Why are these new Skoda models getting crushed?

Tue, 10 Jul 2012

The massive number of safety devices, explosives, electronics and construction materials in modern cars means that extricating someone from a wrecked vehicle is no longer just a matter of a Sawzall and twelve minutes. Carmakers work with first responders so that the men and women who save lives can actually figure out how to get to the lives in question without doing further damage to the people inside or themselves.

And that's apparently what's happening in the three videos below: Škoda gave rescuers in the Czech Republic a Superb, Octavia and Yeti to practice on, and the fire team used some heavy machinery to bash things up a bit before getting to work. We're not clear why they needed new models to practice on, so we're hoping that these cars were preproduction non-VIN vehicles that were destined for the crusher anyhow. The video isn't revelatory, it's just a behind-the-scenes look at how the people who help you help themselves first. You can watch it all in the videos below.

By Jonathon Ramsey