New Citroen best car to be run over by

The Citroen C6 has impact absorbers in front to cushion pedestrians from serious injury.

Pedestrians will stand a fighting chance of escaping head injuries if bowled over by Citroen's latest luxury car, but social conscience will carry a hefty price tag for its owners.

Although the European carmaker has yet to finalise New Zealand specifications for the Citroen C6, which is expected around Christmas or early next year, it indicated yesterday that buyers were unlikely to get any change from $100,000.

But the car, as well as being the first vehicle to win a maximum four-star rating for protecting pedestrians in European crash tests, has joined several other models in scoring top marks for the safety of its occupants.

The test results, out today and endorsed by Land Transport NZ and the Automobile Association as partners in the complementary Australian new car assessment programme, follow Citroen's provision of an "active bonnet" system to cushion pedestrians.

Impact absorbers are built into the front of the car to minimise leg injuries, and sensors trigger a bonnet-raising mechanism to shield the heads of pedestrians from hard engine parts.

Dummy body parts were catapulted at the car at a simulated 40km/h, leading Australian experts to conclude that pedestrians hit at that speed would have a good chance of escaping permanent brain injuries.

Even so, Jack Haley, of Australia's National Roads and Motorists' Association, told the Herald nothing beat "trying to avoid an impact in the first place" by jumping out of the way.

As for occupants of the new car, Citroen says it offers "exceptionally polished road manners" and such safety features as a "lane departure warning system" and nine airbags.

Citroen New Zealand general manager Mark Patterson said that although the safety of occupants would no doubt remain a priority for buyers, the company was keen to provide the best protection for everyone who came into contact with its vehicles.

The latest crash tests awarded three stars for pedestrian safety to the new Fiat Punto, which also gained a maximum of five for occupant protection, and two stars to the VW Passat (four occupant stars).

At the bottom of the class for protecting pedestrians was the Hyundai Tucson four-wheel-drive, with just one star, although it gained four for occupant safety.

The Toyota HiAce light van also gained one pedestrian star in the Australian crash test, and just under four for its occupants.