italiaspeed.com

The facelifted Chrysler 300 (top) and its platform twin the Dodge Charger (bottom), have been named Top Safety Picks for 2011 by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), marking the first time both vehicles have achieved the highest ratings.

The facelifted Chrysler 300 and its platform twin the Dodge Charger, have been named Top Safety Picks for 2011 by the U.S. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), marking the first time both vehicles have achieved the highest ratings.

IIHS recognizes vehicles with outstanding crashworthiness in front, side, rollover and rear crashes. The new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger both received ‘good’ ratings, the highest achievable, in all four categories. This top safety rating for the 300 is in particularl significant as the full-size Chrysler sedan is set to be rebadged as a Lancia Thema in Europe - where achieving a top EuroNCAP star rating is a must - and it will debut in this guise at the Geneva Motor Show.

The facelifted Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger join five other Chrysler Group vehicles that were named Top Safety Picks by the IIHS in December. Dodge Avenger and Journey, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Patriot, when equipped with optional side airbags, and the Chrysler 200 were recognized for superior crashworthiness.

To be considered, vehicles must have available electronic stability control (ESC) systems that significantly reduce crash risks. Both the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger have standard ESC. Other standard safety features including full length side curtain airbags, seat-mounted side thorax air bags, driver’s knee bag, front-row reactive head restraints, Hill Start Assist, Rain Brake Support and Ready Alert Braking.

"The redesigned Dodge Charger and twin Chrysler 300 earn the Institute's top safety accolade for the first time after achieving good ratings for front, side, rollover, and rear impact protection," read the summary from the IIHS, which continued: "The Top Safety Pick designation recognizes the vehicles that afford the best overall crash protection. In addition to good crash test ratings, winners must have electronic stability control (ESC), an important crash-avoidance feature, which is standard on the Charger and 300. Chrysler significantly improved the safety performance of these vehicles for 2011. The previous generation Charger and 300 earned the second lowest rating of marginal for side impact protection, even when equipped with head-protecting side curtain airbags. The previous cars were also rated marginal for rear impact protection. This is the first time that these cars have been rated in the Institute's roof strength test for rollover protection. The roof of the Charger withstood a force equal to 5.37 times the car's weight. By comparison, the current federal standard is 1.5 times weight. ESC, which was optional on the previous generation models, is now standard," the IIHS statement concluded.

“With the addition of the new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, Chrysler Group now has seven Top Safety Picks in the 2011 model year. This recognition by the IIHS underscores our commitment to safety across all vehicle segments,” said Scott Kunselman, the Senior Vice President Engineering at the Chrysler Group. “As we continue our product transformation, we’ll continue to engineer safety leadership and more capabilities into all our vehicles.”

Both the new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger employ a two-fold approach to safety with active safety items, such as electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, as well as passive safety features, including head restraints for front seat occupants and supplemental side-curtain or side seat airbags.

“Automakers deserve credit for quickly rising to meet more challenging criteria for Top Safety Pick,” says Adrian Lund, the Institute’s president. “That gives consumers shopping for a safer new car or SUV – from economy to luxury – plenty of choices to consider when they visit a dealer showroom.”