Safety Regs Kill the JCW GP for Canada

I think our minimum limit is 8 km/hr in terms of crash regulations.

I’d rather have something that adheres to the higher standards.

This does make some sense.

The US has a 5-mph bumper standard. Canada might be slightly higher standard and therefore the GP bumpers might not work.

Any Canadians want to confirm?

The US bumper standard, while at one time was 5 mph,is now just 2.5mph. You hear of the 5 mph standard because several automakers still maintain that level. The Canadian standard maintains 5mph (8KPH). This is the probable difference. It has nothing to do with safety, but rather repairability (insurance cost).

cheers, jeffro

Does that mean more cars for North America (read U.S.) or does it mean more cars for the rest of the world (including U.S.)?

Those poor Canadiens – the vultures are circling already ;)

I’ve always wondered why Canada couldn’t permit a “specialty marque” exemption class for wacky and wonderful cars from around the world.

Cars in that class would be given a pass from the usual federalization procedures, but there would be a tight limit on the number of copies sold (firstly to avoid dumping, secondly to mollify domestic producers) and a tariff slapped on them to offset additional costs (i.e. those to our medical system when someone wraps their Clio 182 around a maple tree). ;)

THe whole 2.5 or 5 mph bumper thing is not for safety, but is supposed to be how much your bumper can take without damage. It is really more of an insurance thing IIRC.

Skyline GTR?!?! You lucky bast!

Egad, didn’t mean to make it big ‘n bold like that… LOL!

I am wondering if the issue is something else. The inserts for the foglamps are separate pieces (or at least different colors lending to the thought that they are pieces that might fall off under certain circumstances and require additional testing. Also, it he front bottom lip of the front end lower than the standard JCW aero front end? The height might be an issue as I’ve scraped bottom over a few speed bumps on my MCS. I’m not sure what all the front end requirements in Canada are but there are some significant differences mainly to do with the height where some things are mounted…like why we Canadians can’t get the Mitsubishi EVO here because the intercooler is mounted too low.

But then again, I’ve seen some pretty exotic cars available in Canada that look a lot lower than anything normal people can buy.

In any case, for a car of such low volume (in Canada, maybe 5 cars?), testing for conformance would probably make the cost prohibitive.

Too bad for us.

If any one says that the bumper is the reason then you need to take a look at this picture.

http://www.somc.on.ca/albums/Pulley_Party/P014.jpg

The car is a 03 Canadaian spec Cooper. If you look at the middle of the bumper US has been crossed out and CAN written in by someone at the factory. The rest of the signatures are from atendees to the first Niagara Falls/ Toronto Pulley Party.

Cheers, Jack