to update the Euro M?gane to a new platform while keeping the Latin American one on the old platform to save costs, they might pull a fast one and keep the same safety claims. Also, if more manufacturers start doing this, suddenly GlobalNCAP has to investigate which cars are identical across markets and which aren't, which they probably don't want to do.

This is true, safety equipment and manufacturing techniques can vary between markets. The car could be the same but lack certain equipment that the EuroNCAP tested car had, or even be made of different grades (or less than the Euro model) of high strength and ultra high strength steels.

 

[Interrobang]

The various regional NCAP's buy a showroom car anonymously and crash test it. They test what is sold to the market, not a manufacturer crash test special.

If that was the case, why is this a point in Mr Wards Letter?

[...] 3. Offer to test the Latin American specification of the Renault Megane III using Latin
NCAP?s test protocol so that an accurate rating for the region can be made available.

Renault apparently has to "offer" them a car.

Generally it can be said, that NCAP Latin and Renault are starting to have a "history" now.
http://g1.globo.com/carros/noticia/...elas-do-renault-clio-vendido-na-colombia.html
http://www.automotivebusiness.com.b...xa-classificacao-de-seguranca-do-renault-clio
They tested a Renault Clio on sale without Airbags, gave it zero stars, Renault then put Airbags into the model, the car got tested and earned 3 Stars. Renault later moved production and thus removed the airbags again and got the 3 Stars taken away from them again ...
Which also explains why Renault hasn?t issued an answer to this letter in over a week.

 

[jack_christie]

World NCAP to eradicate zero-star cars by 2020

?Car buyers deserve a basic standard of safety, and the cost of providing it is tiny - be it through better engineering of global platforms or investing as little as $50 in an airbag. The arguments against doing this are just absurd.?

Ward?s comments come in the wake of controversy after General Motors boss Mary Barra defended her company?s decision not to fit airbags to some cars the firm was selling in Latin America.

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/industry/world-ncap-eradicate-zero-star-cars-2020