No curtains but five stars to prompt ANCAP review?

The new Falcon's achievement of a five-star rating under the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) could prompt the safety organisation to review its rating system.

Speaking at today's announcement of the Falcon's five-star score, ANCAP Chair, Lachlan McIntosh, told the Carsales Network the achievement of maximum star rating without much-vaunted curtain airbags could warrant a review of the ANCAP scoring system -- in particular, the addition of a higher-than-five-star rating.

ANCAP and other road safety authorities have campaigned strongly for the purchasers of new cars to specify curtain airbags. Essentially, the message has been cars need curtain airbags to achieve a five-star rating. The FG Falcon is not the first car to achieve five stars without curtain airbags, however, the list is not long.

McIntosh protested ANCAP's curtain airbag stance was not at odds with the Falcon's five-star rating.

"It's not misleading," he told the Carsales Network.

"The reality is this car [FG Falcon XT] has met our test and gets a five-star rating. [However] We would still encourage people to put a curtain [airbag] in the back, because there are obviously benefits from it," the ANCAP chief said.

Answering Carsales Network's direct questioning on whether the rating system needed to be changed to recognise higher levels of safety, McIntosh conceded that may be the case.

"I think we might [need to change our rating system]. That's an issue anybody in the ratings business [faces]. As technology moves on we have to change things -- maybe there's something we've all learned out of this.

"I think that's the advantage that we see here today. Ford have demonstrated that they can achieve our [five-star] test [scores] with the features they've got, but there are clear benefits in having the curtain airbags [installed]. They [Ford] make them available we'd encourage people to buy them.

"In the end we all want to have less injury and less fatalities. This car beats our hurdle and as the option's available we would encourage people to take up the option."

Asked whether he was disappointed Ford stopped short of fitting curtain airbags to all Falcons (curtain bags are standard on higher series FG models and a $300 option on the XT), McIntosh was diplomatic.

"I'm disappointed not all cars make [the] five-star [rating]. This car makes the five-star rating without any curtain airbags. We'd encourage [other] people to do that.

"The question is should we look at our ratings -- maybe we will... But in the end the reality is, for consumers, this car -- the base car -- makes the five-star rating. It's a great result," he said.

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