The pictures of a horrific accident involving Renault Triber in Ahmedabad do send shockwaves for all the wrong reasons
The Triber is Renault India’s latest offering in the domestic market and it has helped the brand in posting good volume sales since launching back in late August 2019. The modular vehicle has created interest among customers mainly due to its multiple seating configurations and the aggressive price range. It is priced between Rs. 4.95 lakh and Rs. 6.63 lakh (ex-showroom) and sold in four variants.
It is based on the same CMF-A+ architecture as the Kwid and the platform will also underpin the forthcoming sub-four-metre SUV bound for next year. In May 2016, the made-in-India Kwid was subjected to Global NCAP crash tests and came out with a disappointing zero stars under #safercarsforindia program. Despite the reinforcements made, the small SUV-styled hatchback managed only a single star, four months later.
In mid-2018, the Kwid was assessed by ASEAN NCAP organisation and to nobody’s surprise, it performed poorly with a total score of just 24.68 points and zero star rating. After further changes, the Kwid was finally awarded a decent three-star rating in Latin NCAP crash tests in November 2017 for the top-spec variant with four airbags (not available in India).
The Triber has largely been bought by family-based buyers and safety is the paramount requisite whether you agree or not. Just as the Kwid, the same platform based Triber has a lightweight structure with a kerb weight of around 950 kilograms. We are all in if the lightness ensures rigid structural integrity but it does not seem to be the case.
Here is a set of images of a totalled Renault Triber nearly unrecognisable from the sides. The modular vehicle was involved in a head-on collision as it rammed to the back of a truck in Ahmedabad, Gujarat and we do not know if there were any casualties involved in this horrific accident. From the pictures, what we can observe is that the model looks like a top-end variant as you could see the bumper-fitted LED DRLs.
The A-, B- and C-pillars were destroyed in a shocking manner and it puts the perspective on the strength of the bodyshell as the whole car felt like a crumple zone on its own. Moreover, the high-spec RXZ variant features four airbags (driver, passenger, and front sides) but if the structure does not remain strong, the airbags’ impact would not do much in saving one’s life during accidents of higher magnitude.
We do not know the circumstances involved in this accident and cannot come to a definitive conclusion on things but the pictures speak for themselves, don’t they? All we can say is, drive responsibly and safely!
