A Ferrari rear-ending a Proton? Everyone would expect the Proton to be smashed to smithereens, but well, this real-life accident shows that our locally made car is a bit tougher than previously thought.
The accident between a Ferrari F458 Italia and Proton Prevé on the Jalan Tun Razak flyover heading towards Jalan Ampang has caught the attention of netizens, after photos of the scene showed that the Proton car only suffered minimal damage to the backseat. The unfortunate incident occurred at around 6am yesterday (Sunday, 19th June).
Proton cars, which have often been ridiculed by Malaysians for its declining quality, was surprisingly intact despite the huge impact of the collision, judging by the extensive damage on the front of the Ferrari sports car.
Understandably, the “crumple zone” of both cars, designed to crumple easily under pressure and absorb the main force of a crash, was completely destroyed.
Zainul Azraai, who posted photos of the crash on Facebook, explained that Proton’s “hot press forming (HPF)” technology helped in retaining the 4-door compact saloon’s structure, as the doors and airbags of the cars were still functioning.
HPF technology is used on parts of cars, usually the side frames, to protect passengers in case of frontal or side impact. The parts that are formed using the HPF technology undergo a molecular change, which results in 3 times the strength of high tensile steel. This process is usually used only by premium European car makers in Germany.
Although the name of the driver of the Ferrari wasn’t disclosed, netizens have speculated that Malaysian socialite Lisa Teh owns the car. The socialite previously posted a photo of a pink Ferrari of the same model on social media, which sparked rumours.
Teh has since denied that she drove the car, but she did not state that the car wasn’t hers.
Kuala Lumpur Traffic Police chief ACP Mohd Nadzri Hussain also explained that both drivers were not driving under the influence, as they tested negative on a breathalyser test. The weather was also clear at the time of the accident.
Hussain said:
The 29-year-old driver of the Ferrari lost control and hit the rear end of the Proton Preve car which was travelling in the right lane.
It was also understood that both drivers lodged reports at the Tun H S Lee traffic police station.
The accident is currently being investigated under Rule 10 of the Road Traffic Rules, which is explained as “careless driving leading to an accident”.
Sources: Zainul Azraai via Facebook, The Mole.
