Geely's Freedom Cruiser fared very badly in a recent European NCAP crash test organized by Russia automobile magazine Auto Review. The test was conducted with 64km/h of speed, which responds to EuroNCAP rules. Freedom Cruiser's performance in the crash test was so bad that Russian media named the vehicle as "a death car," giving no chances to survive.

Crash test’s organizers bought the car from local dealer, paying the price 291,500 rubles (11,898 USD) and conducted the trial without Geely Automobile’s knowledge. As a result of crash, in 40% of car’s surface in strained obstruction, the space in the first seat’s raw has reduced by half and the objective rating of dummy’s condition was zero points.

“We chose Gelly’s Freedom Cruiser to conduct crash test, because it is really popular model in Russia”, the test’s organizer from Auto Review magazine explained. On the Russian market Inkom-Avto Group, one of the top local dealer, is a Geely’s partner. Geely started to sell vehicles in Russia last year, and aggressive politic of Inkom-Avtom Group predicts to increase the sale to 30,000 units, co 8,000 units sold in 2007.

Editorial comment:
Geely wants to sell 200,000 cars in Russia, during next five years. Auto Review magazine, proved earlier the low level of Chery’s models (QQ and Amulet) safety. In experts’ opinion, Russia distinguishes the threat coming from Chinese cars’ sale, which cost less than local vehicles. In obvious way, it causes automobile sector’s weakness.

Source: Auto Review